Mother of All Solutions

The Book: Pregnant then Screwed

In this Mother of All Solutions episode Laura and friends from her book group share notes on the book Pregnant then Screwed: The Truth About the Motherhood Penalty and How To Fix It by Joeli Brearley.

With guest Kate Burt, Laura talks about this book (published March 2021) and how as author Joeli Brearley states, “This book is a call to arms for women.” With audio contributions from other members of book club we share sections of the book and our own experiences of work and motherhood.

We hope you enjoy listening and we hope you enjoy the book too – as Kate ends, “It’s a textbook but doesn’t read like a textbook!” The book is full of data and case studies about pregnancy and maternity discrimination, the motherhood penalty and solutions.

Pregnant then Screwed:

Website: Pregnant Then Screwed - Pregnant Then Screwed

Helpline: Helpline - 0161 222 9879 - Pregnant Then Screwed

Book: Pregnant Then Screwed by Joeli Brearley | Waterstones

Instagram: @pregnant_and_screwed / @pregnant_and_screwed_mum

Twitter: @PregnantScrewed / @Joeli_Brearley

Other links:

Article I reference during conversation about Shared and Equal Parental Leave:

Shared parental leave: scrap ‘deeply flawed’ policy, say campaigners | Maternity & paternity rights | The Guardian

Reference made to new maternal mental health units:

Mental health: More help for new and expectant mothers in England - BBC News

MOAS:

If you enjoyed this episode please subscribe to Mother of All Solutions on your podcast app and listen back to past episodes. And if you can leave a review that would be amazing! It would be great to hear your thoughts on Joeli Brearley's book or ideas for the podcast – you can get in touch with MOAS via:

Twitter: @SolutionsMother / Email: [email protected]

Host and producer: Laura Broderick

Music by Ros Fraser

Editing by Nat Lee

For this episode Laura interviews Midlands based Creative Producer Amy Martin to discuss Radical Childcare and her workshop for the Women of the World (WOW) UK Festival 2021.

Amy introduces lots of interesting models of childcare, ideas around childhood and individuals/organisation working on this – below you will find the links discussed in the interview. Following the conversation there are also some audio notes from participants in the workshop – we hope you enjoy learning more and the episode prompts you to use the hashtag to share and explore ideas local to you.  

To find out more:

#RadicalChildcare

https://www.radicalchild.care

https://vimeo.com/370152932

 

The Parakeet: https://theparakeet.co.uk/

 

Parakeet @The_Parakeet_

Amy Martin @amyrozelmartin

 

TEDx Talk: Why childcare needs reinvention | Amy Martin | TEDxBrum - YouTube

WOW UK Festival 2021: WOW UK Festival 2021 | The WOW Foundation

Links and examples

Motherhouse Studios: www.motherhousestudios.com

PiPA Parents & Carers in Performing Arts: https://pipacampaign.org

Mothership Hackermoms https://hackermoms.org

Patagonia: www.patagonia.com/family-business/

Workshop content

Dadvengers: https://dadvengers.com

ROAM: www.roam.org.uk

Glue Collective: www.gluecollective.co.uk

Reggio Emilia: www.reggiochildren.it/en/reggio-emilia-approach/

 

Thank you for listening - to connect with Mother of All Solutions podcast

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @SolutionsMother

And please do explore past episodes, subscribe, rate, review and let your friends know! Thank you from MOAS.

Host and producer - Laura Broderick

Editor - Owen Wainhouse 

Music by Ros Fraser

For the third and final episode of the MOAS mini-series, Laura interviews Sahm Harris-Thomas, a school nurse in London and mum to two ‘wondergirls’.

Sahm began training as a nurse aged 26 and navigated her two maternity leaves around her studies and nursing roles. She also completed her postgraduate diploma during the pandemic. She talks about her career shifts, and importantly her role as a key worker in the community during this crisis. We also find out how Sahm and her partner, also a key worker, managed their roles and childcare with the help of Sahm’s parents.

Sahm shares some of the stresses of being both a student nurse and parent, and she talks about the importance of her professional and personal support networks. We discuss burn out, mental health of young people and the value of listening.

Recorded just before Christmas 2020, we end by sharing some thoughts on community and neighbourhood. With us now in 2021 during a new lockdown and schools closed to most young people, it is good to reflect on the work of community as well as frontline NHS staff. This lockdown Sahm can still visit her schools. 

If you enjoyed this episode, do download the rest of the mini-series and listen to past MOAS conversations. It would be great to know what you think or want to hear more of.

Thank you and stay well.  

 

Twitter @SolutionsMother

 

Host and producer: Laura Broderick

Editor: Owen Wainhouse

Music by Ros Fraser

For the second episode of the mini-series, Laura interviews Dr Susanna Graham. Before pursuing an academic career Susanna qualified as a medical doctor. She has three children.

In July 2020 Susanna resigned from her role as Research Associate – she explains the point to get this decision and how the pandemic and homeschooling/childcare was a key factor. She also talks about her plans for the future as she retrains to be a counsellor, and how studying this subject has helped her process her resignation, career and choices.

We also discuss the pitfalls of being “too part-time”, equal parenting, 4 day working weeks and the limits of flexibility. Susanna also shares her experience of being mum to three kids and attempting to complete a PhD during her first maternity leave.

A highly qualified professional and a highly supportive individual, Susanna is a fantastic voice on the mini-series. As reports grow of women taking a step back in their careers, we hope you find the episode topical and enjoyable. We recorded in December 2020 before we found ourselves starting the new year in a new lockdown.

