Working Mumma

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.
 
Connect with Michael:
Connect with Michael on LinkedIn 
Check out Michael's website 
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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 
Follow Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity or LinkedIn
Podcast ep https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/lighten-your-mental-load-ditch-the-mum-guilt-and/id1495282250?i=1000719634108

How to Reclaim Your Career Identity & Confidence After Maternity Leave with Rebecca Houghton

You came back from parental leave a different person - more resilient, more decisive, less tolerant of nonsense, and more capable. The question isn't whether you can do your role. It's whether you will give yourself permission to show up as the upgraded version of yourself.
This week on the Working Mumma Podcast, I chat with Rebecca Houghton, founder of Bold HR and author of More Impact, More Easily — a book that started as a guide for middle managers and turned out to be essential reading for every working mum navigating her way back after maternity leave. 
Rebecca has over 20 years of experience in leadership, talent, and organisational transformation.
In this episode, we go deep on what the return to work really involves, and why most women are doing it harder than they need to.
In this episode we cover:
Why returning to work after having a baby is actually one of the most powerful career resets you'll ever have, and how to use it consciously
The two-part reset every working mum needs: one for your home system, one for your professional identity
Why nobody does two jobs well and what has to change before you go back (hint: it's not just you)
The worthiness vs capability confidence model and why your inner critic goes into overdrive when you return
The difference between input and impact and why your boss is measuring you by a completely different currency than you think
Why the "let it go" mindset shift is the single most important tool for working mums in their first year back
How to have a conversation with your inner voice (yes, really) and why Rebecca named hers Desdemona
 
Episode resources and links 
Connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn and check out her book "More Impact, More Easily" on boldhr.com
Follow Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity or LinkedIn
 

Made Redundant on Maternity Leave: Rebuilding Career, Confidence & Direction with Karis Dorrigan

What happens when the job you thought you were returning to after parental leave no longer exists?
In this episode, I speak with executive leader and solo mum Karis Dorrigan, who shares her experience of being made redundant while on maternity leave during COVID, and how that moment became a turning point in redefining her career, ambition, and life.
This is an honest and powerful conversation about the realities many women face but rarely talk about - redundancies whilst on parental leave, job insecurity, lack of support from employer, navigating the return to work, and the pressure to “be grateful” just to have a job.
It’s also a story of rebuilding, advocating for what you need, and designing a career that actually works for you as a mum and senior leader in an organisation.
If you’re returning to work after parental leave, or questioning what you want your career to look like after having children, this episode will leave you feeling seen, validated and empowered.
We chat about:
Karis's career journey from Qantas to executive leadership, and how becoming a mum changed everything
Being made redundant on parental leave during COVID, and what employers should do differently
How getting clear on your values becomes your compass for every big career and life decision
The systems and structures still holding working mums back (and the small changes that would make a real difference)
Why Karis works four days a week, rarely goes into the office, and has a no-meeting Tuesday and how she made that happen
The truth about solo parenting in Australia: 1 in 5 households, high rates of poverty, and why policy needs to catch up
Why you should stop being grateful for flexibility and start advocating boldly for what you need
Her call to action for every leader: would a single mum apply for this role? If not, rewrite it.
 
Episode links
Connect with Karis on LinkedIn
Follow Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity or LinkedIn
 

Back at Work After Maternity Leave? How to Avoid the “Prove Yourself” Trap with Rachel Debeck

Returning to work after maternity leave can come with an unspoken pressure many women don’t realise they’re carrying - the need to prove that nothing has changed.
In this episode of the Working Mumma Podcast, Carina sits down with Rachel Debeck, former lawyer, tech CEO, and mum of three, to unpack the “prove yourself” trap that so many working mothers fall into when they return to work.
Rachel shares her honest experience of coming back to a senior role when her first baby was just seven months old, the internal pressure to overcompensate, and the moment she received feedback that changed how she showed up as both a leader and a role model for other women.
We explore why pretending it’s “easy” can actually make things harder for working mums and what it looks like to lead, work, and parent more honestly.
This conversation is for any mum who has returned to work feeling like she has to be exactly the same as she was before, or better, while quietly carrying the mental load, guilt, and exhaustion that no one sees.
In this episode, we talk about:
The invisible pressure to “prove yourself” after maternity leave, especially in senior roles
Why overcompensating can lead to burnout, and how to recognise when you’re doing it
Why working mums don’t need perfect role models, they need real ones
How each return to work can feel different (and why that’s normal)
The daycare sickness season and why it’s often the point many women consider stepping away from their careers
How to think about your career as non‑linear with seasons of acceleration and steadiness
Why motherhood doesn’t end ambition, it often reshapes it into something more intentional and meaningful
 
Episode links 
Connect with Rachel Debeck on LinkedIn.
Follow Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity or LinkedIn

What Working Mums Need to Know About Sharing Their Kids Online - with Zsofi Paterson

Have you ever posted your child’s name, birth date or kinder photo online?
Most of us have.
And we did it with love.
But in 2026, the digital landscape has changed.
In this episode of the Working Mumma podcast Carina speaks with Zsofi Paterson, CEO of Tinybeans, about the growing conversation around “sharenting” and why parents of young children need to be more aware than ever.
Following a recent Australian Federal Police warning and a 41% rise in online child exploitation, this episode explores:
What sharenting actually means
When and how your child’s digital footprint begins
The risks of sharing names, birth dates and locations
AI and image scraping explained simply
Why consent matters — even for babies
What to do if you’ve already shared a lot
Practical boundaries working parents can implement today
The concept of “digital nesting”
 
If you’re raising babies, toddlers or preschoolers — and navigating Instagram, Facebook or family sharing — this is a conversation worth having.
 
