Nervous about taking maternity leave and not even pregnant yet? Us too. This is Ready or Not, a podcast for and about mothers and parents who make work, work. We publish content all week long via our podcast, Substack, and social channels. Every Monday, our new banter-based podcast Witching Hour will land in your ears right here, and every Wednesday, we publish our flagship interview podcast, Ready or Not. Lucinda also shares deep dive essays on career and motherhood plus bonus fortnightly content on our Substack channel - readyornot.substack.com. Every other day, you'll also find us talking to our community via @readyornot.pod

Welcome back! Coming up today:We've been thinking about Botox way more than we'd like to admit. One of us has had it, the other hasn't, and we have plenty of conflicting thoughts. And then: Meet the women who lost their partners to the manosphere: that's from Bustle and yes, we're talking about the manosphere again.—Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here.— In this episode, we cover: botox, school holidays, the manosphere, andrew tate, louis theroux, working mums, cosmetic procedures, facelifts, feminism, motherhood, parenting, postpartum, friendship, school. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

DEAR READY OR NOT: Should I extend my maternity leave if I'm not ready to go back? We're also talking about whether to take a lower-paying but more flexible job and how to grow your career without sacrificing the kind of mum you want to be.Got a question? Submit it anonymously here! —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Frank Body and Willow & Blake co-founder, soon-to-be published author and mum of two Bree Johnson talks motherhood, career, business, and making work, work alongside parenting.—Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here.— In this episode, we cover: imposter syndrome, business, writing, books, working mums, motherhood, parenting, postpartum, friendship, school. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to the show where two mums Loz and Lu help you make work, work.Coming up on today's show:Why is everyone suddenly talking about 1, 2, 3, magic? Turns out it's getting Googled a lot and Loz is going to tell us why. And then, we talk all things breastfeeding: what we knew about breastfeeding before we had babies, what we wish we knew, and what we learned. Thank you to iL Tutto for sponsoring this episode! We absolutely LOVE their nursery chairs, perfect for breastfeeding mums. iL Tutto products are designed for ultimate comfort and support as new parents embark on their feeding, bonding, and sleep journey with their babies, designs their range with functionality, style, safety & support always at the forefront of mind.Both of ours are from iL Tutto's new TREND collection, the Louie Teddy and Taupe Corduroy.Use our discount code:Ready20 for 20% off full priced items available at iltutto.com.au, expires May 30, 2026. Excludes already discounted items, furniture packs and gift cards.— Got a question? Submit it anonymously here! —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

DEAR READY OR NOT: How do you keep your cool when your kids won't stop whinging? How to hold onto a five days in four arrangement when your workplace starts to pull back and how to future-proof your career with AI advancements. Got a question? Submit it anonymously here! —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to the show where two mums Loz and Lu help you make work, work.Coming up on today's show:Your postcode might be shaping your career more than your job - it's becoming apparent how much of where you live dictates your day to day. I'm 42. If you're in your 30s, read this. I find myself quite pensive around my birthday and having just turned a year older, this post that I saw on Instagram stood out to me, so let's get into it together. — Thank you to iL Tutto for our beautiful nursing chairs from their new TREND range. You can use the code Ready20 for 20% off full priced items available at iltutto.com.au, expires May 30, 2026. Excludes already discounted items, furniture packs and gift cards.-Got a question? Submit it anonymously here! —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

DEAR READY OR NOT: What's normal for paid parental leave in a small business? We're also talking about how to rebuild confidence after being fired and what to do if you have a crush at work.Got a question? Submit it anonymously here! —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Ready or Not, the show where Loz and Lu try to figure out how to make work, work alongside motherhood. Today on the show:The Jeffrey Epstein Files: What the case reveals about power, sexual harassment and workplace culture. Is Gen Z already subconsciously building towards a matriarchy? One creator thinks so, and her viral post suggests she's not alone.Links for this ep: Read the Dumbo Feather piece here.Got a question? Submit it anonymously here! —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

DEAR READY OR NOT: Should I stay in a toxic job after maternity leave? Plus how to ask for part-time work when you were previously full-time and ways to rebuild your confidence after redundancy.Got a question? Submit it anonymously here! —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here.This episode is brought to you by Saily eSim! Get 15% off your eSim https://saily.com/readyornot and use our code 'readyornot' at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase.Available in over 200 destinations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Ready or Not, the show where Loz and Lu try to figure out how to make work, work alongside motherhood. Today on the show:The problem with modern parents? They fail to prioritise their children over having a good time, apparently. I Regret Having Children & Maybe Knowing Too Much About Motherhood Has Ruined Me: These two pieces come from The Cut and we simply must deep dive them. Got a question? Submit it anonymously here! —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here.This episode is brought to you by Saily eSim! Get 15% off your eSim https://saily.com/readyornot and use our code 'readyornot' at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase.Available