Working Mumma

You're Not Less Ambitious. The World Around You Just Hasn't Caught Up Yet With Kat Francis

Since going back to work after maternity leave, has anyone - a manager, a colleague, a well-meaning relative - implied that you've changed? That you're not quite as driven as you used to be? Maybe your focus has shifted?Because here's the truth: you haven't changed. Not in the way they think. Your ambition is still there, it's just evolved into something sharper, more purposeful, and more powerful than it's ever been. The problem isn't you. The world around you just hasn't caught up yet.
This week on Working Mumma, I'm sitting down with Kat Francis, a Melbourne-based leadership coach for ambitious women, keynote speaker. Kat spent two decades climbing through creative agencies to Managing Director level, then walked away from equity and ownership to build a career that actually aligned with who she'd become.
This conversation is honest, validating, and deeply practical. Whether you're fresh back from mat leave or a few years in and wondering why your career still feels like it's running in slow motion, this one is for you.
In this episode we cover:
The LinkedIn post about ambition after motherhood and why it struck such a raw nerve with Australian working mums
Kat's own pivot: walking away from an MD role with equity on the table, and what that decision revealed about values, identity and what we actually want from work
The data from The Ambition Report that's hard to hear - only 16% of mums were promoted after returning from mat leave, and only 23% received a pay rise
Why your ambition didn't disappear after kids, it got sharper, and why that gets misread as "less committed"
The settling trap: how so many women come back from maternity leave and quietly accept a role that's comfortable but hollow and how to stop
How to advocate for yourself with outdated managers without burning bridges or losing your composure
The motherhood penalty vs the fatherhood bonus, what it actually looks like in Australian workplaces right now
How to have the ambition conversation with your partner and why getting on the same page about success changes everything
Connect with Kat FrancisWebsite: coachkat.com.auLinkedIn: Kat Francis
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Going Back to Work Pregnant? How to Tell Your Employer Without the Guilt or the Panic

Returning to work after parental leave is already a huge transition. But what if you're going back and you are pregnant?
This week's episode comes straight from a listener DM, and it's one of the most relatable, raw, and important questions we've ever received on the show. In this episode, host Carina O'Brien tackles the fear, the guilt, and the very real practical questions that come with going back to work while pregnant.
In this episode, I share: 
Why the guilt you're feeling is normal, and why you need to let it go
The truth about how often this actually happens (hint: more than you think)
Your legal rights under the Fair Work Act in Australia
Whether you need to re-serve 12 months to access parental leave again
When to tell your employer and why sooner may be better than later
Exactly what to say in that conversation (a word-for-word framework)
How to frame the news in a way that keeps the energy solution-focused
What to do if your manager reacts badly
 
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Why Don't I Feel Like Me Anymore? Matrescence, Identity & Returning to Work with Amanda Jackson

If you've ever returned to work after parental leave and thought, "I'm not the same person I was before I went on parental leave", you are not imagining it. And there's actually a word for what you're going through.
In this episode of the Working Mumma Podcast, I sit down with Amanda Jackson, founder of Motherhood and Matrescence and author of the book by the same name, to explore the concept of matrescence, the process of becoming a mother, and why understanding it is one of the most powerful tools a working mum can have.In this episode we chat about:
• What matrescence is — and why you've probably never heard of it (even though the word was coined in 1973)• The 3 stages of matrescence: separation, liminality, and integration• Why so many women feel like they've lost themselves after having children• The invisible load: why the work of mothering goes unseen and how that affects our identity• What really happens to your brain when you become a mum (it's NOT "mummy brain" - it's a neurological upgrade)• How matrescence affects your return to work and what employers and women themselves can do differently• Parenting for the audience vs. parenting for your family: how to block out the noise• Patressence: do dads go through it too?• Practical rituals and reflections to help you reconnect with who you are• The powerful questions to ask yourself (and your kids) to understand your matrescence journey
 
Connect with Amanda JacksonWebsite: motherhoodandmatrescence.comInstagram: @motherhood_and_matrescenceLinkedIn: Amanda Jackson
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Why the Mental Load Gets Bigger When Your Kids Start School (And What to Do About It)

