For decades, women and mothers have been hiding. We cover up our breasts as we feed our babies because since forever, our breasts have been sexualised. How dare you get those tarty things out to offer nourishment to that hungry, tired love of your life. Put them away.

We hide the blood that drops between our legs because we've been told it's disgusting. And what's more repulsive, more unattractive, more intolerable, they tell us, is the mood swings that it brings. A woman on her period, they say, is crazy.

And often, we hide the depths of our feelings as we navigate the throes of early motherhood, because we're meant to be grateful. We're meant to be giving. We're meant to be naturally good at it.

That doesn't leave much room for comfort in motherhood, in fact it creates a feeling entirely opposite to warmth. And that is loneliness.

And it was when Keshia Hutchens and Ariel Bryant were walking the streets of Melbourne with their third babies that they wondered - interrogated, even - why there wasn't a safe space for mothers to go. To think and feel and learn and question and laugh and cry.

And so, they created From Day One; a space that is pulling mothers from outside of their own four walls and bringing them their village.

From how the two co-founders have made work, work over the years, to the magic that they're witnessing between the mothers who are making up the village that is From Day One, this is a special conversation about loneliness and the antidote to it.

--

Shop the Ready or Not Go To Guides now, for $29 each or $69 for the trio and 10% off with code READY10:

• Breastfeeding and Returning to Work
• Childcare 101
• Postpartum 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.pod

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 here.

As a youngest child with three older brothers, I've always been fascinated by sisters and the way I witnessed sisterhood play out among friends and family as a kid, and I think that's why I found today's guests and co-founders of The Big Sister Experience so interesting.

As they're about to tell you, while their best friends, business partners, perhaps even each other's soul mate in a lot of ways, Bianca and Kritz Sciessere could not be more different in a lot of ways. Bianca longed for and dreamed of motherhood her entire life, and while I wouldn't describe Kritz as apathetic towards motherhood, it certainly didn't consume her thoughts in the same way.

And so as you can imagine, this led to tensions when Bianca took her first parental leave. The training wheels were on as the two were thrown into the deep end of figuring out how to manage their booming business while Bianca was finding her feet as a first time mum, and with both sisters feeling lonely and challenged in their own unique way, it led to their first and only big fight in five years of business. And they're here to tell us all about it.

But not only are the two navigating motherhood and business, through their work, they're offering a transformative journey for girls and gender-diverse students, dedicated to inspiring the next generation.

So not only was I deeply interested to hear about their journey of navigating motherhood and sisterhood in business, I also wanted to learn about the youth of today - what gives them hope, what the common themes are, and what's challenging them. I learned so much that I will apply to my own children and I know that you will to.

What a special chat. I hope you love it as much as I loved talking to them.

--

Shop the Ready or Not Go To Guides now, for $29 each or $69 for the trio and 10% off with code READY10:

• Breastfeeding and Returning to Work
• Childcare 101
• Postpartum 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.pod

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 here.

I'm fascinated by founders and business owners like Mukti, because she's been incredibly successful with her skincare brand Mukti Organics, but she totally flies in the face of the highly corporate, suit-clad, city dwelling business person that we often associate with success.

Instead, she does things a little differently. She gave birth in a tee pee, for one. Her mum was - in her words - a crazy hippy woman who renounced everything and went off to India. She was a young mum, and she founded her business before the certified organic movement was even a thing. Before social media was even a thing.

She's funny, she's honest, she has some incredible tales to tell, and as someone in the earlier days of navigating parenthood and paid work, I value the wisdom of those mums that have come before me to no end.

From storing products underneath tarps hanging off the back of her house and navigating separation to reflecting on 16 hour days and what she regrets, here, she covers it all with generosity and humility.

---

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode is brought to you by Bed Intentions, a modern wellness brand that celebrates the evolving spectrum of pleasure.

From the world’s first microbiome certified water based lube to their new oil based natural tingle balm, this female-founded company has made it their mission to welcome open, shame-free conversations about all things intimacy.

Head to bedintentions.com to shop their natural, self-care products. We spend a third of our lives in bed, and these products are designed to make things safe, fun and easy.

---

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.pod

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 here.

Welcome back to Tits and Tricks! It’s Ready or Not’s new bite sized tip based podcast, and it’s coming to your ears every Thursday. Off the back of a recently solo parenting stint (and navigating paid work alongside solo parent) Loz is taking the reins today to talk really simple hacks to get you through the day. As always, we're not breaking any new ground here, because we want you to do less. Instead, we're reminding you of all the little tips and mindsets that will hopefully make it that little bit easier for you to make work, work alongside parenting.

LINKS

• Take 10% off the Postartum & Returning to Work Go To Guide (or buy all three Go To Guides with the same code!) here with code READYASEVER.

---

Thanks for listening to Tits & Tricks! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram at readyornot.pod

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 here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• More than two thirds of working parents consider quitting jobs because of childcare costs, research finds.
• What If Motherhood Isn’t Transformative at All? Actually, Having a Baby Changes You Forever: The Cut published two opposing articles on the same subject and we have some thoughts.
• And let’s talk about sex – in celebrating our partnership with Bed Intentions, we’re all getting into bed together.

---

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode is brought to you by Bed Intentions, a modern wellness brand that celebrates the evolving spectrum of pleasure.

From the world’s first microbiome certified water based lube to their new oil based natural tingle balm, this female-founded company has made it their mission to welcome open, shame-free conversations about all things intimacy.

Head to bedintentions.com to shop their natural, self-care products. We spend a third of our lives in bed, and these products are designed to make things safe, fun and easy.

---

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.pod

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 here.