in over 200 destinations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Dear Ready or Not, our weekly Q&A where you send us your questions on work, motherhood and everything in between, and we answer them honestly.This week you're asking us: What to do when one partner's career forces you to scale back yours?How do you handle a four day work week when you keep getting asked to work on your day ‘off'?I was made redundant, should I start my own business?Got a question? Submit it anonymously here! —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here.This episode is brought to you by Saily eSim! Get 15% off your eSim https://saily.com/readyornot and use our code 'readyornot' at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase.Available in over 200 destinations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Ready or Not, the show where Loz and Lu try to figure out how to make work, work alongside motherhood. Today on the show:Why your newborn might be “sleeping better” than your toddler – Loz is in the trenches with sleep at the moment and no, it's not from her 9 month old, it's from her toddler who's 3. Nine things that genuinely make parenting better, from a parent educator and mum of four. Gen Muir recently shared the best tips and I want to unpack it with you and get your insights along the way. Got a question? Submit it anonymously here! —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here.This episode is brought to you by Saily eSim! Get 15% off your eSim https://saily.com/readyornot and use our code 'readyornot' at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase.Available in over 200 destinations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Dear Ready or Not, our weekly Q&A where you send us your questions on work, motherhood and everything in between, and we answer them honestly.This week you're asking us: I currently work a 4 day work-week. Do I spend the day ‘off' with my toddler or put them in care and get on top of life / house work? How do you manage mum rage?Are parents moving away from gentle parenting?Got a question? Submit it anonymously here! —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here.This episode is brought to you by Saily eSim! Get 15% off your eSim https://saily.com/readyornot and use our code 'readyornot' at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase.Available in over 200 destinations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amy Carmody is someone that I've long admired from afar; for the way she's built her business and community, for the way she talks about the light and shade of parenting with so much candour and warmth, and for my now confirmed suspicion that the person you see on the internet is the exact same person that you'll meet in real life. She's just real.She's real about how much her first birth impacted the earlier days of her mothering journey. She's honest when it comes to recalling the lonely experience of being the first in the group to have a baby, and she won't gaslight you when it comes to answering the “how do you do it all?” question. Because hint: she doesn't even try to do it all. Here, we – you guessed it – get real on it all. Going from zero to one, going from one to two, more recently going from two to three, and how she's navigated her career alongside it. This felt so much like a chat between friends, and perhaps after listening, you might just feel like Amy is your friend too. So let's get into it. —Thanks for listening! Got a question? Submit it anonymously here! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here.This episode is brought to you by Saily eSim! Get 15% off your eSim https://saily.com/readyornot and use our code 'readyornot' at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase.Available in over 200 destinations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Ready or Not, the show where Loz and Lu try to figure out how to make work, work alongside motherhood. Today on the show:How important are work relationships or really relationships in general? Loz was listening to a Mel Robbins podcast episode ‘called “This One Study Will Change How You Think About Your Entire Life” and it got her thinking Jemima Kirke Gives Her Most Honest Parenting Advice Yet: One of our listeners DMed this piece and we had to talk about it. Got a question? Submit it anonymously here! —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here.This episode is brought to you by Saily eSim! Get 15% off your eSim https://saily.com/readyornot and use our code 'readyornot' at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase.Available in over 200 destinations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Dear Ready or Not, our weekly Q&A where you send us your questions on work, motherhood and everything in between, and we answer them honestly.This week you're asking us: How do you navigate a job that's significantly more intense than the one you have now?How and when do you ask for 4 days or 3 days when the role was advertised for 5 days? Is it wrong that I'm bored on maternity leave? I'm 4 months in, absolutely obsessed with bub but bored. Got a question? Submit it anonymously here! —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Ready or Not, the show where Loz and Lu try to figure out how to make work, work alongside motherhood. Today on the show:Is this becoming the job no one wants? Loz's friend has noticed that children are no longer saying they want to be teachers when they grow up, so she went down a rabbit hole.And then, with International Women's Day coming up, let's talk about the hidden cost of being a woman. Find the Two Broke Chicks post here.—Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Dear Ready or Not, our weekly Q&A where you send us your questions on work, motherhood and everything in between, and we answer them honestly.This week you're asking us: Help! I need some advice for looking for a job on maternity leave. How to cope when you're let down by the support in your family (in this case my mum) gives us. How do I position a pay rise after returning from mat leave? I've been back for four months and our performance pay review is coming up. Got a question? Submit it anonymously here! —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Ready or Not, the show where Loz and Lu try to figure out how to make work, work alongside motherhood. Today on the show:Is AI quietly becoming the new parenting village?And, are you grieving a stage of motherhood that hasn't even ended yet? Us too. Let's talk about it. (Read Jodi Wilson's piece here)—Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Dear Ready or Not, our weekly Q&A where you send us your questions on work, motherhood and everything in between, and we answer them honestly.This week you're asking us: What's one motherhood and one work/career hack that you swear by at the moment?How have mums felt about their career after having a child? I don't want to be a stay at home mum but I also don't feel 100% driven at work either.How do I be part of a team culture that revolves around drinks and lunch?— Got a question? Submit it anonymously here! Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we're bringing you a bonus episode, all about childcare. In this chat, we've teamed up with Care for Kids to cover:What the three-day guarantee actually means and who it impacts.Why waitlists are more competitive than you think, especially for under twos.The truth about daily fees and what you'll pay out of pocket.How the childcare subsidy works for second children and school-aged kids.The most common Centrelink mistake parents make.What to look for on a childcare tour beyond the obvious checklist.How to handle drop-offs and separation anxiety.What's changing nationally when it comes to childcare safety and quality standards.— Starting the childcare search? Join 3 million parents who choose Care for Kids to find the right care.Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Ready or Not, the show where Loz and Lu try to figure out how to make work, work alongside motherhood. Today on the show:In the age of social media and constant hot takes, is the definition of the “good mother” constantly changing, or does society still favour one version of motherhood above all?And, as promised, Loz and Lu go more in depth about what their week to week logistics look like, including what the start of kindergarten and primary school is actually like. Got a question for Dear Ready or Not? Submit it anonymously here! —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Dear Ready or Not, our weekly Q&A where you send us your questions on work, motherhood and everything in between, and we answer them honestly.This week you're asking us: When should you ask for flexible work arrangements, now or closer to your return?Compressed work weeks are being removed from my workplace. What do I say to management to advocate for myself and those who currently have it?Job hunting while pregnant: when and how do you tell a potential employer?Got a question? Submit it anonymously here! —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chantella Perera was familiar with the juggle before motherhood ever entered the picture. Before motherhood, she was working two jobs as a professional athlete playing WNBL and AFLW, because women's sport alone would never cut it as a pay check. And then, when becoming a mum, it became the double shift – navigating the paid work alongside what society dubs the world's biggest job. And here, we talk all about it: the push pull and guilt that comes with being both the primary earner and the mother, how Chantella went from someone that went from hiding her motherhood journey at work to now being open about it, and how her relationship with feminism has changed over time.Chantella is also incredibly vulnerable in reflecting on what it's like to become a mum after losing your own, and she's really open about the fact that while she adores her kids and would never regret them, she's not sure if she ever really considered what motherhood actually entailed before she became a mum herself. —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Ready or Not, the show where Loz and Lu try to figure out how to make work, work alongside motherhood. Today on the show:How early is too early to put your name on a childcare waitlist? And then, Flexibility for mums is great, but can we start talking about flexibility for dads, too?Plus, here's the Rana Hussain article that Lu referred to—Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Dear Ready or Not, our weekly Q&A where you send us your questions on work, motherhood and everything in between, and we answer them honestly.This week, you're asking us:Should you stick it out in a job you don't love if you're planning to have another baby.How to let go of perfectionism when you're already stretched and thinking about another baby.And how to actually prepare for starting kindergarten, particularly when it comes to lunchboxes.Got a question? Submit it anonymously here! —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Ready or Not, the show where Loz and Lu try to figure out how to make work, work alongside motherhood. Today on the show:What does seeing me work all the time do to my kids? We go deep on that piece on The Cut that's gone viral. Then:“I've lost my ambition, and I'm okay with it…”: Amil Niazi is the author of a new book called Life After Ambition: A Good Enough Memoir, and she recently shared an excerpt of it on Chatelaine that had led us on a meandering conversation of what ambition means and where we're at with it. —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Dear Ready or Not, our weekly Q&A where you send us your questions on work, motherhood and everything in between, and we answer them honestly.This week you're asking us: How to do a full-time job in four days.How long to take off for baby number two without derailing your career.What to do when work wants you in the office more, even though it clearly makes life harder, not better.Got a question? Submit it anonymously here! —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Ready or Not, the show where Loz and Lu try to figure out how to make work, work alongside motherhood. Today on the show:Loz goes deep on the fascinating research that tells us how mums start the new year, and just a hint, it's not “new year new me” and,How to go back to work at a job that makes you feel hollow. This is a brilliant post I stumbled upon on Instagram, and for those of us sitting at our desks feeling a little despondent, I thought this might be the pep in the step that we all need. And particularly today but also everyday, it feels particularly important to acknowledge that this podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here.—Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_And join us on DOME below! YEEHAW!homeofdome.com/ready-or-not/— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Witching Hour – the show where two mums and sort of cousins figure out how to make work, work. This week on Witching Hour, we flipped the script and answered your questions, the ones flooding our DMs every week about career, parenting, and everything in between. Some of the questions we chat about include:Can you get promoted part-time?How do I handle work guilt when my child is sick?How much parental leave should I take if I run my own business?How do I switch from work mode to mum mode?Is a boring but flexible job worth it?How do I deal with pass-ag colleagues when it comes to judgement on working within school hours?When can I “lean back in” after having kids?How do I make a career pivot on mat leave? This episode is a re-run, we have fresh content coming to your ears next week!—Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sophie Cachia is coming into her own in her mid thirties, and she's been on quite the journey to get there. She had her first baby at 23, at a time when her career wasn't certain and people assumed that pregnancy and motherhood would mean the end of it, and just last year, as a successful businesswoman in her mid thirties, her youngest baby entered her family – a family that, as Sophie will tell you herself, didn't look exactly as she would've anticipated at the age of 20.In between all of that, there's been separating with her older children's dad, building her business, the online trolling that came with her growing success, and finding love again. Here, we talk about the petrifying feeling of knowing how quickly it'll all pass and how that informs her mothering, why the fire in her belly is still aflame but burns differently now, what those OG mummy blogger days were like – from the good bits to the nastier side – and what it's been like to build her multimillion dollar sweepwear label, Cachia.—Thanks for listening to Ready or Not! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Witching Hour – the show where two mums and sort of cousins figure out how to make work, work. Today on the show:Australia's most toxic companies Why are we still acting like flexibility for working mums is a favour? —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy New Year! We've got some big things happening in 2026 and a few changes as requested by you. You can expect a little bit more of Loz and Lu this year - we hope you're as excited as we are!—Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Witching Hour – the show where two mums and sort-of cousins figure out how to make work, work. Today on the show:We look back at last year's New Year's resolutions and give ourselves a very honest report card. We unpack what stuck, what didn't, and what we actually learned.Loz and Lu also set their intentions for the year ahead… let's see what actually sticks!In this episode we cover: default parent syndrome, saying no, mum guilt, post-partum self care, identity shifts, relationship reconnection, mental load pressure, kinder transitions and what resolutions look like when you're raising small humans.—Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_— This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent and you can too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Witching Hour – the show where two mums and sort of cousins figure out how to make work, work. Except for today, where Loz answers a whole heap of questions with producer Kitch! —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Ask Ready or Not! It's Ready or Not's tip-based episode, landing in your ears every Friday.This week, Loz is talking about feeling stuck at work after maternity leave. A listener who returned to work three years ago has written in, she's feeling underpaid, overwhelmed by job hunting, and unsure of her next move. In this episode, Loz shares a step-by-step plan to get clear on what's keeping you stuck, explore internal opportunities, tackle pay gaps, and job hunt in a way that feels manageable. If you're wondering whether to stay or go, this episode will help you figure it out. — Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_—This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Witching Hour – the show where two mums and sort of cousins figure out how to make work, work. Except for today, where Lu answers a whole heap of your listener questions with producer Kitch! Next week, you'll hear from Loz. —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Ask Ready or Not! It's Ready or Not's tip-based episode, landing in your ears every Friday.This week, Loz is talking about how to negotiate a more flexible working situation that works for you.— Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_—This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Frances Bilbao founded Mums Matter Psychology when her oldest child was just three months old, and now, alongside raising three children her practice has grown into a social enterprise supporting more than 4,000 families each year with over 120 clinicians nationwide. So, as you might've guessed, she's learned a lot of what parents need. And I love hearing from parents that are also psychologists, because they just get it, from both the professional and personal point of view.Here, we hear all about building her business alongside raising children, why we need to take sleep deprivation more seriously (which if you've listened to this show for a while, you'll know is a hill I'd die on), how society is letting down families and why we need to stop gaslighting mums into thinking the struggle comes from within them. This episode is a warm hug, and while you'll still hear Loz and I chat each week, this is the perfect way to finish off our interviews for 2025 before our schedule changes a little next year. But more on that in the new year. For