Working Mumma

“Who Am I Now?" The Identity Shift No One Prepares You For With Motherhood

"Who am I now" is a question many mums have asked themselves, especially when they are navigating the transition back to work. 
I chat with Laura Stewart, mum, former executive leader, and founder of a social enterprise, to unpack her experiences of identity shift (matrescence) and navigating her transition back to work.
Laura shares her decision to resign from a senior role while on maternity leave, the emotional process of discovering she no longer fit the career she once thrived in, and the deep internal shifts that followed. From redefining success and letting go of mum guilt, to building micro-systems to support her return-to-work life, Laura offers wisdom, vulnerability, and practical strategies for working mums navigating their own identity transformations.
We chat about:
Why Laura chose to leave her high-level role after becoming a mum
The concept of matrescence and the identity shift no one warns you about
Practical systems and hacks for simplifying the mental load
Reframing mum guilt and giving yourself permission to grow
The importance of communication and redefining partnership
How to make space for the new version of you
Whether you’re feeling lost, stuck in the juggle, or wondering if you’ve changed, this episode will leave you feeling seen, supported, and not alone.
 
Episode links 
Connect with Laura Stewart on LinkedIn 
Follow Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity or LinkedIn 

Money, Motherhood & Mindset: How to Rewrite Your Financial Story

Why do so many women feel uncomfortable talking about money, and how can we change it? Where does this come from? How can we change this mindset?
Carina speaks with behavioral money coach and founder of Women with Cents, Natasha Janssens. From escaping war-torn Yugoslavia to becoming an accountant, mortgage broker, financial planner, and now a powerful voice helping women shift their relationship with money, Natasha shares her personal journey and how it led her to focus on the psychology of money to support women.
Whether you're returning to work, navigating the cost of daycare, or just trying to stay afloat, remember: this is a season. Give yourself permission to just survive, if that’s where you are. The time for growth will come.
You don’t need to know it all. You just need to take the first step and know your numbers.
We chat about:
Why women often avoid financial conversations
How our upbringing, traditional gender roles, and societal norms impact our money mindset
The emotional drivers behind financial stress and avoidance
Practical steps to build financial confidence (even if you're not a "numbers person")
Why understanding your "financial story" is key to making empowered decisions that can also have a positive impact on your children 
Tips for navigating money conversations with your partner
Superannuation, contribution splitting, and what to know post-maternity leave
This is an episode with great tips and advice whether you’re returning to work, navigating childcare costs, working for a few years, or want to feel more in control of your finances to help you later in life. 
 
Episode links 
Connect with Natasha: Women with Cents or @womenwithcents
Subscribe to the Working Mumma newsletter or connect @workingmummacommunity or on LinkedIn 

Navigating the Mum Juggle in the Country: How Lisa Balances Work, Kids & Farm Life

You think the school drop-off is tough in the city? Try doing it with two kids, 170 acres of farmland, no running water from mains, and a 90-minute commute to work. 
I chat with Lisa Judson, a working mum of two living in regional Western Australia. Lisa shares what life is really like juggling career, motherhood, and a farm, all without access to city conveniences like town water, rubbish collection, or nearby daycare. As Lisa comments "my parents are only an hour away" - a relative short distance for the country. 
Lisa is so well organised, built a great community around her, and she has a great approach to working mum life with so many great tips that are useful regardless if you live in the city or country. 
We dive into:
The logistical juggle of long commutes, limited childcare, and off-grid living
How Lisa returned to full-time work with two kids under five
Why community care and asking for help are survival strategies, not weaknesses
The importance of good communication, systems, and flexibility in rural working motherhood
Whether you live in the city or the country, this episode will leave you with new ideas, empathy, and a reminder: working mums are stronger than we realise – especially when we stop trying to do it all alone.
 
Episode links
Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn 
Connect with Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity or LinkedIn and check out the website for free resources. 

Working Mum Math: Weighing the Cost of Career vs Childcare

Is childcare worth the cost when most of your paycheck goes straight to daycare fees?
In this powerful episode, financial advisor and mum of two, Deline Jacovides, opens up about how much she and her husband have spent on childcare over seven years, and why, despite the eye-watering figure, she’d do it all again.
We unpack the true cost of childcare in Australia, the long-term impact on women’s careers and superannuation, and the often-overlooked benefits, like career progression, independence, and child development. Deline also shares how she and her husband juggled part-time work, subsidies, and even brought in an au pair to make it all work.
This is the honest childcare conversation every working parent needs to hear.
Whether you're navigating daycare decisions now or planning for the future, you'll walk away with insights, budgeting tips, and the reassurance that your sacrifices today are an investment in your family's tomorrow.
What You’ll Learn:
How Deline spent six figures on childcare and what she got in return
The financial and emotional trade-offs of early childhood education
How to budget for childcare, including fee increases and cashflow planning
The career, superannuation, and identity costs of opting out of work
Why childcare is a family cost, not just a mother’s burden
How legislation has (and hasn’t) helped affordability for families
 