Welcome back to Tits and Tricks! It’s Ready or Not’s new bite sized tip based podcast, and it’s coming to your ears every Thursday. Well today it’s on a Friday and if you don’t know why yet, you’ll have to listen to Wednesday’s check in episode with me, Lu.

And on that, you might be wondering why you’re hearing from me when I said Loz and I would be taking turns in bringing you Tits & Tricks.

Loz is solo parenting, while working four days a week while her husband is away for work. SO you get me two weeks in a row I’m afraid, and this week is made up of a whole lot of little hacks. We’re talking one meal two ways, what we’re automating so we can do less, and how to get through a day of working with a sick kid when you really have no choice but to get some form of paid work done. There’s nothing wildly new here, but sometimes I think we just need to be reminded about how others are tackling making work, work, and learning those little tricks along the way can make things SO much easier.

So let’s start with one meal two ways. I’m almost thinking of how you’ll see articles about one blazer worn five ways and applying that to food. After that, I’ll share what you’re all automating to make life a bit easier and lastly, we’re talking how the heck you work when you’ve got a sick baby or kid at home with you.

LINKS

• Take 10% off the Postartum & Returning to Work Go To Guide (or buy all three Go To Guides with the same code!) here with code READYASEVER.
• Find the expanded show notes & grocery list here.

---

Thanks for listening to Tits & Tricks! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram at readyornot.pod

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 here.

Shit hit the fan for us as we were going to press publish on what was meant to be today's episode with Snuggle Hunny founder Julie Mathers. A big fat tech failure that nearly led Lu to start the whole edit again at 7.25pm last night. But, Loz reminded her of what's important, so here, she shares a quick check in instead.

We'll catch you back here tomorrow for an incredible episode with Snuggle Hunny's boss, Julie Mathers.

Welcome to Tits and Tricks! It’s Ready or Not’s new bite-sized advice-based podcast, and today is all about making the return to paid work a little bit easier via simplifying our wardrobes.

Look, I am no style expert. Although I love clothes, I’m not going to pretend to be your fashion correspondent. But I am a mum who needs to get dressed each day. And of all the things that bring unexpected stress in getting out of the door in the morning to get to work, a big one can be getting yourself dressed when you’re potentially trying to get little people fed, dressed, and out the door.

Your body might be different, you might have shoved your office wardrobe out of sight for six months or longer, and you might just feel different about the way you want to dress.

This episode is less about vanity and more about streamlining processes. It’s inspired by our Postpartum and Return to Work Planning Guide, and while that guide doesn’t cover fashion, the logistical advice we give in that guide has influenced so many areas of my life, including my work wardrobe.

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YOUR RETURN TO WORK WARDROBE CHECKLIST

Our full checklist referenced in the episode didn't quite fit the show notes limit, so please click here for the full checklist plus the items Lu mentioned, as well as links to some excellent return to work uniform sales happening at the moment.

---

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.pod

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 here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• Working families are more stressed than ever, a new report has found.
• ‘Kinkeeping’ is the invisible workload that women take on—and it’s affecting the mental health, performance, commitment and bandwidth of employees, experts say. (NYT)
• And the Instagram community poll of the week: How do you navigate pregnancy and friendships when you're the Miranda or the Charlotte?

---

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Witching Hour is brought to you by Mukti Organics, results-driven and award-winning skin care products made with certified organic ingredients & powerful actives.

Purchase the revised and expanded second edition of Mukti’s bestselling book ‘Truth in Beauty’ for $89 via www.muktiorganics.com and retailers Amazon, Booktopia and QBD Books.

---

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.pod

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 here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• Research shows that those who spend more time speaking tend to emerge as the leaders of groups, regardless of their intelligence.
• Jessica Biel Is Done Being A “Cool Girl” About Periods
• And your answers to a poll I didn’t anticipate being so popular – all about that elusive and important ‘me time.’

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Witching Hour is brought to you by Elan House of Wellness, the mother-led brand that's dedicated to nurturing, nourishing and empowering new mothers and families. I have eaten my way through SO many of their incredibly nourishing dry food packs like the dark chocolate banana bread, golden kitchari, and blooming bites and you're in luck, because some of my favourite products are currently 20% off. Get 20% off until 30 June here: elan.house/collections/most-loved

---

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.pod

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 here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• We dive back into the Women at Work 2024 Deloitte study.
• Wake windows - Our thoughts and experiences on wake windows, plus, what does the research say on how long your baby should stay awake?
• And your answers to our questions on telling your boss that you’re pregnant.

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Witching Hour is brought to you by Elan House of Wellness, the mother-led brand that's dedicated to nurturing, nourishing and empowering new mothers and families. I have eaten my way through SO many of their incredibly nourishing dry food packs like the dark chocolate banana bread, golden kitchari, and blooming bites and you're in luck, because some of my favourite products are currently 20% off. Get 20% off until 30 June here: elan.house/collections/most-loved

---

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.pod

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 here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, Loz's best mate Chrissie (who works in education at The Memo) kindly steps in for Lu to cover the following:

• We look at Deloitte’s women at work report and the bits that we’re finding interesting. (Deloitte)
• Supporting your loved one to breastfeed starts by valuing it as work. (ABC)
• And with her background in hypnobirthing as well as her own personal experiences, Chrissy talks all things birth trauma and how to support a birthing partner.

