Working Mumma

In this episode of the Working Mumma podcast, Carina O’Brien chats with Beatrice Toh, mother of 3 and founder of Hey Doodle. Beatrice shares how a career pivot during COVID turned redundancy into opportunity, sharing very openly her experiences of building a global business from her kitchen table, and what it’s really like managing the juggle of entrepreneurship with three young kids. Beatrice ope...

Returning to work after maternity leave is a major life transition, and for many women, it’s a moment of hope that quickly turns into disillusionment with their manager and/or employer. For Elise Slavin, her return came with rigid demands, unrealistic expectations, and emotional burnout. Despite clear communication with her employer, she was expected to ramp up to full-time hours, 5 days a week wi...

Returning to work after maternity leave is a huge transition, physically and emotionally. Your body has changed, your lifestyle has shifted, and your wardrobe? It probably doesn’t reflect the confident, capable woman you are becoming. In this episode, Carina chats with personal stylist Lisa Stockman about how clothes can influence your confidence, how to rebuild your wardrobe without breaking the...

Let’s be real, you're not just juggling work and motherhood. You're carrying the mental load too: remembering school events, buying birthday presents, packing lunches, and keeping everything (and everyone) running smoothly. It’s invisible. It’s exhausting. And it’s not sustainable. From the silent stress to the constant remembering, planning, and doing, it’s no wonder we feel like we’re running on...

From the spotlight of reality TV to the chaos of raising two young girls, Ash Pollard opens up about how motherhood shook her to the core. In this honest and emotional conversation, Ash shares her journey of identity loss, the pressure to keep performing, and how she’s navigating the raw realities of being a mum. You’ll hear: How Ash landed her first role in TV and why it’s not as glamorous as it...

Feel like you’re saying “yes” to everything and losing yourself in the process? You’re not alone. This Juggle Tip episode gives you permission to say no without feeling guilty and gives you strategies to say no with confidence. From work requests to weekend bake sales, I share how to set boundaries so you can reclaim your time and energy and do the things you enjoy.  This episode is your go-to gui...

The early years of motherhood aren’t just hard; they completely shake and in many ways change your identity. In this real and raw conversation, Hatien Van shares her journey through pregnancy during a pandemic, losing her job, experiencing postnatal depression, rebuilding her life and career. If you've ever wondered why the early years feel so overwhelming, or questioned if you’re doing enough, th...

What does it really look like to juggle ADHD, two kids, and multiple businesses? Laetitia shares the messy, unfiltered reality of neurodivergent motherhood, and how she stays grounded. Laetitia Andrac is a mother of two, former corporate strategist, business owner, and a passionate advocate for neurodiversity. When her daughter Zoe began showing signs of being neurodivergent, Laetitia found hersel...

Everyone asks you what pram you’re buying, what hospital you’re going to, and if you’ve packed your bag. But no one asks you the real questions before you become a mum, the ones that will shape your identity, your relationships, your career, and your mental health. In this raw and reflective 150th episode, I’m sharing the real questions I wish I had asked before I became a mum. These are the conve...

What if trying to be the “perfect mum” is actually what’s holding you back? I’m joined by Fleur Chambers, a multi-award-winning meditation teacher, best-selling author, and creator of the free meditation app, The Happy Habit. Fleur understands firsthand the challenges working mums face and brings a wealth of knowledge on how mindfulness and self-compassion can transform the way we approach work, f...

Ever feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions trying to navigate motherhood and a career - between work, kids, home, family, relationships, and everything in between? You’re not alone. The pressure to "do it all" is real, but here’s the truth: you don’t have to. In this episode, I dive into the myth of having it all, why it’s okay to let things go, and how redefining success on your o...

When Porscia Lam received the news that her son Harry was autistic, her world shifted. She put her legal career on pause to become his full-time therapist, diving headfirst into the world of autism therapy and the challenges of raising a neurodivergent child, all during Melbourne’s long covid lockdowns. Returning to work after a career break is challenging for any parent, but what happens when tha...

