The Motherkind Podcast

• The Exhausted Mother’s Guide to A Successful Return to Work with Joeli Brearley

  If you’ve ever felt like returning to work after having a baby broke something in you or that the system simply isn’t built for mothers, this episode is for you. Joeli Brearley, founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, joins me to talk about the truth so many of us live but rarely say out loud – how hard, lonely and overwhelming it can be to return to work after having a baby. Joeli started Pregnant Then Screwed from her kitchen table while bouncing her baby on her knee. What began as a blog for women to share their stories of discrimination became a decade-long campaign that changed government policy and the national conversation around motherhood and work But it came at a huge personal cost. Joeli shares honestly about the burnout, the pressure, and the toll of fighting for change while raising two young children. It’s a powerful reminder that even the strongest women need rest, support and community. Now she’s channelling everything she’s learned into her new project, Growth Spurt — helping mothers navigate one of the most forgotten transitions of all: returning to work. In this episode, you’ll hear: Why the return to work is one of the hardest and least supported parts of motherhood What good employers do differently to support parents truly How to protect your mental health and spot the signs of burnout early Simple ways to share the load more equally at homeWhy connection and community are the antidote to loneliness Joeli’s story is both heartbreaking and full of hope. It’s a conversation about what it really means to care for others, for the system, and for ourselves. Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing. Need a hand managing the mental load? Download your FREE cheat sheet. If you liked this episode, listen to this next: Work Series: The Ultimate Guide to a Successful Return Post-Maternity - the proven formula that's helped thousands, with Jessica Chivers Connect with Zoe: Follow Zoe on Instagram  Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’ This Motherkind episode is sponsored by: Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women’s supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply. For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind Explore thefamilysuite.co.uk and discover luxury hotels around the world that truly welcome families, without compromise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• MOMENT | Solo parenting: Letting go of the picture you thought you’d have

  What happens when life doesn’t go to plan? When the picture you imagined – the relationship, the family, the future – changes, and suddenly you’re doing it all on your own? This week’s Moment is with Rebecca Cox, co-author of How to Be a Happy Single Parent. It’s a beautifully honest conversation about single motherhood, money, and letting go of the life you thought you’d have. Rebecca shares the reality behind closed doors – the budgeting, the exhaustion, the pressure to hold everything together – and the quiet strength it takes to keep going. We also talk about shame and pride, and how asking for help can feel so hard, yet so freeing once you do. She reminds us that community can change everything. Finding others in the same season of life can bring connection, comfort, and even new versions of “family” that look different but feel deeply right. If your life looks different from what you imagined, this episode is a gentle reminder that it can still be full, beautiful and deeply meaningful – just in a new way. To listen to the full episode with Rebecca Cox, listen here. Connect with Zoe: Follow Zoe on Instagram  Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’ This Motherkind episode is sponsored by: Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women’s supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply. For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• You can’t change them - but you can change yourself with Cat Sims

  **Trigger warning: this conversation covers addiction and makes reference to sexual assault. Please be mindful of this before hitting play** If you’re tired of doing it all, this episode will change how you see your relationship.  Cat Sims reveals why you can’t fix your partner – but you can change the dynamic – through honesty, communication, and the unexpected power of letting go. We’re diving deep into the mental load – that endless, invisible checklist running in your head to keep everyone and everything afloat. It’s the 3 a.m. jolt when you realise it’s book character day at nursery or that you forgot the doctor’s appointment (again). The mental load is relentless, unfair, and exhausting – and most of it still falls on mothers. This week’s guest, Cat Sims, knows it all too well. It almost cost her marriage. Now, she’s written The Mental Load Diaries: How I Learned to Juggle Life, Love and the Never-Ending To-Do List – a raw, funny, and deeply relatable guide to reclaiming your sanity. In this conversation, you’ll learn: What mental load really is and why it’s so damaging The moment Cat realised her marriage was breaking under its own weight How to communicate the load with your partner (without it ending in a fight) What to do if your partner just doesn’t get it Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing. Need a hand managing the mental load? Download your FREE cheat sheet. If you liked this episode, listen to this next: Why you're resentful in your relationship—and how to fix it starting today, with Dr Morgan Cutlip Connect with Cat Sims: Instagram SubStack  You’re Never the Only One Podcast Cat Sim’s photo credit: Tash Busta Photography Connect with Zoe: Follow Zoe on Instagram  Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’ This Motherkind episode is sponsored by: Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women’s supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply. For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind Explore thefamilysuite.co.uk and discover luxury hotels around the world that truly welcome families, without compromise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• MOMENT | The neuroscience behind journaling with Dr Tara Swart

