Working Mumma

Working Mum Life Maths: Career, Kids & the $150K Childcare Bill

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. 

I Don’t Know What to Wear Anymore: A Style Reset for Working Mums

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
 

Hatien’s story - Losing My Job While Pregnant and Rebuilding After Postnatal Depression

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, this episode will feel like a warm, honest conversation with a friend who truly gets it.
In this episode:
Navigating job loss while pregnant
Returning to work after maternity leave with no village
Mental health struggles and the power of asking for help
Creating boundaries between work and motherhood
Finding confidence and joy again after the early years
Please know, you are not alone in this journey. Every working mum has a story — and we’re here to share them.
Enjoyed this conversation and interested to share your story on the podcast, apply today to be a guest. Click here
 
Connect with Hatien on LinkedIn
Connect with Carina O'Brien and Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity or @workingmummapodcast and follow Working Mumma on LinkedIn. Sign up for the Working Mumma newsletter 

Laetitia's Story - Navigating ADHD, Burnout, the Mental Load and Why she left a senior corporate role

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 herself navigating a complex, exhausting system while trying to hold down a senior management role in one of Australia's largest organisations. What followed was a personal journey of burnout, late ADHD diagnosis, and ultimately, a complete career shift.
Laetitia opens up about the emotional toll of parenting a child with high support needs, what it’s like discovering her own neurodivergence later in life, and how she’s now using her experience to help other families through her new business and platform, Understanding Zoe. This is a raw and powerful conversation about identity, motherhood, advocacy, and what happens when the systems we’re part of no longer work for us.
 
Show links
Connect with Laetitia on LinkedIn, discover more about Understanding Zoe understandingzoe.com or her business, the Essential Shift essentialshift.co
Connect with Carina and Working Mumma Instagram @workingmummacommunity or on LinkedIn
 
Free resources
Sign up for the Working Mumma newsletter 
Get your free 'How to share the mental load' checklist workingmumma.com.au/mental-load/

The Real Questions No One Asks Before They Become a Mum

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 conversations no one prepares you for, but every woman deserves to have.
If you're navigating the juggle, about to step into motherhood, or simply want to feel seen and heard, this episode is for you.
From career ambitions and the mental load to the myth of balance and the messy beauty of mum life, I reflect on what I have learned and unlearned in my evolution from a driven professional to a working mum with perspective.
Whether you're a mum-to-be, new mum, or seasoned in the juggle, this episode offers a comforting reminder that it’s okay to evolve — and that version 2.0 might just be stronger than you imagined.
Key Takeaways
How motherhood shifts your priorities, identity, and definition of success
Why “balance” is a myth and what really matters instead
The unexpected strength and resilience you discover in the messy moments
Why you can still be ambitious and be a great mum
The importance of finding your own rhythm, not the one society expects
 
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