mom - The Barefoot Blogger

It’s true that as time goes on and life gets busier, the gaps between each blog gets a little larger. However, the fact that my last blog about saying farewell to maternity leave as I prepared to return to the workforce, was a whole 10 months ago, speaks volumes about how my 2025 has played out, thus far. Has yours been a bit of a shit show too? (USA, blink twice if you need help).

I returned to almost full-time work when my son was 5 ½ months old. Lucky enough to be working a hybrid work model of a few days at home and a few days in the office. No words of warning from other parents can prepare you for the absolute chaos that returning to work after creating a human less than 6 months ago is. Because just in case you didn’t know, you actually have to care for that human 24/7 and then somehow miraculously balance everything else simultaneously. Being away from him makes you physically ache, but being with him 24/7 can equally make you fucking crazy. As I left the house to return to my first shift in the office, I thought I would cry. I thought he would cry. He didn’t even turn to farewell me at the door, and I hopped into the car with a face full of make-up, tits in an actual bra and pumping the best pop a 90’s kid can find. It felt amazing to see my friends, to have adult conversations about you as a person, and to concentrate on a task at hand without the sounds of tears or Ms Rachel’s voice in the background. Until it got to lunch time, when my body ached to be away from him, and tears prickled at my eyes when I FaceTimed him.

I guess I thought I would just settle into a routine, but when I came up with that idea, he was a baby who didn’t move that much and wasn’t awake that much. Each week was a new development. First, eating solids 3 times a day, which it turns out is messier that Pro Hart or Jackson Pollock, so you’d better be prepared to bathe them 3 times a day (the kitchen sink is utterly acceptable in my opinion). All I wanted was to feed him myself because it’s neater and more efficient, but putting their pudgy little digits all through the food (and hair and eye lashes) is part of their development, and you don’t want to be the selfish bitch who inhibits their development because customers are screaming at you to reply to them. Then it’s crawling, then it’s walking (over achiever that he is, had to start this at 10 months) then it’s yanking on your leg and crying every single time you sit down to do your actual job that you’re being paid for.

I have spent my entire life being a people pleasing perfectionist. Always loving that pat on the head for doing a good job. What returning to the workforce made me feel like, was a failure, loser, neglectful piece of shit. When I left for my maternity leave, I was a highly valued employee who knew her role inside out and could put out fires with ease. What I became, was someone who could never finish her shift on top of her workload.

As a mother. I took on the role with ease and confidence from the second my son’s flesh touched mine. Suddenly everything made sense, and everything came naturally to me. Which is pretty fucking amazing considering I never read one parenting book, or listened to one parenting podcast or showed any interest in parenting content at all. Including through pregnancy. I was my son’s favourite person in the world. When I returned to work, I swiftly dropped to 3^rd place behind his Dad and Ms Rachel. Are you surprised? I had my back turned to him for at least 8hrs a day on my WFH days. Or 12hrs away from him on office days where I would leave as he woke and return as he was hopping into bed. Spending my train ride home gently sobbing as I scrolled through newborn pictures of him. The joyful times we used to share like our long walks by the water or playing in the park then became chores I needed to tick off my list before throwing him in front of the TV (something I swore I would never do until he was 3) whilst I ran back to reply to whatever email was telling me that I was somehow failing in my role as well.

I’ve spent my life as an over achiever and this year as an utter failure. Or sub-par at best.

If that wasn’t bad enough, the conversation of full time childcare was then brought up by my employer. Completely understandable from a work perspective. And I realise now how impossible it was to do both at the same time. But I’ll tell you what I told them, I didn’t have a child just to see him on the weekends. As well as the fact that all the childcare centres are at capacity in my area, and how about the fact that the cost of childcare would pretty much negate my very modest salary.

The math just wasn’t mathing.

I ask you in all honesty, how the actual fuck are we supposed to do it all?!!! How are we supposed to take care of these kids physically and emotionally, work full time to pay for groceries and houses that only billionaires can afford now, be a good wife / sister / friend / aunty, / neighbour, meditate, yoga, run, lift weights, attend 1000 appointments, grocery shop, buy birthday gifts, drink water and have those infrared saunas for your postpartum recovery.

I am fully aware that it was my individual choice to have a child, but this society is in no way set-up to support mothers. If you don’t have family who can help everyday or loads of money to hire help, you’re all on your own and you’re absolutely fucked.

As the stress coursed through my body like an electric current, I threw my son in the pram (not literally, don’t call DOCS, I’m actually a great Mum, in spite of the rant that is this blog) and grabbed my husband and said “let’s go for a walk, something’s gotta give”.