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Witching Hour is brought to you by Elan House of Wellness, the mother-led brand that's dedicated to nurturing, nourishing and empowering new mothers and families. I have eaten my way through SO many of their incredibly nourishing dry food packs like the dark chocolate banana bread, golden kitchari, and blooming bites and you're in luck, because some of my favourite products are currently 20% off. Get 20% off until 30 June here: elan.house/collections/most-loved

---

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.pod

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 here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we're covering the topic we wish we didn't have to: Australia's problem with men's violence towards women, including:

• The feminist talk with Rosie Batty, Catharine Lumby and Fiona Jenkins and the Hedley Thomas talk Lu attended at the Sorrento Writer's Festival.
• Your answers to our questions around how safe you're feeling right now,
• Your scary and devastating stories in relation to men's towards women.
• Plus, your tips around how we tackle this with our children.

Shop the Ready or Not Go To Guides now:

• Breastfeeding and Returning to Work
• Childcare 101
• Postpartum and Return to Work Planning

Links:

• Rosie Batty's book: click here
• Loz's dry shampoo recommendation: click here

---

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.pod

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 here.

Doctors and health professionals may have called Snuggle Hunny chief Julie Mathers geriatric on more than one occasion, but in my opinion, she's fit a hell of a lot in to a short amount of time. With her husband, she founded and sold an incredibly successful business in Flora and Fauna. She's experienced miscarriage and after trying for some time and some failed rounds of IVF, both of her sons ended up being conceived naturally, to her surprise. Her older boy Woody has Down Syndrome and a heart condition that will require surgery one day soon. He was born at 34 weeks and spent some time in the special care. She returned to work just four hours after his birth. And to their surprise, she was pregnant with her son Alfie just six months later.

Now that all might sound overwhelming at best and incredibly stressful at worst, but that's not the story you're about to hear. Julie's story is magic. Her boys run their own races, that's for sure. But, she's not too phased. Woody is Woody and Alfie is Alfie.

This is an incredible story regardless of whether you're navigating disability or not and we all need more of Julie and these stories in our lives.

From Flora and Fauna to Snuggle Hunny, from Woody to Alfie, from her working class background collecting milk money to big business sales, this is one of the most colourful stories I'll ever bring you.

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THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Ready or Not is brought to you by Mukti Organics, results-driven and award-winning skin care products made with certified organic ingredients & powerful actives.

Purchase the revised and expanded second edition of Mukti’s bestselling book ‘Truth in Beauty’ for $89 via www.muktiorganics.com and retailers Amazon, Booktopia and QBD Books.

---

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.pod

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 here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• A longer than usual intro on Posie's bottle refusal, Loz's new job contract and us both feeling like we're well and truly in the thick of it.
• Childcare benefits have up to 425% return on investment.
• Plus, we answer one of our listener’s workplace dilemmas.
• And here is the breast pump Loz mentioned

Shop the Ready or Not Go To Guides now:

• Breastfeeding and Returning to Work
• Childcare 101
• Postpartum 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.pod

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 here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• Four Ridiculously Smart Reasons to Slow Down at Work (The Muse)
• How having a baby in your 20’s became the new ‘teen pregnancy’ (news.com.au)
• What the devastating attack in Bondi last week has made us stop and reflect on

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THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Witching Hour is brought to you by Mukti Organics, results-driven and award-winning skin care products made with certified organic ingredients & powerful actives.

They've just released an upgraded formulation of their Vital A serum which is the first Australian COSMOS certified organic and 100% botanical-based retinal (not retinol), which means it’s one of the first in the world safe to use during pregnancy, and during the day! Not only that - it’s clinically proven to work 11x faster than standard retinols.

We love a female led company and this wonder product launches today, the 22nd of April, and is available for just $99 for the next 48 hours. To get yours, head to www.muktiorganics.com

---

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.pod

---

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 here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• 10 Impressive Questions to Ask in a Job Interview (The Cut)
• No Parent Can Make Home-Cooked Meals All the Time (The Atlantic)
• And from the Ready or Not Instagram community, your answers to our Instagram poll all about screen time and staying present

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THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Witching Hour is brought to you by THE INARRA, a premium online shopping and lifestyle publication tailored for pregnancy, motherhood, and beyond.

Re-defining how modern mothers consume content, THE INARRA offers a diverse range of features, interviews, and fashion edits that cater to every stage of motherhood while celebrating individual style and identity. And today, we're bringing our Witching Hour listeners a special offer, as THE INARRA gets ready to launch their styling services.

To claim 30% off a styling experience that can be done virtually or in-person in Sydney and is specifically tailored to those who are pregnant, postpartum or just struggling to define their style as a mother, email hello@theinarra.com and mention Witching Hour.

---

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.pod

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 here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• We discuss the “let them” theory – very topical given our chat about the mental load two weeks ago and our poll today.
• Women say they're being routinely delayed or denied epidurals when giving birth because of "mistaken" beliefs about their impact on labour. (ABC)
• And your answers to our poll, all about maternal gatekeeping.

Shop the Ready or Not Go To Guides now:

• Breastfeeding and Returning to Work
• Childcare 101
• Postpartum and Return to Work Planning
• You can also find us on Instagram at readyornot.pod

---

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.pod

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 here.

There's no Witching Hour episode today due to the public holiday. Instead, Lu is checking in very briefly from bed to let you know that our Go To Guides are now out in the wild, and to get honest about how much longer it took us to finish them than anticipated. But, wowee are we proud of the final result!

We really believe in these guides and we hope you love them: readable, beautiful, well-researched guides that tackle the sort of topics we wish we had access to, all in the name of supporting mothers in making work, work.

Created in consultation with some of the best experts in their respective fields, and informed by over 60 interviews with working mothers, these are the guides that will stop you from relying solely on hindsight.