Episode links 
Discover more about Tinybeans or connect with Zsofi on LinkedIn.
Follow Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity or LinkedIn 
 

Reflect: My Job No Longer Fit Me: Navigating Career Shifts After Motherhood”

Returning to work after having a baby isn’t just about logistics, childcare, or flexible hours , a big part of it is about identity.
In this Reflect Summer Series episode, Carina revisits a powerful conversation with Laura Stewart, who shares her deeply honest experience of the identity shift that came with motherhood, and how it ultimately led her to redefine success, leadership, personal values, and meaningful work.
While on maternity leave, Laura made the bold decision not to return to her executive role. Not because she lacked ambition, but because the role no longer aligned with who she was becoming as a mother, a leader, and a human.
Together, Carina and Laura chat about:
The unexpected identity shift that happens after becoming a mum (matrescence)
Why returning to your “old self” at work can feel impossible
How values often change after motherhood and why that’s not a failure
Why feeling supported at work isn’t always enough if the work no longer feels meaningful
How embracing motherhood as part of your identity can make you a stronger, more confident leader
Episode links 
Connect with Laura Stewart on LinkedIn 
Follow Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity or LinkedIn 
 

Reflect: Tips to help you manage the mental load with Leah Ruppanner

The mental load is exhausting, and a big issue for many working mothers. 
In this Reflect summer series special episode, I speak with Professor Leah Ruppaner.
We delve into the complexities of the mental load for working mums, and explore strategies to help you manage it that works for you. Leah shares the emotional and cognitive aspects of the mental load, the societal expectations placed on mothers, and the importance of creating supportive systems for both parents.
If you liked this Reflect episode, listen to the full episode "Lighten Your Mental Load, Ditch the Mum Guilt, and Rethink Care with Professor Leah Ruppanner"
 
MORE LINKS
Connect with Leah via her website www.leahruppanner.com or on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/leah-ruppanner-1657a417/
Follow Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity and the website  www.workingmumma.com.au or connect with Carina on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/carina-obrien/

How to Ask for Flexibility at Work - And Actually Get It - with Dr. Ellen Ford

You’ve proven you can do your job — and do it well — while working flexibly. But now that your employer wants more office time, how do you ask for what you need without feeling guilty or being seen as “less committed”?
In this episode Carina O’Brien speaks with Dr. Ellen Ford, leadership expert and author of #WorkSchoolHours, about the art of negotiating flexibility at work. Together, they explore how working mums can confidently start the conversation, use data and outcomes to back up their case, and find a win-win that works for both you and your employer.
You’ll learn:
How to have a confident, fact-based conversation with your boss about working from home or hybrid work
The key phrases and language to use when asking for flexibility (without guilt or defensiveness)
How to show your productivity and value while working flexibly
Why hybrid work supports better wellbeing, mental load, and family balance
How to reframe flexibility as a business advantage, not a personal favour
If you’re a working mum who wants to keep your flexibility this episode gives you the tools, confidence, and mindset to do it.
Listen to Dr. Ellen Ford's previous episode on the Working Mumma podcast ep 116 - Removing Barriers to Help Working Mums Thrive
 
Episode Resources & Links
Dr. Ellen Ford’s book: #WorkSchoolHours: A Revolution for Parents, Workplaces & the World
#WorkSchoolHours eBook - 100% discount with code "workingmumma100"
#WorkSchoolHours Online Courses 50% off with code "workingmumma50" check out Parents course or People manager course click here
Dr. Ellen Ford’s Website ellenjoanford.com
 
Connect with Carina on LinkedIn 
Let's connect on Instagram @workingmummacommunity
Get your free 'How to share the mental load' checklist workingmumma.com.au/mental-load/
 

How to Co-Parent After Separation Navigating Divorce, Work, and Motherhood with Dignity

When a relationship ends, it’s not just the romantic partnership that dissolves - it’s the version of the life you imagined. For working mums, that loss can feel even heavier. You’re juggling career responsibilities, managing the daily needs of your children, and trying to make sense of an entirely new identity.
In this honest and practical conversation I chat with family lawyer, author, and co-parent Gabriella Pomare to talk about how working mums can navigate separation, divorce, and co-parenting with grace and clarity. Gabriella shares her personal story of rebuilding life after separation, whilst raising her son, managing a demanding career as a partner in a law firm, and finding a new identity.We discuss:
The emotional reality of separation and identity loss
How to communicate with your ex without escalating conflict
Setting boundaries that protect your peace (and your children)
Strategies for reducing the mental load when co-parenting
The power of modeling respect and stability for your kids
When to seek professional help — and why mediation can work better than court
 
Resources & Links 
Follow Gariella @collaborativecoparent and see her website for free resources thecollaborativeco-parent.com.au and check out her new book "The Collaborative Coparent" 
Follow Carina and Working Mumma @workingmummacommunity on LinkedIn and sign up to receive the free newsletter.