Sometimes being a mum can be a challenge – and for working mums, balancing the needs of family, doing a great job at work and getting round to everything that needs doing at home, can feel like an impossible task.

Sound at all familiar? Then you’ll want to tune in to the first episode of Mother Lovers Club, a new podcast by Stylist where Editorial Director Lisa Smosarski and Editor Alix Walker discuss what it’s really like to juggle motherhood with work and hope that by being honest and sharing how they make it work, they can make the juggle feel a bit lighter.

Life as a working mum is not without its highs, lows and all-round ridiculous moments. Join Lisa  and Alix as they swap stories – and share your candid voice notes – about the reality of the juggle, in a bid to ease the load for working mums everywhere.

In a recent white paper commissioned by Maltesers® as part of its Let’s Lighten The Load® campaign, 79% of mums in the UK said they feel guilty for not spending enough time with their children. At the same time, 56% of UK mums felt guilty about not working enough, while a staggering 81% of mums in the UK have to rearrange schedules constantly, both in and outside of work. What’s clear is that external support is essential.

In the first episode, Lisa and Alix are joined by comedian Ellie Taylor to chat about just how unsettling, chaotic and shocking that return to work after a baby is: from navigating new systems and meetings to breastfeeding in lifts.

In episode two, Lisa and Alix chat to comedian Esther Manito about returning to work after maternity leave. As well as discussing the almighty juggling act of teaching, breaking into comedy and parenting two small children, Esther shares her post-return guilt, the unexpected joy of a commute and the dubious merits of baby salsa. Plus, there are voice notes from the Stylist audience on a whole host of post-leave dramas, from forgetting how to dress to the challenges of in-office breast pumping.

In the latest episode, Audrey Indome, co-host of The Receipts Podcast, joins Lisa and Alix to talk about the whole new type of tiredness that hits when you’re a working mum. As well as discussing the constant battle for some unbroken shut-eye, Audrey, Lisa and Alex explore what it’s like to feel like you’re never truly awake, from becoming exhausted by your own anecdotes to discovering long-forgotten bottles of breast milk where you least expect them. Plus, there are more voice notes from the Stylist audience, leading to the eternal question… how do you recover from accidentally using your baby voice with a colleague? 

Maltesers, in partnership with Comic Relief, is working towards a future where women no longer face injustice. Together, we’re working to lighten the load for working mums and help women thrive. For links to additional support and to find out more about what Maltesers are doing to ease the load click here.

Images: Maltesers/Stylist