The number of stay at home mums has dropped to an all time low because of the financial pressure to return to work and rising household bills.
The Office for National Statistics said just over two million women (2.005) are full time mothers, compared to three million in 1993.
Meanwhile, the ONS said more women are employed than ever before, with 67.9 per cent of women aged 16 to 64 in a job.
Lynne Burnham, of support group Mothers at Home Matter, explained the decrease, saying: "More than 80 per cent of parents recently cited financial difficulties as the main factor in pressurising them or their partner to return to work.
"Current house prices and the high cost of rent are also factors pushing more stay-at-home parents back into the workplace."
Jill Kirby, a family expert and the author of The Price of Parenthood, said recently: "The pressure continues to increase for mothers to work to support the family finances. Yet we know from so many surveys and studies that mothers would like to have more time for their families.
"The Government and the Opposition are totally focused on childcare, but nobody stops to question if this is what women really want."
Have you had to return to work earlier than you would have wanted?
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