Returning to work after maternity leave is one of the biggest transitions in your working mum journey. Whether you're excited or feeling overwhelmed, those first 90 days back at work can be an emotional rollercoaster. But with the right mindset, preparation, and strategies, you can navigate this phase with confidence. In this episode, I share: How to prepare before your first day back The key conv...

Return-to-office mandates are making headlines across Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and beyond—igniting debate about productivity, flexibility, and the future of work. But what do these policies mean for working mums juggling careers and family life? Do they even have a benefit?  In this episode, I chat with Dr. Ellen Ford, leadership expert, author, and passionate advocate for workplace flexibi...

Mum guilt—it’s real, it’s something a majority of mums experience, and it can make us feel like we’re never doing enough. But what if you could manage that guilt and start feeling more confident in your role as both a mum and in your career? In this episode, I'm tackling the overwhelming pressure on mums to ‘do it all’ and why so many working mums feel guilt about balancing career and family. I br...

Returning to work after maternity leave can feel overwhelming—where do you start with updating your resume? How do you explain the gap in a resume? How do you navigate interviews after being out of the workforce for a period of time? What do you do if you’re considering a career change? In this episode of the Working Mumma Podcast, I’m joined by HR and hiring expert Ash Battye, founder of Career P...

As a working parent, trying to navigate the career/parenting juggle is similar to trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. In this episode, I chat with Louise Gilbert, leadership coach, change consultant, and author of Make Work Work for You. We dive into the reality of juggling work and family life and why the traditional concept of work-life balance sets working mums up to fail. Louise shar...

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the endless juggle of work, home, and family life? You’re not alone. Research shows that burnout among working mothers is at an all-time high, with much of the stress coming from the invisible mental load—the ongoing responsibility of managing it all. In this episode, we take a moment to pause and reflect on your mental load as the year begins. It’s the perfect time...

In this episode of the Working Mumma podcast, I challenge the widely accepted idea and myth of work-life balance, explaining why it often sets working mums up for stress, guilt, and burnout. Balance isn’t a destination; it’s not something you achieve and then check off your list. Life is dynamic and constantly changing, especially as a working mum. I share strategies including boundaries and work-...

If you have experienced mum guilt, you aren't alone. Over 98% of mothers have experienced mum guilt. In this episode, I speak with mindset coach and mother, Sarah Purins about how to cope with mum guilt. Sarah and I chat about the triggers and influences of mum guilt, such as societal expectations, personal pressures, and unwanted opinions from others. She discusses two types of guilt and shares t...

In this insightful episode of the Working Mumma podcast, I chat with Dr. Sophie Brock, a renowned motherhood studies sociologist, to delve into the constant pressure that mothers face in their quest for perfection (secret - there is no such thing). Sophie has an extensive background and career journey in sociology, focusing on motherhood, sheds light on how cultural and societal norms shape the un...

In this episode, we delve deep into the emotional and mental toll of returning to work after maternity leave. Guests, Clinical Psychologists Kass and Alicia, share their expert advice on overcoming the feelings of self-doubt and imposter syndrome prevalent among working mothers as they return to work after maternity leave. They further question the default narratives about motherhood while stressi...

I speak with Megan Dalla-Camina, a single mother, author, and CEO of Women Rising on how to redefine success for working mums. Megan shares her career journey, from her early dreams in performing arts to becoming a corporate executive and starting her company after experiencing extreme burnout. We discuss balancing career and motherhood challenges, including burnout and societal expectations. Mega...

In this episode of the Working Mumma podcast, Carina shares her personal journey navigating the first year of her child starting prep/foundation year at school while juggling work and mum life. From the emotional rollercoaster of the first day to the realities of balancing school hours of 9-3:30 with business hours of 9-5 and a career, Carina discusses the challenges and triumphs that come with th...

In this episode of the Working Mama podcast, I speak with Elke Pascoe, founder and CEO of The Little Oak Company. We chat about Elke's inspiring journey of creating a global brand of natural baby formula driven by her own experience (also while a single mum!), the unique challenges and strengths that come with balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship, and the systemic changes needed in workplaces...