The Motherkind Podcast

5 Ways Becoming a Mum Made Me Better at Life + Work

What if motherhood hasn’t set you back… but actually made you more powerful? We’re told we lose things when we become mothers - sleep, freedom, career momentum. But what if we’ve also gained something extraordinary? In this solo episode, Zoe shares the five “superpowers” she believes every mother develops - often without even realising it Because motherhood isn’t a step away from leadership. It’s one of the most intense leadership trainings you’ll ever experience. In this episode, you’ll learn: The 5 core superpowers motherhood builds - from empathy to creative problem solving Why time constraints and micro-decisions are sharpening your leadership daily How to stop apologising for nursery pick-up and start owning your efficiency A simple strength-based exercise to help you recognise and use your new skills If you’ve ever wondered what this season is building in you, this episode is your reminder. Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing. Feeling different since becoming a mother? Get clarity on who you’re becoming now and  download your FREE Matrescence Cheat Sheet If you liked this episode, listen to this next: How to Build Confidence + Self-Belief in Yourself Again (Even When You’re Knackard) Connect with Zoe: Follow Zoe on Instagram  Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’ 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. For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind Sonic Rooms from Pop That Mumma is a guided audio album designed to help mums find moments of calm in everyday life – use code MOTHERKIND for 30% off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

MOMENT | Daily Resets: The Small Habits That Stop Motherhood Feeling Overwhelming

What if staying on top of home life didn’t require doing more, but doing a few small things consistently? In this Motherkind Moment, Zoeis joined by Ingrid Jansen, co-founder of The Declutter Hub, to talk about daily resets and non-negotiables – a simple, realistic way to stop life at home from constantly tipping into overwhelm. Ingrid shares why having a handful of everyday tasks that always get done – like clearing the sink, loading the dishwasher, or running one load of laundry – can completely change how your home feels. Not because everything is perfect, but because you’re no longer starting each day already behind. They talk about how short, regular resets (just 10–15 minutes, once or twice a day) can support tired mums, especially in busy seasons where decision fatigue is high, and energy is low. This isn’t about rigid routines or unrealistic standards – it’s about doing small things that make life feel calmer for your future self. The conversation also explores toys, clutter, and the mental load of “stuff” – from organising play spaces in age-appropriate ways, to decluttering gently over time, to managing the constant influx of gifts. Ingrid shares why less really can be more for both children and parents, and how involving kids (and partners) builds shared responsibility rather than burnout. This is a compassionate, practical conversation for any mother who feels overwhelmed by the never-ending to-do list – and wants things to feel just a little lighter. In this Moment, they explore: Daily resets and non-negotiables that reduce overwhelm Why small, consistent habits help your future self Toys, clutter, and creating calmer spaces at home If you’ve ever thought, “I just want things to feel more manageable,” this Moment is for you. If you liked this moment, listen to the full episode: Toys Everywhere? They’re making you Stressed - Here’s How To Finally Tackle The Kid’s Clutter with Decluttering Expert Ingrid Jansen Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing. Feeling like you’re carrying it all? Download your FREE Mental Load Cheat Sheet and learn how to start feeling lighter, even if nothing in your life changes. Connect with Zoe: Follow Zoe on Instagram  Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’ 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. For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Truth About Being the Default Parent: Why Mothers Feel Lost, Guilty and Overwhelmed with Lou Beckett

