A year after giving birth to Peter, Anderson became pregnant with her second child while working at Maclean Hunter. Anderson decided not to tell anyone about her pregnancy, but the baby bump became noticeable around six months. Many pregnant working women in this era often kept their pregnancy a secret until they had no choice due to the fear of losing their job, being demoted or being discriminated. Floyd Chambers, Anderson's boss at the magazine, questioned her by asking when Anderson plans on going home to which she answered that she balanced her role as a magazine editor and a mother extraordinarily with her first child, and will continue to do so with her second child. .
Working women with children dealt with the overwhelming pressure from their jobs, the newfound responsibility of motherhood and the emotional turmoil of leaving their children at home while at home during the mid-1950s to the early 1970's. Gwen Diab, an activist and supporter of the women's movement during the 1960's, stated that "women were hesitant to leave the home because they felt guilty leaving their children all alone. By the 1960's, women started to get over this feeling of guilt and left the house more frequently. Anderson carried a full load of guilt, often criticizing herself on not being home often enough to care for her children at all times. Anderson mentions in her biography that often, guilt caused her to lose perspective and common sense; sometimes, Anderson had to take a step back and realize that her children were good kids and that Anderson's parenting capabilities were up to par. During this era, Doris Anderson managed balanced her work, social and home life by hiring domestic help, getting assistance from her husband and working from home at times. Working women who excelled at balancing their work and household responsibilities were initially often ridiculed, rather than commended. Being in the public eye, Anderson's parenting capabilities were questioned.