When you're in the thick of the baby and toddler years, it can feel like that's the hardest it will ever be. But what nobody tells you is that the challenge doesn't disappear as your kids get older - it just changes shape.
In this solo episode, I'm getting real about a phase of working motherhood I didn't see coming: the school-age years. From navigating school hours that don't align with work hours, to managing a never-ending rotation of sports trainings, WhatsApp groups, Compass and Storypark alerts, school events, and the invisible mental load of coordinating everyone else's lives - this one's for the mums in the thick of it.I talk about:
Why the transition from childcare to school can actually increase the mental load for working mums
The concept of cognitive labour (as described by Professor Leah Ruppanner) and why it still falls disproportionately on mothers
The hidden logistics of school-age sport, and why I wouldn't have it any other way
The beautiful moments hiding inside the chaos (yes, they're there)
A few honest things that are helping me survive this season without losing my mind
This episode isn't about complaining. It's about naming something that so many of us are quietly carrying, and reminding you that you are absolutely not alone.
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Feeling Lost Returning to Work After Maternity Leave? How to Rebuild Your Career Confidence with Natalie McDonald

What happens when you return to work after maternity leave… only to be made redundant six weeks later?
In this honest and deeply relatable episode of the Working Mumma Podcast, I’m joined by Natalie McDonald, founder of Working@It, former LinkedIn editor, journalist, content strategist, and mum of two.
Natalie opens up about:
Returning to work after maternity leave
Being made redundant during the AI transformation in tech
The emotional impact of redundancy as a mother
Identity shifts after motherhood
Building confidence after career setbacks
Starting a business after redundancy
Why working mums need community more than ever
The importance of personal branding and networking
The reality of balancing work, ambition and caregiving
 
This episode is for any woman who has ever questioned:“Am I still valuable after becoming a mum?”“Could this happen to me?”“How do I rebuild confidence and a career after being made redundant?”
Natalie’s story is raw, empowering, practical, and incredibly validating for working mothers navigating change, uncertainty and the pressure to “hold it all together.”
If you’re navigating maternity leave, returning to work, redundancy, burnout, or career transition, this conversation will make you feel seen.
 
Why does motherhood feel so overwhelming, even when you’re doing everything “right”?
In this episode of the Working Mumma podcast, I speak with Lisa Taylor, author of The Perfect Parent Trap, about the invisible pressure modern mothers are carrying and why so many working mums feel like they’re constantly falling short.
From unrealistic expectations to the mental load, Lisa unpacks how the idea of “perfect parenting” has quietly shaped how we work, parent, and judge ourselves. We explore why this pressure is hitting working mothers especially hard, and what needs to change.
This is an honest, validating conversation for any mum who has ever felt:
Like she’s failing at work or at homeOverwhelmed by the mental loadGuilty for not being “present enough”Exhausted from trying to do it all
In this episode, we chat about:
What the “perfect parent trap” actually is
Why working mums are set up to feel like they’re failing
The role of societal expectations and systemic pressures
How perfectionism shows up in motherhood
Practical ways to let go of unrealistic standards
A new way to think about being a “good enough” parent
If you’ve ever wondered “why does motherhood feel so hard?” - this episode will help you feel seen, understood, and less alone.
Connect with Lisa: 
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Find out more via Natalie's website
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Are You the Mum You Want to Be? A Simple Values Framework to Help Close the Gap

Have you ever felt like everything in your life looks fine on paper… but something still feels off?
In this solo episode of the Working Mumma podcast, Carina explores the hidden tension so many working mums experience, the gap between the mother you are today and the mother you want to be.
This episode isn’t about productivity hacks or doing more. It’s about alignment.
Carina shares a practical and deeply reflective framework to help you:
Define your version of motherhood (not society’s)
Identify your core values and where you’re out of alignment
Understand why guilt, burnout, and frustration show up
Set boundaries that actually protect what matters most
Take small, realistic steps toward a version of motherhood that feels right for you
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How to drop perfection in motherhood without dropping your standards with Lisa Taylor

