The Motherkind Podcast

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

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

**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

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

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

Motherkind Moment is your place for calm, connection, and a shift in perspective before the week ahead. This moment is with the wonderful ⁠Laurie Gerber⁠. Laurie is a well-known coach in the US, specialising in the Handel Method, an approach that teaches people how to realize their personal and professional visions. It is even taught at some of the US’s top-ranking universities. In this clip, Laurie shares about the power of modeling to our children and how we must understand our lineage and where we come from if we want to move forward and make changes in our lives. I hope you enjoy it and find this clip inspiring for your week ahead. You can listen to the clip by clicking above or the full episode ⁠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. 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

Welcome to a very special episode of The Motherkind Podcast – our 600th episode! We are proudly sponsored by Wild Nutrition Women’s Supplements, and this show continues to be your expert guide through the wild ride that is motherhood. Even after all these years, I am still obsessed, truly obsessed, with supporting you, the woman behind the mother. I can hardly believe it. When I started this podcast eight years ago, I never imagined we’d be here – 600 conversations later, countless hours of wisdom shared, and an incredible community tuning in every week. Whether you’ve been listening since the early days or this is your very first episode, thank you. The millions of downloads, the Sunday Times bestselling book, the live events – none of it would exist without you. So, however you’re feeling as you listen today, I want you to know this: you’re doing far better than you think, and I’m right here cheering you on. In this special milestone episode, I’m giving you a gift – the six biggest lessons I’ve learned from 600 episodes. The ones that have changed me most as a woman, a mother, and a human being. My hope is that they’ll do the same for you. Get your free 3 days of 5-minute Motherkind here  - 21 days to reset your energy, mood and mindset. 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. Get 40% off a Calm premium subscription at calm.com/motherkind For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.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

Today, we have a bonus episode with the incredible Chelsea Hirschhorn, founder of Frida, the brand behind FridaBaby, FridaMum, and soon-to-launch FridaFertility in the UK. Chelsea is not only the driving force behind an innovative business, she’s also a fierce advocate for parents, especially mothers. Frida has broken barriers with campaigns that have made history. From airing the first-ever ad showing a lactating woman at the Golden Globes (after years of those stories being silenced), to the to the first Sports Illustrated feature, featuring a woman proudly showing her C-section scar – something never done in the magazine’s 58-year history. Chelsea shares the unbelievable behind-the-scenes of these groundbreaking moments in our conversation. She was also in London for the unveiling of the world’s first postpartum statue – created to shine a light on the reality of motherhood in a world where fewer than 4% of statues represent women, and almost none acknowledge mothers. If you’re in London (or visiting), I urge you to go and see it – it will give you all the feels. This episode will leave you feeling seen, inspired, and uplifted. Chelsea is refreshingly honest about the truths of building a brand while raising four children, and she shares so many powerful lessons and practical insights for parents navigating life and work. In a world where beauty is often curated, airbrushed, and sanitised, one universal truth remains hidden in plain sight: the raw, unvarnished experience of childbirth and motherhood.  Frida, the brand that has rewritten the language of parenthood under the direction of founder and CEO Chelsea Hirschhorn, now unveils Mother Vérité —  the first monument to raise mothers onto the pedestal they deserve. FRIDA.com 5 Minute Motherkind: 21 days, 5 minutes a day to become your calmest, happiest self get the first 3 days FREE here  Click Here to order your copy of 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’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

Motherkind Moment is your place for calm, connection, and a shift in perspective before the week ahead.  This week’s Moment is with Rhiannon Lambert, one of the UK’s leading nutritionists and the bestselling author of The Science of Nutrition. Rhiannon shares such a refreshing message about food and children: we need to stop stressing. She explains how our little ones pick up on the pressure we put around food – and how that can actually push them further away from eating the things we want them to. Instead, Rhiannon shares practical, kind advice to help us take the pressure off and support a positive relationship with food. I loved Rhiannon’s honesty about her own experience – including the nights her little boy refuses dinner completely and the small, realistic swaps she makes to keep things simple. This is such a reassuring, non-judgemental conversation. A reminder that no child is a perfect eater, and that taking the stress out of mealtimes can transform not just what our children eat – but how we all feel around food. To listen to the full episode with Rhiannon, 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. 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. For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind Get 40% off a Calm premium subscription at calm.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

***Trigger warning: This episode makes reference to suicide. Please be mindful of this before hitting the play button*** Welcome to Motherkind, proudly sponsored by Wild Nutrition Women’s Supplements. This week’s guest is Dr Alex George, a doctor, mental fitness expert, and formerly the UK’s first Youth Mental Health Ambassador. I was so keen to speak with Alex about what he’s learned in this role, especially around children’s mental health and how closely it connects to our own as parents. In this honest and moving conversation, Alex opens up about his own childhood, the struggles he faced, and what he wishes he’d known back then. He shares his hopes for what schools could do differently, and how the tragic loss of his brother has shaped both his life and his mission to support young people today. This episode is full of wisdom, vulnerability and plenty of practical ideas – not just for supporting our children, but for looking after ourselves too. ✨ Buy Dr Alex’s new book – Happy Habits Available now at Waterstones or Amazon Happy Habits is an empowering, practical toolkit for children aged 9+. Designed to nurture happiness, build resilience and support everyday wellbeing, it introduces small, achievable daily practices to help young readers thrive emotionally and physically. Get your free 3 days of 5-minute Motherkind here  - 21 days to reset your energy, mood and mindset. 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/ 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