Show links:
Connect with Deline on Instagram @maziwealth
Listen to the previous episode of the Working Mumma with Deline "Managing the financial impact of motherhood with financial planner Deline Jacovides"
 
Connect with Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity

From Redundancy to Global Business: How Beatrice Built HeyDoodle While Raising Three Kids

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 opens up about the raw realities of business and motherhood, between nap times, during night shifts, the skipped maternity leave, and the joy of watching her kids thrive alongside her brand. 
Today, Hey Doodle is stocked in over 850 stores and is expanding internationally, all while staying true to the values that matter most: family, creativity, and fun.
Beatrice’s story is raw, real, and full of helpful insights for any mum dreaming of more, whether it’s flexibility, creativity, or starting your own business. 
 
Episode links 
Check out HeyDoodle website or connect on Instagram @heydoodle_
Connect with Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity or LinkedIn and check out the website for free resources. 

Navigating a Toxic Return to Work: Elise’s Story of Burnout, Boundaries, and Balance

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 within three months of returning after parental leave, secure extra childcare in an impossible timeframe, and show up as if nothing had changed.
From feeling invisible and bullied to walking away from a company that didn’t value her as both a professional and a mother, Elise opens up about the burnout she experienced, the boundaries she built, and how she finally found balance in a role that truly supports working parents.
We explore the emotional and practical challenges of the return-to-work period, why part-time work is just as impactful, and how the right manager and mindset can completely transform your career and confidence.
Whether you're preparing to return to work or reflecting on your own transition, Elise’s story will leave you feeling seen, supported, and empowered.
 
Connect with Elise via LinkedIn 
Connect with Working Mumma via LinkedIn, Instagram or connect with Carina on LinkedIn. 

Don’t Know What to Wear Anymore? Style Tips for Working Mums with Personal Stylist Lisa Stockman

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 bank, and the mindset shift mums need when rediscovering their personal style. Packed with actionable tips, this episode is your style pep talk for your next chapter to help you feel confident and capable in the clothes you wear. 
What You’ll Learn:
How to use clothes as a tool for confidence
The power of identifying 3 “style words” before shopping
Why it’s okay to let go of your pre-baby wardrobe
Lisa’s must-have staples for working mums
How to avoid common post-baby style mistakes
 
Resources & Links
Follow Lisa on Instagram: @lisastockmanstylist
Visit Lisa’s website: lisastockman.com.au
Follow Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity on LinkedIn or check out the website workingmumma.com.au

You don't need to do it all - tips for sharing the mental load to help you breathe again

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 empty.
In this podcast I cover:
What the mental load really is, and how it quietly burns us out
The default parent trap (yep, you probably know it well)
A powerful 4-step strategy to lighten the mental load and reset your home life
How to shift from martyr mode to shared responsibility - without the guilt
This isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing less and sharing more. You deserve support. You deserve to breathe.
So if you’ve been carrying it all and wondering why you’re so tired this episode is for you.
 
 
Show links
Follow Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity
Sign up for the Working Mumma newsletter 
Get your free 'How to share the mental load' checklist workingmumma.com.au/mental-load/
Connect with Carina on LinkedIn
 
 

Ash Polland's Story of Identity Loss and the Raw Reality of Motherhood we don't often talk about

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 seems
What shocked her most about early motherhood and the identity crisis that followed
Her struggle to reconcile ambition with the unpredictability of parenting
How becoming a mum shook her to the core, despite years in high-pressure roles, and sought help in her darkest days to navigate her new world
Her honest take on ambition, identity, and why the transition to motherhood is never as simple as it seems
Whether you're chasing your own goals or adjusting to life as a new mum, Ash’s story is a reminder that we’re all figuring it out as we go.
 
Show Links
Connect with Ash on Instagram @ashpollard__ and check out the Shaker Bag Mushrooms
Follow Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity or LinkedIn 
 

Why Saying No Isn’t Selfish—It’s Self-Respect

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 guide for setting boundaries that work for you. When you start saying no to the right things, you create space for the right yeses. 
 
Show links
Follow Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity
Sign up for the Working Mumma newsletter 
Get your free 'How to share the mental load' checklist workingmumma.com.au/mental-load/
Connect with Carina on LinkedIn