• 50 minutes 42 seconds
    The Working Mum Guilt That's Making Us Over-Parent

    Have you ever walked in the door after work and gone into overdrive? Extra cuddles, extra stories, saying yes to everything, because you feel like you need to make up for the hours you weren't there?

    You're not alone. And according to family therapist Jenny Brown, it might be part of what's making parenting feel so hard.

    Jenny has worked in family therapy and child mental health since the 1980s. Her new book, The Parenting Paradox, looks at why parents today have more information than ever but feel more anxious and overwhelmed. In this episode, she isn't offering a list of parenting hacks. Instead, she invites us to look at our own part in the patterns we fall into with our kids and our partners, and to take some of the pressure off.

    In this episode, we talk about:

    • Why parenting feels so intense right now, and how it became a "project"
    • Why hearing other parents' stories can help more than expert advice
    • How working mum guilt can lead to over-parenting, and what that does to our kids' confidence
    • The difference between relating to our children and reacting to them
    • What to say when your child says "I don't want to go to daycare" (or school)
    • The over/under responsibility pattern in families and relationships, and how to share the load without taking over
    • How to spot a pattern that isn't working and start to change it
    • Why kids need both limits and connection, not a perfect parenting style

    Connect with Jenny


    Connect with Carina and Working Mumma


    6 October 2026, 5:00 pm
  • 38 minutes 50 seconds
    Lost Your Confidence After Becoming a Mum? How to Find It Again at Work

    Have you recently said to yourself "I used to be really good at this before I had kids"?

    Returning to work after parental leave can bring a mix of emotions. You may have years of experience behind you, but suddenly you’re questioning yourself, worrying about how others perceive you, and questioning if you can still perform at the level you did before.

    And often it’s not that you’ve lost your capability, your confidence has taken a hit.

    In this episode of the Working Mumma Podcast, I chat with confidence and visibility expert Bec Sands about why women often hold themselves back at work, why confidence can feel particularly difficult after becoming a mum, and what you can actually do to rebuild it.

    In this episode we chat about:

    • Returning to work after maternity leave when your confidence is already starting from zero
    • How Bec's IVF journey reshaped her relationship with confidence
    • Why "confidence comes from action," not the other way around
    • The truth about the 8-hour workday and debunking myths
    • Practical, low-time strategies for building visibility at work when you have none to spare
    • How to catch and reframe the limiting self-talk that's running the show
    • What self-efficacy actually means, and how to build it one hard thing at a time

    Connect with Bec Sands


    Connect with Carina and Working Mumma


    15 September 2026, 5:00 pm
  • 11 minutes 42 seconds
    The 4 Emotional Stages of Returning to Work After Maternity Leave

    Are you dreading the morning you go back to work after parental leave more than you're letting yourself admit?

    In this episode, Carina breaks down the four emotional waves that hit when you're returning to work after maternity leave. Because going back to work isn’t one single emotion, and it certainly isn’t a straight line.

    If you're currently in the thick of pre-return anxiety, or you're back at work and still cycling through hard days, this one's for you.

    Enjoyed this shorter episode? Send me a DM as I'd love your thoughts.

    Connect with Carina and Working Mumma


    2 September 2026, 12:05 pm
  • 33 minutes 48 seconds
    Returning to Work After Maternity Leave? Here's What I Wish Every Mum Knew

    You're back at your desk, but half your brain is still at daycare. You said yes to the meeting, forgot to eat lunch, and you're already dreading tomorrow's drop-off. If that's your version of returning to work after maternity leave, this episode is for you.

    In this episode, Carina goes solo to unpack what it actually feels like to return to work after maternity leave — not just the logistics, but the identity shift, the mental load, and the quiet pressure to prove yourself all over again.

    Drawing on her own two returns to work (10 months off with her first son, 13 months with her second) plus everything she's learned from guests on the show, this one's part personal story, part practical playbook.

    If you're heading back to work soon, already back and wondering why it still feels hard, or supporting someone who is — this episode is for you.

    Connect with Carina and Working Mumma


    25 August 2026, 5:00 pm
  • 16 minutes 26 seconds
    Running on Empty as a Working Mum? Why Taking a Break Might Be the Most Productive Thing You Do

    Have you ever come back from a holiday feeling like you need another holiday?

    Or realised, only after you've stopped, just how exhausted you really were?

    That's exactly what happened to Carina. After a busy period of balancing her corporate role, work travel, Working Mumma, two young boys and the mental load of running a household, Carina headed away for a week's holiday with her family.

