Moms who left work force find extra hardships trying to go back

(CNN) -- Kathryn Gutowski is a stay-at-home mother of four. For the past 11 years she has juggled laundry, carpooling and homework. Before becoming a mom, she was an attorney. She always planned to re-enter the work force, so she kept her skills polished, renewed her license regularly and did volunteer work.

Gutowski advises mothers to keep in touch with business contacts and at least volunteer or work part time.

With one child in college, another about to enter college, and 10-year-old twins, Gutowski realized that she needed to get back to work. She appreciated having had the luxury of staying at her Montclair, New Jersey, home with her kids, but like so many other American families, the equity in her home, college savings and retirement savings began to plummet last year.