Returning to work after having a baby can be one of the most emotional and challenging transitions in a parent’s life. Then finding the right care can be a daunting task.

In this week's episode I chat with Lauren Parrot, the founder of BubbaDesk and mum of two, about her personal journey from postpartum anxiety to creating a new childcare solution for modern parents.

Lauren shares her insights into why proximity care is becoming increasingly important for many parents, how the current childcare system is failing to meet the needs of working families, and the benefits this model brings for both parents and employers. We also discuss the challenges facing parents in 2025, the future of childcare innovation, and the role policy makers and businesses can play in supporting working mums and dads.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• What proximity childcare is and why it matters
• Lauren’s personal postpartum and return-to-work experience that sparked BubbaDesk
• The gaps in Australia’s childcare system and why it needs urgent innovation
• How BubbaDesk is partnering with employers to support working parents
• The mental health benefits of being close to your baby during work hours

MORE LINKS

Connect with Lauren on Instagram @bubbadesk or website bubbadesk.com

Follow Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity and the website www.workingmumma.com.au or connect with Carina on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/carina-obrien/

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If you loved this episode, please take a moment ot subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your support helps us reach more working mums who need this resource to help them navigate the juggle of career and motherhood. Thanks for tuning in and see you next week.

Are you feeling exhausted or burnt out from the mental load?

In this episode, I speak with Professor Leah Ruppanner – sociologist, gender equity advocate, and founder of the Future of Work Lab at the University of Melbourne. Leah unpacks the mental load in a way you’ve never heard before - why it’s not just cognitive, but deeply emotional too.

If you’ve ever felt invisible, overwhelmed, or wondered why you’re carrying so much, this conversation is for you. Leah’s insights are validating, refreshing, and might just change the way you move through motherhood and work.

From gendered expectations and the invisible labor women carry, to the societal norms that fuel mum guilt, Leah shares evidence-based insights and practical ways to help you begin to lighten the load.

You will hear about:

- The true definition of the mental load (spoiler: it’s more emotional than you think)

- Why some mental load solutions don’t work (and what might)

- How gender norms are holding us back at home and at work

- The real reason mum guilt exists and how to release it

- How workplaces can (and must) better support caregiving

- What the research says about dads, mental load, and the desire to be more present

- Leah’s vision for structural change and redefining care as essential infrastructure

MORE LINKS

Connect with Leah via her website www.leahruppanner.com or on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/leah-ruppanner-1657a417/

Follow Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity and the website www.workingmumma.com.au or connect with Carina on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/carina-obrien/

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If you loved this episode, please take a moment ot subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your support helps us reach more working mums who need this resource to help them navigate the juggle of career and motherhood. Thanks for tuning in and see you next week.

Have you ever felt like becoming a mum meant putting your dreams on hold? You’re not alone. But what if motherhood is instead the start of something even greater?

In this deeply inspiring episode, we meet Donna Urquhart, a clinical researcher, mum, and now Guinness World Record holder for running an astonishing 1,400 kilometres across Antarctica after taking up running in her 30s, post-motherhood.

Donna’s story isn’t just about athletic achievement. It’s about rediscovering identity, pushing through imposter syndrome, and chasing a dream most people would consider impossible - all while juggling family, work, and training in freezing conditions.

She shares how motherhood reshaped her ambition, the systems she put in place to make time for her passions, and how she reframed “sacrifice” as values-aligned decision-making.

If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re too late to start something new, this episode will leave you feeling seen, supported, and inspired.

We chat about:

• Why Donna started running after becoming a mum to help her own mental health
• Why motherhood doesn’t mean the end of your personal dreams
• The emotional and physical challenge of breaking a world record
• Balancing work, family, and extreme training
• How values, not sacrifices, guided her decisions
• The power of community, support, and believing in yourself
• Real tips for taking the first step toward your next dream

This is your reminder: it’s never too late. Motherhood might just be your launchpad.

Show links

Follow Donna on Instagram @runantarctica and check out more of Donna's story via her website runantarctica.com

Follow Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity

Sign up for the Working Mumma newsletter

Connect with Carina on LinkedIn