My husband runs his own business and it was always the plan that I would one day help him with the business, until my podcast became such a hit that I would do that for a living (seriously though are you subscribed? Have you left me a 5-star review?) We just had a different timeline where there would be a lot more business to fund our whole family. But the desperation of the situation fast-tracked the decision and I handed in my notice.

The words of everyone’s favourite Green Goddess, Elphaba from Wicked, just kept swirling through my head…

“Something has changed within me. Something is not the same. I’m through with playing by the rules of someone else’s game”.

I’m simply not who I was before. I created a life. My priorities have shifted. My views on the world have evolved. Plus, I’m 42yrs old and have been working for someone else since I was 15. I was just done. I didn’t want to pour all of my energy and creativity into something that didn’t have my name on it anymore.

I finished up in July and have been working on my own business and my husband’s business since. I’m loving my freedom to dictate my schedule. I’m loving meeting new people each week and I’m loving being creative and knowing that whatever money I bring in, will go into businesses that ultimately build our family’s wealth. But on the other hand, I’m very uncomfortable (which is what I said I wanted to do in 2025, try new things and get comfortable in the uncomfortable.) It’s terrifying not knowing when the money will come in. There are no sick days when you work for yourself and there sure as hell ain’t any sick leave from parenting.

I spent the first half of the year with plenty of money in my account but extremely time poor and devoid of any true joy. Just merely a lab rat on autopilot. And I march into the second half of the year with a terrifyingly empty transaction account, but a heart of full of unimaginable love because each day, I get to hear my son’s shrieks of joy as I push him higher and higher on the swing.

As I write this blog with a bulge in my throat and the prickling of tears behind my eyes, partly because I’m on my luteal phase and partly because I’m incredibly sleep deprived after a week of rough sleeps with the annual change of season cold spreading through the house, I’m looking over at this tiny human with his mouth open and eyes fluttering from a dream (presumably about hopping bunnies) and I know that I can do this. I know that I can tell the little voice of fear and doubt to shut the fuck up, because this perfect little person chose me to be his Mum because he knows that no one will take better care of him. I just have to keep reminding myself that he doesn’t give a shit if I can’t buy him as many new outfits this Spring and Summer. That many of the outfits will be $14 Kmart sets as opposed to the $80 Goldie + Ace outfits I got him last year. Because what he prefers (and deserves) is a Mum who can sit down and build blocks with him. A Mum who pops him in the trolley and takes him to the shops to look at the new Christmas Globes at David Jones. The Mum who laughs and dances with him in the living room instead of popping anti-anxiety meds, just to get through one more shift at work.

**“As bad as things were before, that’s how good they became”.**
GIF courtesy of https://www.tumblr.com/where-our-stories-start/183922710940/as-bad-as-things-were-before-thats-how-good-they

I will succeed at my business ventures, because I choose to only entertain the idea of success and reject the notion of failure. I will live a life where I prosper through my creative outlets not only because that is what I deserve, but because the world is a better place when we’re thriving.

If you’re a Mum who’s struggling and feels pulled in a hundred different directions, I see you and I hear you. It’s a nearly impossible task. You’re doing such a great job. I hope you get some time to take care of yourself and have loads of fun, very soon.

If you’re thinking about starting your own business or project, I hope you succeed. And in case no one told you today, I think you’re fucking marvellous.

Whatever day, season or year you’re having, you got this, bitch. I believe in you.

And whenever you start to doubt yourself, let Maya Angelou’s words leave your lips…

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

Love Leo and Mummy. And side note, the $14 Kmart outfit is pretty cute, right?!

I had my baby boy in July 2024 and never did a blog about it, because it turns out that creating then raising a little human is pretty fucking time consuming.

But as I sit here writing this, I’m preparing to return to my full-time ‘paid’ work tomorrow. If you have trouble sleeping tonight because you can hear noises outside, it’s just my gentle sobs coming from Cronulla.

Don’t get me wrong, I know on many levels, that this will be really good for me. To be back with adult friends talking about something other than Leo and his feeds / nap times / swim lessons etc, to be back in a beautiful airconditioned office in Double Bay and to be back to a full bank account will feel so good for the soul. But to walk out my front door and spend an entire day away from the little person that my body created, for the first time since he was born, will absolutely break me. And picturing him missing me, will be a dagger to the heart.

