The Motherkind Podcast

Why Returning To Work After Maternity Leave Feels So Much Harder Than You Expected

Published: 25 May 2026 at 06:00 Europe/London

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Episode notes

Returning to work after having a baby isn't just a practical transition - for many mothers, it can feel like returning as a completely different person.You expected to feel rusty. You didn't expect to question your confidence, your identity, or whether you're still capable of doing the job you once knew so well.In this Moment, Zoe sits down with Joeli Brearley, founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, to unpack one of the most overlooked parts of motherhood: the return-to-work transition.Joeli shares why this period can feel so overwhelming, how matrescence and brain changes can affect our confidence and sense of self, and why so many mothers believe they're failing when, in reality, the systems around them are failing them.This episode is a powerful reminder that if returning to work felt harder than you expected, there was never anything wrong with you.💡 In this Moment, you'll learn:

Why returning to work after maternity leave can feel so emotionally challenging

The surprising brain changes of matrescence and how they affect confidence

Why do so many mothers struggle socially and professionally after having a baby

The hidden leadership skills motherhood develops

What better support for mothers could actually look likeWatch every full episode on YouTube and subscribe for conversations that support the woman behind the mother.This conversation may completely change the way you think about tantrums, emotions and your own reactions.

Watch every full episode on YouTube and subscribe. 

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If you enjoyed this episode, you can listen to the full episode - The Exhausted Mother’s Guide to A Successful Return to Work with Joeli Brearley

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This Motherkind episode is sponsored by:

• Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women’s supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply.

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