Shop the Go To Guides now:

• Breastfeeding and Returning to Work
• Childcare 101
• Postpartum and Return to Work Planning
• You can also find us on Instagram at readyornot.pod

---

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 here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• At Bogota’s Care School for Men, men learn how to step up to do their share of housework and child care - from changing a diaper to styling a ponytail
• To celebrate the launch of our upcoming postpartum planning guide, Lu asks Loz all about her postpartum experiences with Sienna and Xave
• And we share the stats and stories from our latest Instagram poll – all about the mental load.

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THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

 This episode of Witching Hour is brought to you by us, Loz and Lu. We'll be releasing our first Ready or Not go to guides dropping on the 1st of April. We've created three practical and comprehensive guides, starting with breastfeeding and returning to work, postpartum planning for the 4th and 5th trimester and childcare 101.

Sign up for here early access and a cheeky discount code: readyornot.au/subscribe

---

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.pod

---

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 here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• Why stepping away may be your best leadership move yet (read the piece here)
• Lily Allen shares her thoughts on career and motherhood on the Radio Times Podcast 
• What our listeners wish they knew about breastfeeding, postpartum planning, and childcare.
• And the winner of our Mrs Kevin's Photos giveaway is @farrenmay!

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THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

 This episode of Witching Hour is brought to you by us, Loz and Lu. We'll be releasing our first Ready or Not go to guides dropping on the 1st of April. We've created three practical and comprehensive guides, starting with breastfeeding and returning to work, postpartum planning for the 4th and 5th trimester and childcare 101.

Sign up for here early access and a cheeky discount code: readyornot.au/subscribe

---

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.pod

---

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 here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday (except for today, because yesterday was a public holiday in Victoria!).

In today's episode, we cover:

• The increasing Importance of a best friend at work
• The Skim State of Women Report for 2024 comes out in a few weeks, so before it does, we’re revisiting some of 2023’s findings
• And a HOTLY contributed to poll on the @readyornot.pod Instagram - what happens when the partner goes back to paid work?

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THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Witching Hour is brought to you by Mrs Kevin's Photos, a mother and Melbourne based fine art film photographer, creating photos to keep forever as your visual inheritance.

Mrs Kevin's Photos captures moments through 35mm film, digital and super 8 video footage so that you can look back and remember how it all felt. To celebrate this partnership, we'll be announcing a giveaway for our Melbourne-based listeners today over on our Instagram @readyornot.pod. 

You can head to mrskevinsphotos.com to book in an emotive, timeless and intimate photography session.

---

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.pod

---

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 here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• The Workplace Gender Equality Agency have published employer gender pay gaps for the first time, 
• Self help vs Leadership – the way we market books to women and men 
• And your thoughts on these damning gender pay gap reports.

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THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Witching Hour is brought to you by MUMMA MILLA: creators of genuinely leakproof bralettes and camis that are not only functional, but beautiful, too. 

Created with aesthetics in mind, these modern pieces almost look too good to work as well as they do, but Lu was a paying customer before this special brand came on board as a partner, and she is here to tell you that since wearing her MUMMA MILLA pieces, no other breast pad or feeding bra cuts it. 

Lu turns to her MUMMA MILLA bralettes and camis daily, and in this episode, we announce the winner of our giveaway.

Head to mumma-milla.com to shop the collection of highly considered products, designed by a real mum, for all the breastfeeding mothers out there.

---

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.pod

---

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 here.

Welcome back to Postpartum Diaries! This week, Lucinda's doula and friend Charlotte Squires (aka The Living Doula) joins her to talk all things postpartum, going from one to two, conversations to have with your partner before postpartum and returning to work, and her best tips for caring for a new parent.

Then, Charlotte becomes the interviewer and asks Lucinda all about her postpartum reflections!

---

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Ready or Not is brought to you by MUMMA MILLA: creators of genuinely leakproof bralettes and camis that are not only functional, but beautiful, too. 

Created with aesthetics in mind, these modern pieces almost look too good to work as well as they do, but I was a paying customer before this special brand came on board as a partner, and I am here to tell you that since wearing my MUMMA MILLA pieces, no other breast pad or feeding bra cuts it. 

I turn to my MUMMA MILLA bralettes and camis daily, and if you head to @readyornot.pod before Monday 4th March, you can enter our giveaway to win your very own set too. 

Or, head to mumma-milla.com to shop the collection of highly considered products, designed by a real mum, for all the breastfeeding mothers out there.

---

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.pod

---

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 here.

U-Fhern Chang was on a plane for a work trip when she had a pretty profound AHA moment. And while she didn't immediately act upon it, it would eventually lead her to completely revamp her priorities when it came to her career. Add quitting her job at a big four, four kids, and a few businesses into the mix, and it's fair to say that she's had a bit on.

After her children, I think it's fair to say that her other baby, Elan House of Wellness, the business dedicated to nourishing and supporting mothers, is one of her proudest projects to date. And as a paying customer, I think it should be. Her dry sweet and savoury packs were a staple in my early postpartum pantry, and her messaging encouraging rest and valuing the transitions of motherhood are incredibly important.

Here, we talk disappointing parents, postnatal depression as a pretty fair response to the way we're meant to mother in western society, and how she navigates four children and a business.

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THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Ready or Not is brought to you by Mukti Organics, results-driven and award-winning skin care products made with certified organic ingredients & powerful actives.

Purchase the revised and expanded second edition of Mukti’s bestselling book ‘Truth in Beauty’ for $89 via www.muktiorganics.com and retailers Amazon, Booktopia and QBD Books.

---

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.pod

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 here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• Sleep impacts women’s workplace ambitions more than men, research shows (Women's Agenda)
• Live from London: Loz on travelling without kids and returning to paid work
• And with our community's help, we answer a listener's question about returning to paid work with a challenging boss.