Why does motherhood feel so overwhelming, even when you’re doing everything “right”?
In this episode of the Working Mumma podcast, I speak with Lisa Taylor, author of The Perfect Parent Trap, about the invisible pressure modern mothers are carrying and why so many working mums feel like they’re constantly falling short.
From unrealistic expectations to the mental load, Lisa unpacks how the idea of “perfect parenting” has quietly shaped how we work, parent, and judge ourselves. We explore why this pressure is hitting working mothers especially hard, and what needs to change.
This is an honest, validating conversation for any mum who has ever felt:
Like she’s failing at work or at homeOverwhelmed by the mental loadGuilty for not being “present enough”Exhausted from trying to do it all
In this episode, we chat about:
What the “perfect parent trap” actually is
Why working mums are set up to feel like they’re failing
The role of societal expectations and systemic pressures
How perfectionism shows up in motherhood
Practical ways to let go of unrealistic standards
A new way to think about being a “good enough” parent
If you’ve ever wondered “why does motherhood feel so hard?” - this episode will help you feel seen, understood, and less alone.
Connect with Lisa: 
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Buy The Perfect Parent book
Check out Lisa's website 
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Is the system set up for working mums to fail? What we can do about it (without burning out)

If you’ve ever felt like you’re constantly behind…like you’re failing at work, at home, or both…here is an episode for you.
Because here’s the truth: You are not the problem. The expectations of you are.
In this episode, I unpack why so many working mums feel overwhelmed, stretched, and stuck in a cycle of “trying harder”, and why it’s not about better time management or being more organised.
I chat about: 
The viral ABC post "Working mums. The maths ain't mathing" and why it resonated so deeply
The pressure of the “juggle” and why it’s actually a trap
The mental load and invisible labour working mums carry every day
The motherhood penalty and how it impacts careers, pay, and confidence
Why workplaces, systems, and society haven’t caught up with modern families
Breaking down what needs to change into 4 key areas and micro actions you can take today to create change
This episode reframes “mum guilt” as something much bigger: a system that was never designed to support working parents.
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Are You the Default Parent? How to Rebalance the Load with Michael Ray

When we talk about working parents, we often focus on mums. But what if one of the biggest missing pieces in the conversation is dads?
In this episode of the Working Mumma podcast, Carina speaks with fatherhood advocate Michael Ray about why working mums cannot carry the load alone, and why fathers need to be seen, supported and expected to be equal parents from the beginning.
Michael shares his own story of becoming a father at 49 and then unexpectedly becoming a solo dad to his daughter Charlie. From being banned from backstage at his daughter’s ballet concert because “no males were allowed”, to speaking out about the lack of change tables in men’s bathrooms and the stigma dads face when asking for flexible work, Michael opens up about the systems that still assume mums are the default parent.
In this episode, you will learn:
- Why working mums burn out when fathers are treated as “optional” parents- The hidden “fatherhood forfeit” and what dads miss when work comes first- Why men are more likely to have flexible work requests denied- How unequal parenting starts in the newborn stage- Why fathers need more parental leave and support- How workplaces can better support dads and working families- Why sharing the mental load at home is critical for gender equality
If you are a new mum, returning to work after maternity leave, or feeling like you are carrying too much at home, this episode will make you feel seen, and remind you that you were never meant to do it all alone.
 
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The 90 Days Nobody Prepares You For: Returning to Work After Maternity Leave

If you're about to go back to work after maternity leave, or you're already back and wondering why it feels so much harder than expected, this episode is for you.
The truth is, no one really prepares you for the emotional reality of the return. The guilt. The overwhelm. The strange feeling of being expected to show up as the same person you were before, when you are fundamentally, beautifully different.
In this episode, I'm walking you through what the first 90 days of returning to work after parental leave actually looks like - the messy, the hard, and what genuinely helps.
 
Episode resources and links 
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Podcast ep https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/lighten-your-mental-load-ditch-the-mum-guilt-and/id1495282250?i=1000719634108