    Carina talks about:

    • The difference between taking time off and actually mentally detaching from work
    • What Carina noticed when her own brain finally started to quieten
    • The real cost of ignoring your exhaustion and the hidden dangers of running on empty
    • Practical strategies for practicing psychological detachment, even when you can’t take an extended break.
    • What chronic cortisol is doing to your brain, sleep and focus, and why it's a loop, not a one-off

    Connect with Carina and Working Mumma


    18 August 2026, 5:08 pm
  • 45 minutes 8 seconds
    Lost Yourself in Motherhood? How to Reclaim Who You Are Beyond Being Mum

    Is it possible to absolutely love being a mum... and still feel like something is missing?

    For so many women, motherhood brings immense joy—but it can also bring an unexpected sense of loss. The loss of confidence, identity, ambition or simply remembering who you were before everyone needed a piece of you. In this deeply honest conversation, I sit down with author, speaker and coach Benita Bensch to talk about the parts of motherhood we don't often say out loud.

    Benita shares her journey through raising four boys on the land, experiencing two significant periods of burnout she describes as "the black hole," and the long road back to reconnecting with herself. Together, we explore why so many mothers feel invisible, how our inner stories can keep us stuck, and why asking for what you need isn't selfish—it's essential. If you've ever wondered, "Who am I outside of being Mum?" this episode is for you.

    In this episode we discuss:

    • Why it's possible to love motherhood and still crave more for yourself
    • Feeling invisible after becoming a mum
    • The identity shift that comes with motherhood
    • Benita's experience of burnout, anxiety and finding herself again
    • Why reconnecting with your creativity matters
    • Letting go of guilt around wanting something for yourself
    • The power of boundaries, self-awareness and asking for help
    • Practical ways to reconnect with yourself when life feels overwhelming

    If this conversation resonated with you, I'd love for you to share it with another mum who needs to hear that she's not alone.

    Do you feel like you have to choose between being a good mum and having a meaningful career?

    Carina speaks with clinical psychologist and executive coach Dr. Anne Welsh, a mum of four who specialises in maternal mental health and works with women in leadership and working mothers navigating exactly this tension.

    We talk about why the "escalation of modern motherhood" means today's mums are being asked to do more, emotionally, logistically, and professionally, than any generation before them, and why that's not a personal failing, it's a systemic shift.

    Anne shares the research behind why quality time with your kids matters more than quantity, why the mental load is so much heavier than a to-do list, and a simple exercise to help you work out who you are now that you're a mother - not just who you were told to be.

    If you've ever felt the ground shift under your identity after having kids, or wondered whether ambition and motherhood can actually coexist, this episode is your permission slip to stop choosing and start figuring out what you actually want.

    In this episode we cover:

    • Why ambition and motherhood have historically been treated as opposites
    • The "escalation of modern motherhood" and why the mental load keeps growing
    • The research on quality vs. quantity of time with your kids
    • A simple exercise to reconnect with your identity after becoming a mum
    • Why naming what you want is one of the most powerful things you can do
    • How to give yourself permission to focus on what matters to you, not what you "should" be doing


    Connect with Benita Bensch


    Connect with Carina and Working Mumma 


    4 August 2026, 5:00 pm
  • 19 minutes 11 seconds
    Feeling Lost Returning to Work After Maternity Leave? How to Find Your New Rhythm

    Returning to work after maternity leave is often portrayed as the final hurdle for new mothers, but what if it's actually just the beginning of a much more complex journey?

    In this eye-opening episode, Carina challenges the common narrative and reveals why the hardest part of motherhood may not be the leave itself, but the transition back to work. 

    You'll discover the concept of "matrescence," a term that captures the transformative process of becoming a mother and how it impacts your confidence and career trajectory.

    Carina dives into the real struggles many working mothers face, from the anxiety of returning to a workplace that has changed in their absence, to the guilt of wanting to excel at both parenting and career.

    We break down essential strategies for rebuilding confidence, understanding your new identity, and setting healthy boundaries at work. Carina emphasizes the importance of recognizing that your value isn’t tied to your availability but to the impact you create. She also offers practical advice on how to find your rhythm and prioritize what truly matters in your life.

    This episode is a must-listen for any working mother feeling lost in the transition back to work. Understand that you are not alone in this journey; many women experience similar doubts and struggles. Instead of trying to revert to your old self, Carina encourages you to embrace the strengths and new perspectives motherhood has given you.

    Perfect for working mothers, this episode empowers you to redefine what success looks like for you and your family. Tune in for a conversation that not only validates your experiences but also equips you with the tools to thrive in both your personal and professional life.

    29 July 2026, 11:58 am
  • 47 minutes 13 seconds
    Why does "ambitious mother" feel like a contradiction? How to reclaim your ambition after kids, with Dr. Anne Welsh

    Do you feel like you have to choose between being a good mum and having a meaningful career?

    Carina speaks with clinical psychologist and executive coach Dr. Anne Welsh, a mum of four who specialises in maternal mental health and works with women in leadership and working mothers navigating exactly this tension.

