Kate Winslet says working mothers are ''heroes''.

The actress and mother-of-three has praised other mums who do their best to balance their professional and personal lives by not neglecting their career or children.

Speaking to Glamour magazine, she said: ''Mothers who work full time - they're the real heroes.''

The 38-year-old star - who has daughter Mia, 13, with ex-husband Jim Threapleton, son Joe, 10, with ex-husband Sam Mendes, and four-week-old son Bear with husband Ned Rocknroll - also insisted she doesn't enlist help for meal times.

While Kate admitted she sometimes invites friends round to cook, she doesn't want her children to be brought up having lots of people assuming the 'parent' role.

She explained: ''Sure, I could have lots of people who do the cooking, the driving, all that jazz - but I would be unhappy. I wouldn't want my children raised that way.''

The 'Labour Day' star recently said her performance in the big screen drama was helped by her own experiences of motherhood.

She previously noted: ''It's a part I could not have played had I not been a parent.

''Ultimately, I was drawn to it because it's a film about the desire for a family - and family has played such a role in my life. It's my core, really.''