I wanted to get back to work early. I knew I was never the type of person that could handle a long maternity leave. I like structure & routine, I like to keep busy, and I like to have a purpose. But it feels so unnatural to be separated from this tiny human who relies on me to provide him everything he needs, so soon. I don’t feel ready in my heart, I don’t feel ready in my soul.

I know it’ll work out, but I’m acknowledging the chasm in my chest, and I’m sitting with it for a minute.

How can you leave the house with this little face staring at you?

As hard as that factor is, it’s probably not the worst part of it. I work hybrid and my husband and I are taking turns solo parenting Leo whilst the other is working. Two days a week I’m in the office, but three days a week I’m EVERYTHING. I’m the primary caregiver to an infant just about to start crawling, I’m doing all of the housework, I’m doing a full-time job with increased responsibilities…and throw in part-time podcast host whilst you’re at it.

I’m absolutely fucking terrified for the impending burnout. No matter how I structure all of that, I will get burnt out. It’s par for the course.

I’m starting to think that society is just not designed to nurture and support working mothers. Something that honestly never crossed my mind before having kids. How in the hell do single, working mothers do it?!!!! They deserve a God damn parade. No, they deserve full-time hired help. Sometimes relying on family or paid childcare is not feasible. Sometimes, you’re just it.

It’s a truly paradoxical time in a woman’s life.

I always knew I wanted to be a mum one day, and I figured I’d be good at it, but I delayed it as long as my body would allow because I had other interests I wanted to pursue before being tied down. I can tell you now, I had absolutely no idea how much I would absolutely love motherhood and the insane amount of love I would feel for my son. From the second they cut me open, held up this perfect little human and placed him on my chest, I had to have him on or near me at all times. It feeds my soul in a way I never imagined possible. To feel the depths of this magical love, and on the polar opposite, feel so insanely exhausted and pulled in a million different directions, is really overwhelming. All you want is to bask in the glow of motherhood, but you’re too exhausted to get off auto-pilot. Millennial mums are working and financially contributing to the household expenses just as much as the dads. And yet, we’re still doing all of the other stuff mums did in previous generations, because they didn’t work, and their husbands were at work all day. Throw in your side hustles, your gym workouts, your social life with multiple groups of friends, your dry brushing, your yoga & meditation, and your hundreds of beauty & medical appointments, and what you have is a recipe for implosion. They say the biggest mistake people make financially is spending more than we earn. Well I can tell you right now, that every woman my age is spending more energy than she’s recharging. And that’s a major fucking problem.

What’s the solution? Well free childcare is a good start. But there definitely needs to be massive physical and emotional support for mothers, from all areas of her life.

Who were my absolute saviours during pregnancy and early motherhood? Other mums my age. They’ve just been through it. They get it better than anyone.

I said to one of my mum friends the other week, that I found a version of myself in maternity leave that feels like a long-lost friend. Like 15yr old Steph who used to hang out with her friends all day, then lay on her bed listening to Tori Amos on her CD player and stare out the window and watch the stars. The girl who was so excited about life and her future, who knew how to unwind and daydream for hours.

I’ve been working non-stop (aside from the occasional trip) since 1998. I’ve been in rapid “go mode” my entire adult life. I don’t know how to relax without medical assistance. I’m rarely in my body, always ten steps ahead. And the last six months, I got to play. Really play like a child. I’d take Leo for a walk along the beach, and we’d stop halfway, sit under a tree and watch the clouds. We’d jump on the bed and kiss & cuddle. We’d play music and have a dance party in the living room. At 2pm on an idle Tuesday, we’d sit on the bed in our underwear, throw our legs in the air and rock side to side in the happy baby pose. I ask you, how can I go back to sitting behind a laptop for at least 8hrs a day when I’ve been doing the happy baby pose in my underwear?!!!

I fell l in love with this version of myself, as much as I fell in love with my son. And whilst I’ll miss Leo when I’m busy working, this version of myself is who I’ll miss the most.

That, my friends, is what you call ‘motivation’. That’s my ultimate motivation to make 2025 my biggest quantum leap year yet. I’ve played it safe the last few years. I’ve had a steady incline of success, but I’ve made small steps because it’s safe. It’s comfortable. I’m gonna get really uncomfortable this year, and carve out a life for myself that means I dictate my schedule, and I will ‘happy baby pose’, anywhere, anytime.

It’s gonna be a big year kids, mumma feels it in her waters. I thank you for sticking around and reading words that mean a lot to me. And if you haven’t already, please check out my podcast ‘Can I Get A Refill’ for even more (and far more regular) thoughts.

Wishing you a very magical 2025. I hope you get really uncomfortable.

Tag: mom

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