now, let's hear from Frances. —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Witching Hour, the show where two mums and sort-of cousins figure out how to make work work. This week, we answer your biggest Christmas and end-of-year questions, including:• Are we all doing Christmas Day wrong by visiting multiple houses• What's the actual etiquette for daycare and teacher gifts when budgets are tight• How to survive working through school holidays without drowning in mum guilt• What to say when your family expects long-distance Christmas travel with overstimulated kids• How to shut down parenting comments without causing a festive feud• Whether you're entitled to return part-time after maternity leave• If it's bad to ditch your mother's group when the chat is only sleep schedules• And the spicy one: is accepting less responsibility for the same pay a feminist failure… or the smartest decision a working mum can make—In this episode we cover: Christmas family politics, emotional labour in motherhood, school holiday stress for working parents, teacher and educator gift etiquette, overstimulation in young kids, parenting boundaries with relatives, flexible work after maternity leave, Fair Work return-to-work entitlements in Australia, breastfeeding and pumping at work, inadequate corporate parents rooms, mother's group expectations, maternal mental load, burnout in working mothers, identity shifts after returning to work, workplace discrimination and flexible work negotiations, and feminist debates around choosing balance versus ambition.—Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.Find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_—This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation, the land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters. Always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent, and you can too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Ask Ready or Not! It's Ready or Not's tip-based episode, landing in your ears every Friday.This week, Loz shares her best tips on what to do if you're made redundant on maternity leave.— Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_—This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephanie Vizard has thought and written a lot about parenting, relationships, and work. Her first novel, The Love Contract, was directly inspired by maternity leave and in her most recent release, A Smart Girl's Guide to Second Chances, Steph explores the dynamics between mothers and daughters, and how their relationship is impacted by really different attitudes to work, ambition, and parenting.But when she's not writing, she works as a lawyer. And here, we hear all about navigating both the corporate and creative sides of her career as a mum who wants to be as successful as her dad has been and as good to her kids as her mum has been to her. Here, we talk about drowning under the weight of it all even when on paper all your dreams have come true, starting a new job when you're also newly pregnant, and what it feels like when your body starts to feel like yours again after years of sharing it with your children. —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Witching Hour – the show where two mums and sort-of cousins figure out how to make work, work. Today on the show:We unpack All Her Fault - the film, the mindset, and the moment that made us rage. Is it really all her fault, or just the default?Loz and Lu reflect on some of the moments that they're proud of and surprised by in both motherhood and career this year. —In this episode we cover: default parent syndrome, Christmas burnout, maternal identity loss, the mental load, gendered time inequality, stay-at-home vs working parent expectations, unpaid labour, household dynamics. —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.Find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_—This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation, the land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters. Always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent, and you can too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[Apologies for some dodgy bits of audio in this episode, unfortunately we couldn't come up with a solution that we could get to in time because our batteries are low but we still love you and thank you for listening anyway] Welcome back to the third and final part of The Low Battery Book Club, where we consume way too much culture and talk way too much trash. If you need to play catch up on the first episode of this series, you can find it here. The second episode, where we unpacked cancel culture and Clare Stephens' new book, The Worst Thing I've Ever Done, can be found here.On the show today:We share our favourite recs of the month (something old, something new, something high, something low)We deep dive Chosen Family by Madeleine Gray We talk about the business of book covers.AND! Charley gives you a whole lot of recs based off what you've been loving reading. And here's our ‘something old, something new, something high, something low' for December…Charley:Old favourite: Midnight's Children by Salman RushdieNew: Mushroom Tapes!! High: The Fashion Neurosis podcast with Bella Freud and The Rachel Incident filming underway!Lowbrow but loving: Great British Bake OffLu:Old: Heartburn by Nora EphronNew: One Battle After Another on Apple TVHigh: Sophie Gilbert interview on the Wheeler Centre podcast Low: That the Lily Allen album came out just before we recorded our last episode.—Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Ask Ready or Not! It's Ready or Not's tip-based episode, landing in your ears every Friday.This week, Loz is sharing everything you need to know about starting a new business as a mum. From navigating the costs and admin to finding time and maintaining your sanity, she'll share the lessons she's learned and the advice she wishes she had from the start. If you've got a business idea brewing or you're already in the thick of it, this one's packed with practical tips on all the how-to's.— Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_—This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After the overnight fame that came with winning Miss Universe Australia in 2010, model, presenter, and now co-owner of bioactive honey company Honey for Life Jesinta Franklin has always done things differently. From the get-go, she was never going to let her public and private lives get too close, and she's a unique example of what straddling both worlds can look like. For example, she may have protected her kids' privacy well before the conversation entered the zeitgeist, but she's always been open about the fertility struggles and pregnancy losses she had to wade through to get her firstborn. She's always been interested in business, but she wanted to make sure the thing she was contributing to actually meant something to her. And here, she spares no detail in reflecting on her motherhood and career journey. We talk about the challenging path she walked to become a mum, how that journey only made her becoming pregnant with her second child at just three months postpartum all the more surprising, what it was like to navigate early motherhood while her husband Lance (aka Buddy) Franklin was in quarantine hubs for the AFL season, the shame she felt around breastfeeding challenges, and what she's excited about now that she waits to become a mum for the third time. —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_— In this episode, we cover the below topics: being a young mum, going from one to two, solo parenting, recurrent miscarriage, pregnancy loss, business, honey, Jesinta Franklin, Lance Franklin, third time pregnancy, breastfeeding, bottle feeding, modelling, bounce back culture, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Witching Hour – the show where two mums and sort of cousins figure out how to make work, work. Today on the show:The great school holiday juggle: Who's actually getting a break? (spoiler alert - it's not mums)Australia's unpaid labour is worth $688 billion and women are doing most of it.—In this episode we cover: school holidays and the mental load, invisible labour and emotional burnout, working motherhood, overstimulation, default parent culture, the cost of school holiday activities, juggling work and care, mum guilt and overwhelm, why women absorb the planning and prep, and how families can actually survive the holiday juggle without losing their minds.—Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.Find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_—This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation, the land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters. Always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent, and you can too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Ask Ready or Not! It's Ready or Not's tip-based episode, landing in your ears every Friday.This week, Loz takes you through the five interview questions that may just help you land your dream job.— Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_—This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jodi Wilson has led an unconventional life. She became pregnant with her first of four children at 22, she's always worked as a freelancer and was even one of the OG mummy bloggers, she lives in a rural part of Tasmania, and she's deeply interested in researching and writing about both motherhood and what our brains and bodies need to live well. So, while Jodi's experience with making work, work as a mum might not represent the average, there's so much wisdom to be learned from her life's work, and from what the science shows us about motherhood, our brains, and what we actually need to live well and navigate the chaos.Here, we talk about the reason motherhood is so hard, what she thought would happen to her career after becoming pregnant at 22, the indigenous economic concept of enoughness, and how we teach our children to be more human in an increasingly AI world. —Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_— In this episode, we cover the below topics: being a young mum, writing books, working as a freelancer, living a slow life, mental health, navigating AI with children, raising teenagers, motherhood, parenting, writing, career and so much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Witching Hour – the show where two mums and sort of cousins figure out how to make work, work. Today on the show:Should you show your kids' faces online, or not? What started as a simple privacy decision has become a full-blown cultural divide.Plus, we chat about women's rights that are more recent than you thought.—In this episode we cover: kids' privacy online, share-enting and digital footprints, mum-shaming and judgment culture, posting children on social media, online safety for kids, consent and parenting, influencer culture and family content, children's rights and online boundaries, plus how modern motherhood shapes our digital identity and the pressure mums feel to get it right in every direction.—This episode contains a branded segment from Ergopouch! If you'd like to shop their upcoming Black Friday sale, here's all the T's & C's:Shop here: https://shorturl.at/JnSGz T&Cs30% OFF sitewide on our pouches, layers and bedding, PLUS 20% OFF Drift Home Baby Monitor and Smart TOG Guide, and Free delivery across our Lyra and Skye Cots, prices as marked. Promotion runs from 9am 20th November until 11:59 AET 1st December 2025. The offer excludes online Lyra Cot, Skye Cot, Deluxe Mattress, Gift Cards, Multi Buys, Bundle Packs and Sale Products, and cannot be used in conjunction with any other discount or promotion__Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.Find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_—This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation, the land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters. Always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We Pay The Rent, and you can too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Ask Ready or Not! It's Ready or Not's tip-based episode, landing in your ears every Friday.This week, Loz talks about why you shouldn't discount applying for full time roles even if you're after part-time work or non full time hours.— Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram: @readyornot.pod @laurentreweek_ @lucindamckimm_—This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.