  Motherkind Moment is your place for calm, connection, and a shift in perspective before the week ahead.  This week’s Moment: The neuroscience behind journaling with Dr Tara Swart This week’s Moment is with the wonderful Dr Tara Swart. Tara is a neuroscientist, psychiatrist, executive coach and the bestselling author of The Source. In this short but powerful clip, we dive into one of my all-time favourite tools for wellbeing – journaling. If you’ve been listening for a while, you’ll know how much I love journaling. It’s one of the simple, foundational practices that helps me stay balanced and connected every day. Tara explains the fascinating neuroscience behind why putting pen to paper is so effective. She shares how journaling helps to reduce cortisol (our main stress hormone), process emotions, and even support recovery from trauma. I found it so interesting when she described how writing – or even speaking – our thoughts out loud helps release them from our “brain-body system”, allowing us to feel calmer and clearer. We also talk about intuition, self-trust, and why we’ve become so conditioned to outsource our wisdom rather than tune in to our own inner knowing. As Tara says so beautifully, “We are all such powerful guides for ourselves – we just have to listen.” I hope this Moment inspires you to grab your pen, release those swirling thoughts onto the page, and reconnect with your intuition. Trust me, it makes a massive difference. To listen to the full episode with Dr Tara Swart, listen here. Click Here to order your copy of 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’ Motherkind is sponsored by Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women’s supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply. For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind Continue the Conversation: Join our community over on Instagram for inspiration, tips, and sometimes a bit of humour to get us through our day - @zoeblaskey Join our mailing list to receive news, updates and new episode releases Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• Anna Whitehouse on Divorce, Burnout and Rebuilding

  Welcome to Motherkind, proudly sponsored by Wild Nutrition’s women’s supplements.  This is the show that takes you by the hand and helps you navigate the wild ride that is modern motherhood. Every week, I speak with incredible experts and thinkers to bring you fresh ideas, tools, and inspiration to support your life as a mother — from career and relationships to mental health and healing. This week’s guest is the powerhouse Anna Whitehouse, aka Mother Pukka — mum of three, author, presenter, and tireless campaigner for flexible and inclusive working. This conversation will move you deeply. It’s emotional, real, and empowering. Anna shares how she knew it was time to leave her marriage, what really happens when life unravels, and how she’s rebuilding with honesty and courage. We also talk about the lost generation of women — those sidelined and ignored — and how we can channel that pain into collective change. It’s a powerful, galvanising listen that will leave you inspired to stand taller and speak louder. Before you dive in, don’t forget to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing. Click Here to order your copy of 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’ Motherkind is sponsored by Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women’s supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply. Sign up to GoHenry, the money app and debit card that grows your kids' money smarts from age 6 -18. Sign up today at gohenry.com/motherkind and you'll get a free £5 pocket money to help your kids grow their money smart. Start planning your next family getaway with The Family Suite. Explore the full collection now at thefamilysuite.co.uk and discover luxury hotels around the world that truly welcome families, without compromise. For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind  Get 40% off a Calm premium subscription at calm.com/motherkindContinue the Conversation: Join our community over on Instagram for inspiration, tips, and sometimes a bit of humour to get us through our day - @zoeblaskey Join our mailing list to receive news, updates and new episode releases Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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