    We talk about why the "escalation of modern motherhood" means today's mums are being asked to do more, emotionally, logistically, and professionally, than any generation before them, and why that's not a personal failing, it's a systemic shift.

    Anne shares the research behind why quality time with your kids matters more than quantity, why the mental load is so much heavier than a to-do list, and a simple exercise to help you work out who you are now that you're a mother - not just who you were told to be.

    If you've ever felt the ground shift under your identity after having kids, or wondered whether ambition and motherhood can actually coexist, this episode is your permission slip to stop choosing and start figuring out what you actually want.

    In this episode we cover:

    • Why ambition and motherhood have historically been treated as opposites
    • The "escalation of modern motherhood" and why the mental load keeps growing
    • The research on quality vs. quantity of time with your kids
    • A simple exercise to reconnect with your identity after becoming a mum
    • Why naming what you want is one of the most powerful things you can do
    • How to give yourself permission to focus on what matters to you, not what you "should" be doing


    Connect with Dr Anne Welsh


    Connect with Carina and Working Mumma 


    14 July 2026, 5:00 pm
  • 16 minutes 12 seconds
    Wondering If You Should Increase Your Work Days? 5 Signs It's Time

    Most conversations about returning to work after maternity leave focus on the return itself: the first day back, childcare drop-off, the mental load of becoming "mum and professional" again overnight. But what about six or twelve months later, when the arrangement you came back on stops fitting the life you're actually living?

    In this episode, Carina shares her experience moving from three to four days at work after her second maternity leave and the slow realisation it wasn't sustainable, the guilt that showed up, the conversations she had with her husband, her friends, and eventually her manager, and why increasing her days actually made her a more present, less stretched mum, not a less involved one.

    You'll learn:

    • The five signals that it might be time to increase your work days
    • Why "the arrangement doesn't fit anymore" is a capacity problem, not a time management problem
    • How to have the conversation with your partner before you have it with your manager
    • A practical script for approaching your manager with a clear ask, not an open question
    • Why quality time can increase even as your work days do

     

    Connect with Carina and Working Mumma 


    1 July 2026, 10:26 am
  • 55 minutes 10 seconds
    The Good Girl Trap: Why So Many Working Mums Are Burnt Out, Overwhelmed and Doing Too Much

    Have you ever returned to work after parental leave and found yourself saying: “I should just be grateful I have my job back” even when the role doesn’t fit your life anymore?

    That feeling has a name. It’s good girl conditioning. And it’s one of the most quietly powerful forces shaping the lives of working mothers.

    In this episode, Carina sits down with Caitlin Judd, a business consultant, coach, podcast host and author of Good Girl, for an honest, deeply relatable conversation about the inherited scripts that keep women small, silent and stuck. And what to do about it.

    What You’ll Learn in This Episode

    • What good girl conditioning really is - and why it starts long before you become a mother
    • The scripts handed to us in childhood (“be nice,” “don’t rock the boat,” “do as you’re told”) and how they show up in your workplace, your relationships and your return to work
    • Why self-silencing and imposter syndrome are not personal flaws they’re patterns of conditioning
    • What micro-rebellions are, and how to use them at home and at work (starting with something as simple as a Friday email)
    • The three good girl archetypes most common in working mums: the Saint, the Lollipop Lady and the Fortress
    • How to do a life stock-take after becoming a parent and ask yourself whether your current role actually still works for you
    • Why Caitlin deliberately didn’t tell women what to become beyond the good girl and why that matters

    Connect with Caitlin Judd


    Connect with Carina and Working Mumma 


    23 June 2026, 5:00 pm
  • 20 minutes 50 seconds
    Returning to Work After Maternity Leave? How to Handle the Guilt and Separation Anxiety

    Missing your baby at work?

    Feeling like your heart is in two places at once?

    You’re not alone, and more importantly, there is nothing wrong with you.

    In this episode, Carina talk's about one of the most common (yet rarely spoken about) parts of returning to work after maternity leave: that quiet ache of missing your baby, the constant mental juggling, and the guilt that seems to follow you everywhere.

    If you’ve ever sat at your desk wondering how your baby is doing, felt distracted in meetings, or questioned whether you made the right decision going back to work, this conversation is for you.

    You’ll learn:

    • Why missing your baby at work is completely normal (and actually a good sign)
    • What’s really happening during this transition into working motherhood
    • Why the guilt and overwhelm peak early, and how it gets easier over time
    • How to gently navigate the emotional stretch of being in “two worlds”
    • Practical, real-world strategies to feel more present, at work and at home, without adding to your mental load

    This episode is not about “fixing” how you feel; it’s about helping you understand it, permit yourself to experience it, and find your rhythm again.


    Because you’re not failing, you’re adjusting to one of the biggest transitions of your life.

    Connect with Carina and Working Mumma 


    16 June 2026, 5:00 pm
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