---

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Witching Hour is brought to you by MUMMA MILLA: creators of genuinely leakproof bralettes and camis that are not only functional, but beautiful, too. 

Created with aesthetics in mind, these modern pieces almost look too good to work as well as they do, but I was a paying customer before this special brand came on board as a partner, and I am here to tell you that since wearing my MUMMA MILLA pieces, no other breast pad or feeding bra cuts it. 

I turn to my MUMMA MILLA bralettes and camis daily, and if you head to @readyornot.pod before Monday 4th March, you can enter our giveaway to win your very own set too. 

Or, head to mumma-milla.com to shop the collection of highly considered products, designed by a real mum, for all the breastfeeding mothers out there.

---

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.pod

---

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 here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• Why keeping it simple is smart in the workplace, inspired by a brilliant piece by Derek Thompson for The Atlantic.
• How beauty became our damaging obsession and the rise of return to school Botox among mothers, inspired by a piece in ABC's Face Value column.
• Our hottest Instagram poll to date: we talk vanity and our relationships with our bodies post motherhood.
• Plus, Lu shares the best and worst of her two under two moments this week.

---

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Witching Hour is brought to you by ergoPouch, organic, TOG rated, sleepwear and sleep solutions designed for babies and kids to sleep, naturally.

Shop their new autumn/winter limited edition PouchTales collection from Thursday 22nd February at ergopouch.com.au

---

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.pod

---

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 here.

Welcome back to Postpartum Diaries! This week, we're talking all things the first four weeks, covering:

• What's surprised Lucinda in her second postpartum
• The early days of going from one to two
• The products she's ACTUALLY needed
• How things have been divided in the household
• All things recovery
• And SO much more!

We'll be back to regular Ready or Not programming next week, before we get stuck into part three and four of the Postpartum Diaries in the weeks that follow.

---

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Ready or Not is brought to you by New Bub Club, delicious meals for new and time poor parents. No prep, made-from-scratch, comfort food when you need it most.

Head to newbubclub.com to gift or purchase home-made meals for your family or someone in need of some postpartum care. Listeners of Ready or Not will receive $20 off your first order using code READY20.

---

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.pod

---

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 here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• H&M CEO Helena Helmersson abruptly steps down
• That Ballerina Farm controversy and whether we deserve to be outraged by another mum’s postpartum journey
• And mums talking money: after our money themed episodes, we ask you for your best tips on finances, super, and more.
• Good news: You can now exchange eligible drink containers for 10 cents in Victoria. More info here.

---

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Witching Hour is brought to you by New Bub Club, delicious meals for new and time poor parents. No prep, made-from-scratch, comfort food when you need it most.

Head to newbubclub.com to gift or purchase home-made meals for your family or someone in need of some postpartum care. Listeners of Witching Hour will receive $20 off your first order using code READY20.

---

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.pod

---

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 here.

A big hello from your host Lucinda. Today, things are looking a little different around these parts as we kick off the Postpartum Diaries: a four-part series that today, will begin with my Witching Hour co-host Loz asking me all about my bizarre birth story.

I'll be honest, I'm nervous about how personal this is going to get. Normally, I interview others and share little snippets of my own life at best, so this is taking things to the next level. But, as someone who has always valued the sharing of ideas and stories, I'm going there, in case anyone can relate to even 1% of what I have to say about birth, postpartum and all that comes with it.

So strap yourselves in for what is a pretty weird birth story that was characterised by a few twists and turns, and really made me feel like the girl who cried birth. You might think I'm mad by the end of it, and you're probably right, but I guess that's a risk I'm willing to take.

And just a note - none of this is medical advice. This is just my story.

A content warning to consider if this birth story is for you:

• Posie needed a bit of help breathing when she was born and she came out blue and unresponsive. All ended well but we know this might be a trigger for some.

---

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Ready or Not is brought to you by New Bub Club, delicious meals for new and time poor parents. No prep, made-from-scratch, comfort food when you need it most.

Head to newbubclub.com to gift or purchase home-made meals for your family or someone in need of some postpartum care. Listeners of Ready or Not will receive $20 off your first order using code READY20.

---

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.pod

---

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 here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• Top City law firm names and shames work-from-home shirkers: Lawyers to be tracked entering and exiting the office in corporate crackdown
• ‘Sittervising’ is the latest parenting trend because it’s freaking genius
• And your answers to our questions on where you feel more confident – in motherhood or your career.
• Check out Lucy's Substack piece on the beauty of the breastfeeding trolley here.

---

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Witching Hour is brought to you by New Bub Club, delicious meals for new and time poor parents. No prep, made-from-scratch, comfort food when you need it most.

Head to newbubclub.com to gift or purchase home-made meals for your family or someone in need of some postpartum care. Listeners of Witching Hour will receive $20 off your first order using code READY20.

---

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.pod

---

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 here.

Welcome back to a new year of Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• Infant formula startup Bobbie axed all recurring meetings for 2024
• Saving for Retirement on Part-Time Pay: The Challenges for Women
• Your reflections on holidaying with kids
• And Loz's hot tip on what not to say to another parent

---

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Witching Hour is brought to you by Hot Minute Hair: a no-nasties 2-in-1 hair wand with dry shampoo powder on one end and quick dry anti-frizz serum on the other.

Perfect for busy mums; it works in one minute, on the go wherever you are.

Head to hotminutehair.com.au and say bye to bad hair days.

---

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.pod, where we've shared a link and some resources to support the devastating conflict occurring in Gaza right now.