If you enjoyed Susanna’s story, do check out the rest of the mini-series and past episodes from Season 1. We would love your feedback and a review too if you can!

 

Thank you for listening and supporting MOAS.

Twitter @SolutionsMother

 

Host and producer: Laura Broderick

Editor: Owen Wainhouse

Music by Ros Fraser

Recorded in December 2020, before lockdown 3.0 and school closures, Laura interviewed her friend Antonia Faust who moved from her role as an Associate Director in Bristol to set up a nut farm in Devon following furlough.

Antonia talks about how her company’s work in events and immersive environments in retail settings stopped, and her partner’s building sites closed as a result of the pandemic. They had already been thinking of establishing an organic nut farm so took the plunge after first lockdown ended and moved their young family to a small holding in Devon.

We discuss this change, and how Antonia is using her skills to also plan the small holding as a wedding and accommodation venue – with gypsy caravan! We talk about both the challenge and the excitement of this. We also reflect on ‘lockdown babies’ and the lack of space and time for mothers when no childcare is available.

 

This episode is the first of three in a MOAS mini-series for early 2021. 

The series was conceived to capture the experiences of three fantastic mums and reflect on 2020; it will now hopefully offer some thoughts as the stress of work, childcare and homeschooling is more present and furlough is being discussed again.

 

Host and producer: Laura Broderick

Editor: Owen Wainhouse

Music by Ros Fraser

This special episode, The Compilation, marks the end of the first year of Mother of All Solutions...

MOAS launched in Brixton in August 2019 and for this episode we invited 4 mums who attended the event to introduce themselves 'one year on' and select a favourite episode to play a clip from. We also asked them to say something about what support/actions they would like to see for working parents. 

The Shared Parental Leave, The Stay at Home Mum, The Polymath and The Childminder are showcased in this end of season special. In her intro and outro host and producer Laura Broderick talks about the other episodes, and reflects on where we are at with the podcast -as well as the future of making content around mums navigating a return to work.

If you are a regular listener we hope The Compilation is a useful point of reflection for you too. If you are new to the MOAS podcast we hope it inspires you to listen to previous episodes! 

Thank you to everyone who has shared their stories and experiences to date - it really has been fantastic to work with you all and produce the series. 

Thank you for listening and hope to share more soon, but in the interim do get in touch with us - we'd love to hear from you! 

www.podfollow.com/moas 

@SolutionsMother / [email protected]

 

Edited by Owen Wainhouse, with music by Ros Fraser. 

Photo by Louise MacGregor.

In this episode Laura talks with Harriet Williams, a self-employed consultant working to better represent and influence policy for young parents. 

 

Harriet was a young parent herself, finishing her A-levels whilst pregnant and completing a crimonology degree with a young baby. She has been employed in various professional roles in the fields of youth and community support, working in both full and part-time positions.

 

A year ago she turned her speaking and research 'side' work into a business. We talk about her career journey and some of the barriers for young mothers and fathers. Harriet shares ideas on how young parents could be supported to achieve the qualifications and the jobs they want for themselves and their families. We also take some time to reflect on childcare, home learning and lockdown experiences. 

 

Recorded remotely on 4 July 2020. To find out more and connect with Harriet Williams (Mummy Harrii): 

 

Wordpress https://mummyharrii.wordpress.com/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mummyharrii/

Twitter https://twitter.com/mummyharriii

 

 

Photo by Amara Eno, as part of a project to illustrate single parenthood: 

https://www.portraitofbritain.uk/incredible-and-inspiring-stories-of-success-from-portrait-of-britain/

In this episode we hear from three mums living outside the UK - Lucy in America, Caro in Sweden and Christine in Brazil. 

They each contribute audio notes about their work and parenting experiences during lockdown. They don't know each other, but they all work in the architecture industry and also share thoughts on how we might live and work post lockdown. 

Lucy is from Yorkshire and has been working from home in LA whilst her partner manages childcare between their apartment and local parks. Caro is Swedish and solo parenting back in Sweden, as she gets ready to launch her business - a new flexible workplace, Arc, in east London. Christine is Scottish and moved with her family to Sao Paolo 6 months ago - she has been looking after her two children at home and exploring her career in a new country and context. 

Between their audio notes, I also take some time to reflect on maternity leave outside the UK, and share some musings on access to space and nature. 

I hope you enjoy the episode and if you do please rate, review, share and subscribe. Thank you. 

You can get in touch via [email protected] and follow the MOAS podcast via Twitter @SolutionsMother

To find out more about Arc please visit: www.arc-club.com

In this episode Laura interviews Jemima Hartshorn - mum of two, campaigner, lawyer, freelancer and founder of Mums for Lungs. 

Jemima founded the campaigning group, with other volunteer parents, 3 years ago when she was on her first maternity leave - in order to campaign for clean air for everyone, especially babies and children. 

We discuss how the campaign came together, what they are working on now, what School Streets is about, and how the team are organising during lockdown. We also chat about Jemima's family at home, her personal career / activism aspirations and inspirations.  

To find out more about Mums for Lungs and to get involved visit: 

https://www.mumsforlungs.org/

During lockdown, Laura talks to Emma Sheppard about her career and the Maternity Teacher Paternity Teacher Project. Emma is an English lead practitioner teacher in a secondary school in London. 

This remote recording includes a discussion about professional development during maternity / paternity leave - the desire for it and choices around it. Emma shares thoughts on the gender pay gap and motherhood penalty, as well as visible role modelling and why she started the MTPT Project. 

During the interview we also discuss home schooling, home working, remote support for students and the future of MTPT Project. 

https://www.mtpt.org.uk/