Last time I interviewed Clare Stephens for Ready or Not (and just as a side note… if you haven't listened, I highly recommend you go back and listen to that one before this, which is here) she was just under a year into motherhood, she was working at Mamamia, and she'd just completed the manuscript for her now-published book, The Worst Thing I've Ever Done, which through the lens of fiction, examines what it means to be both at the bottom and at the top of a social media pile on.

Two key themes emerged from that vulnerable and relatable episode for me: the idea of untangling shame that can come in motherhood, which, for Clare, particularly showed up in birth trauma and breastfeeding challenges, and the deep desire to give herself more grace.

Now, her daughter's nearly two, she no longer works at Mamamia, she's a published author, and she's here to tell us all about the journey she's been on; with motherhood, her book, her podcast, and more.

From what still lingers when she thinks about some of the challenges she faced in birth and postpartum to her decision to leave Mamamia to what's often at the heart of a social media pile on, here, Clare Stephens is back to be every bit as reflective and vulnerable as she was when I first met her here a year ago.

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You can also find us on Instagram:

@readyornot.pod

@laurentreweek_

@lucindamckimm_

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In this episode, we cover the below topics: breastfeeding, writing a book, Mamamia, Clare Stephens, The Worst Thing I’ve Ever Done, motherhood, quitting your job, freelancing, Substack, The Pile On podcast, birth trauma, navigating toddlers, press tours, the publishing world, and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Witching Hour, the show where two mums and sort-of cousins figure out how to make work work. This week, we talk about:

• What really hits harder: going from one to two kids or zero to one

• How to prepare emotionally and practically for two under two

• The fear of telling work you’re pregnant again

• Whether your promotion dreams are still alive after maternity leave

• How to study, pivot or completely reinvent your career with young kids

• Why women need to stop apologising for taking up space

• The identity crisis that comes with working less (or more)

• And the big one: is anyone actually handling both motherhood and work… or are we all just pretending?

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In this episode we cover: Motherhood and career overwhelm, returning to work after babies, going from one to two kids, preparing for two under two, maternal mental load, emotional labour in parenting, sleep deprivation and identity shifts, workplace discrimination in pregnancy, parental leave entitlements in Australia, confidence and communication at work, promotions after maternity leave.

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Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.

Find us on Instagram:

@readyornot.pod

@laurentreweek_

@lucindamckimm_

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This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation, the land on which we’re lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters. Always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent, and you can too.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Ask Ready or Not! It’s Ready or Not’s tip-based episode, landing in your ears every Friday.

This week, Loz talks about work life ‘balance’ and if there’s such a thing. She also candidly chats about her own experience and what she’s doing to make work, and life, that little bit smoother.

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Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.

You can also find us on Instagram:

@readyornot.pod

@laurentreweek_

@lucindamckimm_

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This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we’re lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah Pound is a force. She’s a mum of three, she’s currently writing her third cookbook, she has a range in Coles and Woolies, and one million people follow her on Instagram for her simple and healthyish approach to cooking.

And while she doesn’t have any whimsy stories of cooking with her nonna from the age she could walk, she did always dream of writing a cook book one day, so here, from primary school teaching to catering to the Wholesome by Sarah brand blowing up, she tells us all about it how she got to where she is today.

Here, we talk about finding the thing that makes you happy, why she won’t apologise for being proud of herself, the stress that comes with breastfeeding challenges, and how she’s found the transition going from two to three children.

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Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.

You can also find us on Instagram:

@readyornot.pod

@laurentreweek_

@lucindamckimm_

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In this episode, we cover the below topics: breastfeeding, cooking, newborns, going from two to three children, being a business owner, being a working mum, small business, catering, writing, cook books, recipe ideas, cooking for young families, motherhood and parenting.

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This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

We Pay The Rent and you can too.

#sarahpound #wholesomebysarah #smallbusiness #entrepeneur

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Witching Hour – the show where two mums and sort of cousins figure out how to make work, work. Today on the show:

• The new wave of women selling money manifestation and abundance mindset courses - is it empowerment or exploitation?
• Plus, new research shows young Australian women are becoming more supportive of traditional gender roles than they were 14 years ago. What’s driving it, and what does it mean for the next generation?

