5 Podcast Episodes All Working Moms Need to Listen to Before They Have a Baby
My two-year-old.
DJ Evie in the house, mixing her latest podcast episode.
Parenting a newborn is a one-handed sport. One hand is always designated to holding the baby and the other hand quickly learns how to do everything else. Dishes. Zipping a toddler’s zipper. Making the bed. Putting groceries away. All one-handed. Don’t let anyone ever tell you you aren’t amazing, resourceful, or innovative.
A few days after bringing my first daughter home from the hospital I was in my backyard, holding my daughter in one hand and my phone in the other. You know how this story ends….
I dropped my phone and it shattered. Standing in line to get my phone fixed one week postpartum should not be on any parent’s to-do list. I can now say this from experience.
On the drive home from the impromptu trip to the mall, I decided that was the last time I’d be dropping my phone and bought a lanyard to wear around my neck that held my phone. Was it dorky and ridiculous? Yes. Was it the best mom hack ever? Also, yes.
I never sat down again to feed my baby and be trapped in that chair with no phone to scroll or keep me entertained while my baby sucked away.
Every time I sat down to feed my baby I had my phone with me and respond to my 2-day-old text messages or if I was feeling extra motivated, I’d fire up a podcast or audiobook, close my eyes, and relax.
I highly recommend it.
If you haven’t jumped on the podcast train yet and you’re about to pop out a kid, it’s time to get on board. And here are my favorite 5 podcast episodes (and you know, I’ve listened to them all) to help you prepare for your parental leave.
1. Managing Maternity: Your Pregnancy Rights in the Workplace
This podcast by Workplace Justice covers your rights and protections against discrimination as a pregnant person. Even if you think your workplace would never discriminate against you, it’s still SO important to know your rights. You never know when you’ll need to advocate for yourself or another woman.
2. How to approach maternity leave with confidence
Carina O'Brien discusses her experience getting ready for parental leave on her podcast Working Mumma. She’s a working mom in Australia, and despite not living in the US her advice is incredibly relevant to expecting moms in the US.
3. Planning for a Maternity Leave with Kalei
The Debt Free Mom Podcast chat about how to financially prep for parental leave. Babies are expensive and this episode breaks down the actual budget of a military family living in Alaska that is expecting their second child.
4. Planning for Maternity Leave as a Female Business Owner
Olivia Austin of Behind the Design podcast breaks down how she planned for her leave as a small business owner. Olivia owns her own design company and thought of everything when planning for her parental leave. I highly recommend this episode if you're an entrepreneur.
5. Approaching Maternity Leave with Confidence with Allison Venditti, Founder of Moms at Work
Psychotherapist Erica Djossa talks with Allison Venditti, the founder of Canada-based career coaching group Moms at Work talks about all things parental leave. Canada’s parental leave policies outshine the US’s policies in just about every way, but there are still social stigmas that moms still have to face when planning for their leave.
Do you listen to podcasts? Any episodes you can recommend for parents-to-be?