---

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son always was and always will be Aboriginal land.We Pay The Rent and you can too here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• Perfectionism helps women stand out at work. But over-preparedness can deny them leadership positions (from Fortune)
• Mum’s the word: The joy and importance of holidays without kids (from SMH)
• Baby Posie is here! And we can't wait to share more of Lucinda's second postpartum experience next month in lieu of some Ready or Not interviews (Witching Hour will play on as usual).
• And part one of Lucinda's bizarre labour story.

---

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.pod, where we've shared a link and some resources to support the devastating conflict occurring in Gaza right now.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son always was and always will be Aboriginal land.We Pay The Rent and you can too here.

Welcome back to a new year of Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• The future of work: key emerging workplace trends to watch for 2024,
• Five parenting trends that will apparently be huge this year,
• What does an A type personality have to do with motherhood and failure?
• And our listeners share their goals for the year.

And PS, Lucinda DEFINITELY does not know what double entendre means. Please bear with her.

---

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.pod, where we've shared a link and some resources to support the devastating conflict occurring in Gaza right now.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son always was and always will be Aboriginal land.We Pay The Rent and you can too here.

Hello from your very pregnant and very tired host. I'm Lucinda, and this is Ready or Not's three part holiday listening series. Over the next three weeks, we'll be re-releasing some of the year's most popular episodes. I hope you have a great holiday, and I'll see you on the other side, when we're back with new episodes of Ready or Not on Wednesday the 10th January.

This week, with the beginning of childcare looming for many, we're going back to our chat with childhood educator Kabba, where we ask all your burning questions on all things childcare. Good luck to all those gearing up for the beginning of childcare, and may this episode provide you with some extra comfort.

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This episode of Ready or Not is brought to you by Get Papped, an organisation that promotes open conversations about cervical screenings and urges individuals to take responsibility for scheduling their appointment

---

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.pod.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son always was and always will be Aboriginal land. I Pay The Rent and you can too here.

---

PANDA’s National Perinatal Mental Health Helpline is Australia’s only free national helpline for people affected by changes to their mental health and emotional wellbeing during the perinatal period. They support people throughout pregnancy up until their baby is 12 months old.

If you need some support, call the PANDA National Helpline (Monday to Saturday) 1300 726 306

Since I last interviewed Phoebe Simmonds over a year ago and Ava Chandler Matthews just under a year ago, the two business owners, mothers, and friends have had just a bit going on. Ava is getting ready to launch her business Ultra Violette into the US and she's actually launching herself into second time motherhood very soon, too. So soon, I'm surprised she even let me convince her to come back on the show.

As for Phoebe, The Memo is having a big year. They've just opened their Fitzroy store, and they're opening their Highpoint store in just a few weeks' time. And as you'll hear here, they have no plans to slow down from there.

I wanted to get Ava and Phoebe back onto the show for many reasons. Firstly, you loved both of their episodes, which I'll link in the show notes, and secondly, they had sons at the same time as I did. They're also friends who have being co-founders in common, and as women in business who I really look up to, I wanted to know what's changed for them both as they continue to move through navigating career and motherhood.

So, this episode is a bit hodge podge by design. It's less of an interview and more of a check in. I wanted you to feel as if you were part of the car talk that mum friends have on the regular as they make their way to or from the office.

Here, we talk about the delight of two year olds, the things we still don't have the answers for, what Ava will grapple with until the day she dies and why Phoebe doesn't believe in imposter syndrome.

ORIGINAL EPISODES:

• Listen to the interview with Phoebe on Apple here and Spotify here.
• Listen to the episode with Ava on Apple here and Spotify here.

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode is brought to you by Our Pilates – an online, physio led library of classes that you can seamlessly fit into a busy life. With prenatal and postnatal programs as well as membership options available, Our Pilates has every busy parent covered. Start your free 7-day trial now at ourpilates.com.au

---

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.pod

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 here.

Hello from your very pregnant and very tired host. I'm Lucinda, and this is Ready or Not's three part holiday listening series. Over the next three weeks, we'll be re-releasing some of the year's most popular episodes. I hope you have a great holiday, and I'll see you on the other side, when we're back with new episodes of Ready or Not on Wednesday the 10th January.

This week, we're taking it back to one of our most popular early episodes with The Memo co-founder Phoebe Simmonds. Phoebe and I had our sons at very similar times, so I am getting her back on the show next year for a check in, to see what's changed and how making work, work looks with a near two-year-old. I loved this chat and I know that you will too.

She’s worked for some of the biggest beauty brands in the world, has lived in London, Singapore and Sydney, and now works and lives in Melbourne with her partner Shaun, Shaun’s son Tyler, and their son Remy.

Shaun lost his former partner, Tyler’s mother, many years before he and Phoebe came to be, so her introduction to parenting is quite unique. Phoebe’s pregnancy was also not without its stressors, with the diagnosis of cervical insufficiency, a condition in which the cervix opens too early, and therefore running a risk of a pre-term birth.

Here, we talk launching her businesses, navigating becoming a parent figure early in a relationship, the challenge of remaining present, and why she wants to see less of an emphasis placed on breastfeeding.

---

This episode of Ready or Not is brought to you by Get Papped, an organisation that promotes open conversations about cervical screenings and urges individuals to take responsibility for scheduling their appointment

---

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.pod.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son always was and always will be Aboriginal land. I Pay The Rent and you can too here.

Hello from your very pregnant and very tired host. I'm Lucinda, and this is Ready or Not's three part holiday listening series. Over the next three weeks, we'll be re-releasing some of the year's most popular episodes. I hope you have a great holiday, and I'll see you on the other side, when we're back with new episodes of Ready or Not on Wednesday the 10th January.

We're kicking things off with Ultra Violette Co-Founder Ava Chandler Matthews. This was the most listened to Ready or Not episode this year, and given Ava's incredible candour, it comes as no surprise.

She went back to Ultra Violette at three months postpartum, she travels a lot, and while she loves her son to no end, she's open about missing her old life and not considering herself a particularly maternal person.

Here, we talk about some of the struggles she had with breastfeeding, postpartum anxiety, feeling like the business she founded didn't need her, and getting used to this new weight of responsibility. She's so generous with her honesty and she walks us through it all.

---

This episode of Ready or Not is brought to you by Get Papped, an organisation that promotes open conversations about cervical screenings and urges individuals to take responsibility for scheduling their appointment

---

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.pod.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son always was and always will be Aboriginal land. I Pay The Rent and you can too here.

---

PANDA’s National Perinatal Mental Health Helpline is Australia’s only free national helpline for people affected by changes to their mental health and emotional wellbeing during the perinatal period. They support people throughout pregnancy up until their baby is 12 months old.

If you need some support, call the PANDA National Helpline (Monday to Saturday) 1300 726 306

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

Just a note that today's episode discusses sexual assault, eating disorders, and stresses that can come up in pregnancy.

In today's episode, we cover:

• Forbes: Drybar cofounder built a $255 million hair business while her personal life ‘imploded.’ She has a warning for success-hungry entrepreneurs.
• Vox: To our generation, being a mom looks thankless, exhausting, and lonely. Can we change the story?
• And how our listeners are navigating Christmas and reducing the mental load.

---

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Witching Hour is brought to you by Get Papped, an organisation that promotes open conversations about cervical screenings and urges individuals to take responsibility for scheduling their appointment.

---

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.pod, where we've shared a link and some resources to support the devastating conflict occurring in Gaza right now.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son always was and always will be Aboriginal land.We Pay The Rent and you can too here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

Just a note that today's episode discusses sexual assault, eating disorders, and stresses that can come up in pregnancy.

In today's episode, we cover:

• ANZ links bonuses to office attendance and we have plenty of thoughts.
• Apparently kids will pay the price in push for universal childcare and our response to that viral "daycare is bad" reel that has been doing the rounds (we don't really want to give it any more airtime than we already have, but the reel is here if you want to watch it. Maybe don't though?).
• And women won’t shut up in meetings according to men, but the studies tell us otherwise.

---

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode is brought to you by Bio Bod, intuitive, supportive skincare that restores the foundations of happy skin. Listeners of Witching Hour will receive 20% off using code READY20 at biobod.com.au.

---

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.pod, where we've shared a link and some resources to support the devastating conflict occurring in Gaza right now.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son always was and always will be Aboriginal land.We Pay The Rent and you can too here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

Just a note that today's episode discusses sexual assault, eating disorders, and stresses that can come up in pregnancy.

In today's episode, we cover:

• The mum who was fired a week before her due date, inspired by this The Cut piece
• Another mum got slammed about concerns about a male daycare worker, but does this new research justify her worries?
• Is it wrong to directly ask a woman about her baby bump? Inspired by Nell Frizzell's Vogue column. You weigh in on one of the most contributed to Ready or Not Instagram poll ever.
• How much sex are tired parents having? Your red hot answers to our polls.
• Plus, Lu shares two terrible parenting moments.

---

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode is brought to you by Bio Bod, intuitive, supportive skincare that restores the foundations of happy skin. Listeners of Witching Hour will receive 20% off using code READY20 at biobod.com.au.

---

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.pod, where we've shared a link and some resources to support the devastating conflict occurring in Gaza right now.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son always was and always will be Aboriginal land.We Pay The Rent and you can too here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• Goodbye cover letters and CVs, hello TikTok resumes, and how we feel about this new trend, inspired by this Women's Agenda piece.
• Does anyone feel like an actual adult? Not us, and this piece by The Cut has us thinking about our most mature and immature moments as supposed adults.
• Your thoughts on the four-day school week trial.
• And so much more, because we always go off on a tangent.

---

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode is brought to you by Elan House of Wellness, the ultimate destination for postpartum care supporting mothers with food, education, self-care tools and gifts. Listeners of Witching Hour will receive 10% off using code POSTPARTUMREADY at elan.house.

This offer has no expiration date but excludes 28 Day Postpartum Packages and Gift Certificates.

---

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.pod, where we've shared a link and some resources to support the devastating conflict occurring in Gaza right now.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son always was and always will be Aboriginal land.We Pay The Rent and you can too here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• A Whitney Wolfe Herd headline that made us question the way women are portrayed in media,
• Queensland public schools to trial a four-day school week,
• The gender pay gap for organisations with a workforce of 100 or more employees is going to be on the public record from next year
• And your answers to our questions about mowing the lawns and how much time you’re getting to yourself.

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THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode is brought to you by Elan House of Wellness, the ultimate destination for postpartum care supporting mothers with food, education, self-care tools and gifts. Listeners of Witching Hour will receive 10% off using code POSTPARTUMREADY at elan.house.

This offer has no expiration date but excludes 28 Day Postpartum Packages and Gift Certificates.

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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.pod, where we've shared a link and some resources to support the devastating conflict occurring in Gaza right now.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son always was and always will be Aboriginal land.We Pay The Rent and you can too here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• How can you overcome imposter syndrome? You don’t: A piece by Reshma Saujani the CEO of Girls who Code.
• 'My "self care" is a shower. My partner's running marathons. Seriously?': Holly Wainwright's advice column and why we're starting a "golf" clinic.
• Motherly’s 2023 State of Motherhood Survey Report.
• I’m A Feminist, but…: your confessions inspired by the Guilty Feminist podcast (here's the episode we loved recently), where Lucy embarrassingly discovers she's never worked a barbecue before.
• A tip from Loz on the benefit of working with other teams within your organisation.

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THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode is brought to you by Elan House of Wellness, the ultimate destination for postpartum care supporting mothers with food, education, self-care tools and gifts. Listeners of Witching Hour will receive 10% off using code POSTPARTUMREADY at elan.house.

This offer has no expiration date but excludes 28 Day Postpartum Packages and Gift Certificates.

---

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.pod, where we've shared a link and some resources to support the devastating conflict occurring in Gaza right now.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son always was and always will be Aboriginal land.We Pay The Rent and you can too here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• You don’t have to have it all figured out
• 10 ways motherhood makes you extraordinary
• A deep dive into Britney’s new book
• A question from a listener about an unexpected pregnancy in a new job
• Re-thinking the "find your passion" advice
• And we're loving the book turned tv show, Lessons in Chemistry

---

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode is brought to you by Elan House of Wellness, the ultimate destination for postpartum care supporting mothers with food, education, self-care tools and gifts. Listeners of Witching Hour will receive 10% off using code POSTPARTUMREADY at elan.house.

This offer has no expiration date but excludes 28 Day Postpartum Packages and Gift Certificates.

---

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.pod, where we've shared a link and some resources to support the devastating conflict occurring in Gaza right now.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son always was and always will be Aboriginal land.We Pay The Rent and you can too here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• Medibank are preparing to trial a four-day work week
• Shameless Media's Michelle Andrews and KIC's Laura Henshaw open up about whether they’re ready to have children or not
• Iceland’s prime minister joins thousands of women on strike
• Your advice on going from one to two kids
• Why you need to be specific in setting your career progression goals

---

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode is brought to you by Elan House of Wellness, the ultimate destination for postpartum care supporting mothers with food, education, self-care tools and gifts. Listeners of Witching Hour will receive 10% off using code POSTPARTUMREADY at elan.house.

This offer has no expiration date but excludes 28 Day Postpartum Packages and Gift Certificates.

---

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.pod, where we've shared a link and some resources to support the devastating conflict occurring in Gaza right now.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son always was and always will be Aboriginal land.We Pay The Rent and you can too here.

Stephanie Wescott is a feminist academic and researcher. She’s also the mother of a three year old boy, and at the moment, she’s conducting research into how extremist online influencers like Andrew Tate are shaping boys' behaviours and attitudes towards women. It’s a fascinating and important time to be raising a son and we talk about this – that we need feminists raising our boys and the fact that her partner was almost nervous – somewhat hesitant – when he found out they were having a son.

She completed a PhD with very little childcare, which is no small feat, but she’s quick to tell you that she dropped out of plenty of university courses in her former studying years, too.

Here, we explore how motherhood and feminism intersect with capitalism and the patriarchy, why it took some time for her to not only accept but embrace mother as being one of her titles, and what parents can do about navigating the misogynist content being served to our children online.

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Ready or Not is brought to you by Elan House of Wellness, the mother-led brand that's dedicated to nurturing, nourishing and empowering new mothers and families. I have eaten my way through SO many of their incredibly nourishing dry food packs like the dark chocolate banana bread, golden kitchari, and blooming bites and you're in luck, because some of my favourite products are currently 20% off. Get 20% off until 30 June here: elan.house/collections/most-loved

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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.pod

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 here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• Is it wrong to admit how much you earn? Respectfully, we disagree with each other, inspired by this Farrah Storr piece.
• The strange but effective way Minna Dubin relieved her mom rage.
• Goodbye 'girl boss', hello 'snail girl.' Are people really working less, or are they just switching gears?
• Your best advice on breastfeeding and returning to work.
• And why you need to create a brag book.

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THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode is brought to you by The Tenth Co, creators of science-backed supplements created for mothers, by a mother.

You can shop The Tenth Co’s top-rated product Flow State and learn all about the burnout that led to the creation of this incredible product by visiting thetenthco.com

Listeners of Witching Hour will receive $15 off using code FEELCALMTHROUGHWITCHINGHOUR at checkout.

---

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.pod.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son always was and always will be Aboriginal land.We Pay The Rent and you can too here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• How corporate jargon can obscure reality and confuse colleagues.
• Competition watchdog finds childcare less affordable than most OECD countries.
• Is working from home is a disaster waiting to happen for feminism?
• Your answers to our questions on postnatal depletion
• And as always, we round things out with a tip (Loz's always wiser than Lucinda's.)

---

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode is brought to you by The Tenth Co, creators of science-backed supplements created for mothers, by a mother.

You can shop The Tenth Co’s top-rated product Flow State and learn all about the burnout that led to the creation of this incredible product by visiting thetenthco.com

Listeners of Witching Hour will receive $15 off using code FEELCALMTHROUGHWITCHINGHOUR at checkout.

---

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.pod.This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son always was and always will be Aboriginal land.We Pay The Rent and you can too here.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• These are the phrases working mums want to stop hearing.
• Does having a clean home make you a successful person?
• Why women are opting out of marriage.
• Your answers to our questions on how you cope with shitty daycare drop offs
• And as always, we round things out with a tip (Loz's always wiser than Lucinda's.)

---

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode is brought to you by The Tenth Co, creators of science-backed supplements created for mothers, by a mother.

You can shop The Tenth Co’s top-rated product Flow State and learn all about the burnout that led to the creation of this incredible product by visiting thetenthco.com

Listeners of Witching Hour will receive $15 off using code FEELCALMTHROUGHWITCHINGHOUR at checkout.

---

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.pod.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

We Pay The Rent and you can too here.