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In this episode we cover: manifestation culture, money and motherhood, female empowerment, influencer marketing, abundance mindset myths, gender roles and relationships, feminism and financial literacy, the rise of trad wives, preventing violence against women, and how social media shapes young women’s attitudes about power, privilege, and equality.

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Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.

Find us on Instagram:

@readyornot.pod

@laurentreweek_

@lucindamckimm_

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This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation, the land on which we’re lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters. Always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent, and you can too.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Ask Ready or Not! It’s Ready or Not’s tip-based episode, landing in your ears every Friday.

Today, Loz chats with psychologist, author and mum Jacquie Ward about raising sensitive kids - the ones who feel things deeply, notice everything and can get overwhelmed by the big emotions that come with everyday life.

Jacqui breaks down what sensitivity actually is (spoiler: it’s a biological trait, not a parenting style), how to handle meltdowns without making things worse, and why sensitive kids often grow into the most empathetic and creative adults.They also unpack the overlap between sensitivity and ADHD, how to support boys to express emotion, and why parents shouldn’t try to toughen up sensitive kids.

Find Jacqui on Instagram at @jacquie_ward_ or visit https://www.jacquieward.com.au/ for her resources and book.

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Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.

You can also find us on Instagram:

@readyornot.pod

@laurentreweek_

@lucindamckimm_

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In this episode, we cover: sensitive kids, emotional regulation, parenting strategies, ADHD and emotional reactivity, raising boys, empathy and resilience, classroom support, and practical ways to create calm at home.

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This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we’re lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 Using Gen's full name, which is Genevieve La Hunt feels a bit weird, and it's not just because she's a good friend of Loz's, my Witching Hour co-host, of course, and the host of Ask Ready or Not. It's because when I jumped off this recording, I felt like I had just chatted with a friend myself.

Gen is the founder of Sunday Agency. She works in publicity and PR she's had a really interesting career.

But what was more interesting about her was just how real she is. You will not meet anyone who talks as straight as Gen. She really resented owning a business, particularly in the early days of motherhood. She resents that she worked from the hospital. She resents that she sent emails while she was in labor. She doesn't think this girl boss thing really applies when she talks about how she's had to navigate paid work and motherhood

Instead, here, she offers something really real. With all that in mind, you could then be expecting a negative piece of conversation, but that's not what you're going to get today. You're going to get a really realistic look into what it's like to navigate business as the mum, as the boss. You're going to hear about her corporate experiences and what the difference between really good management and really terrible management looks like, especially when it comes to her really challenging fertility journey and a traumatic miscarriage,

And you're going to learn about what it's taught her, about being a leader and being in business as a parent and with a family today. There's lots of swearing, there's lots of fun. There is so much honesty. It really is one of my favorite conversations to date.

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Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.

You can also find us on Instagram:

@readyornot.pod

@laurentreweek_

@lucindamckimm_

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In this episode, we cover the below topics: publicity, pregnancy loss, miscarriage, fertility, trying to conceive, leadership skills, publicity, public relations, being a mum in business, founder story, working mum, working motherhood and more.

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This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

We Pay The Rent and you can too.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Witching Hour – the show where two mums and sort of cousins figure out how to make work, work. Today on the show:

• When she earns more: what Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce reveal about modern relationships, power, and money. Are we as progressive as we think, or do we still quietly expect men to earn more?
• And are mums more worried about dads enjoying parenthood than dads are about mums surviving it?

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In this episode we cover: female breadwinners, money and marriage, gender roles in relationships, ambition and motherhood, career identity after kids, emotional labour and equality at home, stay-at-home dads, the mental load, modern partnerships, feminism in relationships, financial power dynamics, and what Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship says about changing gender norms.

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Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.

Find us on Instagram:

@readyornot.pod

@laurentreweek_

@lucindamckimm_

—

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation, the land on which we’re lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters. Always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent, and you can too.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.