Returning to work after maternity leave can come with an unspoken pressure many women don’t realise they’re carrying - the need to prove that nothing has changed.

In this episode of the Working Mumma Podcast, Carina sits down with Rachel Debeck, former lawyer, tech CEO, and mum of three, to unpack the “prove yourself” trap that so many working mothers fall into when they return to work.

Rachel shares her honest experience of coming back to a senior role when her first baby was just seven months old, the internal pressure to overcompensate, and the moment she received feedback that changed how she showed up as both a leader and a role model for other women.

We explore why pretending it’s “easy” can actually make things harder for working mums and what it looks like to lead, work, and parent more honestly.

This conversation is for any mum who has returned to work feeling like she has to be exactly the same as she was before, or better, while quietly carrying the mental load, guilt, and exhaustion that no one sees.

In this episode, we talk about:

• The invisible pressure to “prove yourself” after maternity leave, especially in senior roles
• Why overcompensating can lead to burnout, and how to recognise when you’re doing it
• Why working mums don’t need perfect role models, they need real ones
• How each return to work can feel different (and why that’s normal)
• The daycare sickness season and why it’s often the point many women consider stepping away from their careers
• How to think about your career as non‑linear with seasons of acceleration and steadiness
• Why motherhood doesn’t end ambition, it often reshapes it into something more intentional and meaningful

Episode links

Connect with Rachel Debeck on LinkedIn.

Follow Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity or LinkedIn

Have you ever posted your child’s name, birth date or kinder photo online?

Most of us have.

And we did it with love.

But in 2026, the digital landscape has changed.

In this episode of the Working Mumma podcast Carina speaks with Zsofi Paterson, CEO of Tinybeans, about the growing conversation around “sharenting” and why parents of young children need to be more aware than ever.

Following a recent Australian Federal Police warning and a 41% rise in online child exploitation, this episode explores:

• What sharenting actually means
• When and how your child’s digital footprint begins
• The risks of sharing names, birth dates and locations
• AI and image scraping explained simply
• Why consent matters — even for babies
• What to do if you’ve already shared a lot
• Practical boundaries working parents can implement today
• The concept of “digital nesting”

If you’re raising babies, toddlers or preschoolers — and navigating Instagram, Facebook or family sharing — this is a conversation worth having.

Episode links

Discover more about Tinybeans or connect with Zsofi on LinkedIn.

Follow Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity or LinkedIn

Returning to work after having a baby isn’t just about logistics, childcare, or flexible hours , a big part of it is about identity.

In this Reflect Summer Series episode, Carina revisits a powerful conversation with Laura Stewart, who shares her deeply honest experience of the identity shift that came with motherhood, and how it ultimately led her to redefine success, leadership, personal values, and meaningful work.

While on maternity leave, Laura made the bold decision not to return to her executive role. Not because she lacked ambition, but because the role no longer aligned with who she was becoming as a mother, a leader, and a human.

Together, Carina and Laura chat about:

• The unexpected identity shift that happens after becoming a mum (matrescence)
• Why returning to your “old self” at work can feel impossible
• How values often change after motherhood and why that’s not a failure
• Why feeling supported at work isn’t always enough if the work no longer feels meaningful
• How embracing motherhood as part of your identity can make you a stronger, more confident leader

Episode links

Connect with Laura Stewart on LinkedIn

Follow Working Mumma on Instagram @workingmummacommunity or LinkedIn