Ready or Not

When I recently put a call out to interview mums working in more corporate fields, Bec O'Brien's email caught my attention. Her subject line read: 'corporate mum who loves to yap' and instantly I knew that we'd get along.This story is full of so many fantastic twists and unique plot lines. There's embarking on the journey to freeze her eggs just six months before falling surprisingly pregnant. There's the younger boyfriend, and the fact that she broke the news of the pregnancy to him in the bedroom of his share house. There's being the primary breadwinner, earning significantly more than her partner, and watching him effortlessly step into the primary carer role once she returned to work at roughly three months postpartum. There's a plane trip to Mexico for a big promotion just as she returned to work, and all the things she's learned about working full time alongside motherhood through it all.Here, we talk pros and cons lists and why they don't always make sense when it comes to motherhood, Bec's unexpected fixation on breastfeeding and what her experience with it was like, and why returning to work actually brought more balance to Bec's mothering, not less.---This episode of Ready or Not is brought to you by Floraly—fresh flowers (and the cutest tiny Christmas trees!) with same-day delivery, perfect for any occasion. Plus, every order helps feed someone in need through OzHarvest. Head to floraly.com.au and use the code READYORNOT for 15% off.---Thanks for listening to Ready or Not! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram at readyornot.podThis 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 here.

Welcome back to another episode of Witching Hour, the show where two cousins and mums of two banter all things making work, work alongside motherhood.Today on the show:I’m starting to think you guys don’t really want a “village” (Slate)Put down the vacuum: Americans need to get off the tidiness treadmill. (The Atlantic)And off the back of last week’s episode where we discussed The Atlantic piece titled ‘Dear James, I used to have friends, then they had kids.’, we asked you for your thoughts and experiences on navigating friendship in motherhood.This episode is brought to you by Floraly—fresh flowers (and the cutest tiny Christmas trees!) with same-day delivery, perfect for any occasion. Plus, every order helps feed someone in need through OzHarvest. Head to floraly.com.au and use the code READYORNOT for 15% off.--Shop the Ready or Not Go To Guides now, for $29 each or $69 for the trio:Breastfeeding and Returning to WorkChildcare 101Postpartum and Return to Work Planning---Thanks for listening to Witching Hour! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram at readyornot.podThis 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 here.

Welcome back to Ask Ready or Not! It’s Ready or Not’s advice-based podcast, landing in your ears every Thursday. Today, Loz dives into the common mistakes many of us make after returning from maternity leave. From taking on too much too soon, to underestimating the emotional and logistical shifts, she’ll unpack the pitfalls and share actionable tips on how to ease back in, communicate your boundaries, and set yourself up for success both at work and at home.---Shop the Ready or Not Go To Guides now, for $29 each or $69 for the trio:Breastfeeding and Returning to WorkChildcare 101Postpartum and Return to Work PlanningYou can also find us on Instagram at readyornot.pod---Thanks for listening to Ask Ready or Not! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram at readyornot.podThis 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 here.

Alena Darcy may have worked on campaigns with Karlie Kloss, negotiated deals for Troye Sivan to perform, managed a red carpet with Natalie Portman, and organised too many fashion runways to count, but if you were to ask her which The Devil Wears Prada character she would've been in the former part of her career, she would've told you she was more Anne Hathaway and less Meryl "that's all" Steep.After building up a PR career working for some of the biggest Australian and international brands, Alena, like so many others, found herself newly pregnant, and made redundant as the world grappled with this little thing called COVID.Fast forward to today, and the mother of two's career and return to work journey has taken different shades. She's worked for herself, she's studied a post grad in psychology, she's now The Iconic's PR manager and she's learned a thing or two about the highs and lows of making work, work along the way.Here, we talk the whiplash of working in a fast paced industry and the vulnerability that comes with trying to stay relevant, the ways in which motherhood has enriched her leadership skills, and how she's navigated working for herself, working for a company that moves at the speed of culture and studying alongside motherhood.---This episode of Ready or Not is brought to you by Floraly—fresh flowers (and the cutest tiny Christmas trees!) with same-day delivery, perfect for any occasion. Plus, every order helps feed someone in need through OzHarvest. Head to floraly.com.au and use the code READYORNOT for 15% off.---Thanks for listening to Ready or Not! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram at readyornot.podThis 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 here.