Default parenting doesn’t start with a conversation – it creeps in quietly, until one day you realise you’re carrying the mental load, the guilt and the responsibility almost entirely alone. In this powerful Motherkind moment, Zoe is joined by Lou Beckett, author of The Default Parent, to name something so many mothers feel but rarely have language for. Together, they unpack the emotional, physical and invisible weight of being the default parent – the one who carries the responsibility, the mental load, and the constant background hum of guilt. Lou shares the moments that pushed her to write the book, the research that confirmed it’s not “just you”, and why so many women feel lost in motherhood even when they’re doing an incredible job. This is an honest, funny, rage-inducing and deeply validating conversation for anyone who’s ever felt unseen in the day-to-day reality of parenting – and especially for those who are carrying more than their fair share. In this conversation, you’ll learn: Why becoming the “default parent” often happens quietly – and why it’s so hard to undo once it’s set The invisible labour of motherhood, and why it’s exhausting even when you “have support” How guilt, comparison and unrealistic expectations keep mothers stuck – and how to start letting them go If you’ve ever thought, “Why does this feel so hard when everyone else seems to cope?” – this conversation is for you. Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing. Feeling like you’re carrying it all? Download your FREE Mental Load Cheat Sheet and learn how to start feeling lighter, even if nothing in your life changes. If you liked this episode, listen to this next: Why the Mental Load Causes So Much Tension and how to Communicate Your Way Out Of It Connect with Zoe: Follow Zoe on Instagram  Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’ 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. Usbourne Books For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind Sonic Rooms from Pop That Mumma is a guided audio album designed to help mums find moments of calm in everyday life – use code MOTHERKIND for 30% off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

MOMENT | Maternity Service: The Reframe That Changes Everything

In this Motherkind Moment, Zoe Blaskey is joined by broadcaster and journalist Emma Barnett for a deeply honest conversation about early motherhood, identity, and what really happens to us when we become mothers. Emma shares the reframe that changed everything for her: moving from the idea of maternity leave to maternity service. A season where you are always on call, constantly adapting, sacrificing parts of yourself, and often expected to carry on without much language for how profound that experience really is. Together, Zoe and Emma talk about those early months – the walking, the exhaustion, the heatwaves, the survival mode – and the surprising way creativity can sometimes re-emerge in the middle of it all. Not because motherhood is easy, or beautiful, or calm – but because so much else has been stripped back. They explore the tension so many mothers feel: how maternity can be deeply depleting and, at the same time, quietly expansive. How there can be grief for who you were, uncertainty about who you’re becoming, and moments of clarity that feel almost shocking when you’re in the trenches. This is also a conversation about what we’re missing culturally – the lack of space, language and stories for matrescence. Not parenting advice. Not baby manuals. But an honest reflection on the inner shift of becoming a mother. Because motherhood doesn’t just add something to your life. It changes you. In this Moment, they explore: Reframing maternity leave as maternity service Creativity, identity and thinking again in early motherhood The loss, rebirth and in-between space of matrescence If you’ve ever felt changed by motherhood in ways you couldn’t quite explain, this Moment is for you. If you liked this moment, listen to the full episode: Maternity Service, Not Leave: A New Perspective with Emma Barnett Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing. Ready to feel like yourself again? Download your FREE Matrescence Cheat Sheet Connect with Zoe: Follow Zoe on Instagram  Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’ 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. For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Happiest Countries Do Motherhood Completely Differently

What if motherhood wasn’t meant to be this hard – or this lonely? In this episode of Motherkind, Zoe is joined by journalist and bestselling author Helen Russell to explore how culture shapes the way we experience motherhood. After becoming a mother in Denmark, Helen shares how living in a Nordic system gave her “permission to live differently” – with more rest, trust, parental support and far less guilt. Together, Zoe and Helen unpack why so many mothers in the UK feel under pressure to cope alone, and how much of that is cultural rather than personal. In this conversation, we explore: Why vulnerability in motherhood is normal – not a failure How parental leave, childcare and systems reduce guilt and burnout What Denmark gets right about raising children and supporting mothers Why happiness doesn’t mean feeling good all the time The power of community during big life transitions This episode is a gentle but powerful reminder that if motherhood feels overwhelming, it’s not because you’re doing it wrong – it’s because you were never meant to do it alone. Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing. Feeling different since becoming a mother? Get clarity on who you’re becoming now and  download your FREE Matrescence Cheat Sheet If you liked this episode, listen to this next: Motherhood transformed me into who I was meant to be all along | Megan Rose Lane Connect with Zoe: Follow Zoe on Instagram  Get Zoe’s Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations’ 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. For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind Sonic Rooms from Pop That Mumma is a guided audio album designed to help mums find moments of calm in everyday life – use code MOTHERKIND for 30% off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices