Ready or Not

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• We dive back into the Women at Work 2024 Deloitte study.
• Wake windows - Our thoughts and experiences on wake windows, plus, what does the research say on how long your baby should stay awake?
• And your answers to our questions on telling your boss that you’re pregnant.

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Witching Hour is brought to you by Elan House of Wellness, the mother-led brand that's dedicated to nurturing, nourishing and empowering new mothers and families. I have eaten my way through SO many of their incredibly nourishing dry food packs like the dark chocolate banana bread, golden kitchari, and blooming bites and you're in luck, because some of my favourite products are currently 20% off. Get 20% off until 30 June here: elan.house/collections/most-loved

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Thanks for listening to Witching Hour! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram at readyornot.pod

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 month, Ready or Not is proudly brought to you by Yoto. Use our discount Code: READYORNOT15 for 15% off your Yoto device [not to be used with any other offer, valid from 1st May - 5th June.]

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Look, I know this exactly how I open my conversation with Francesca Jewellery founder Hannah Vasicek, but it's impossible for me to paint a picture of the vibrant person that she is in any other way.

When I first met Hannah at an event, she said that her mind is like a city. She said it's one of the reasons why she loves living in the quiet but creative Hobart, the city where she started small by selling her jewellery at the iconic Salamanca Markets.

Fast forward to today, and alongside her sister, she leads a team of 75. And at home, along with her husband, she leads a much smaller but arguably more demanding team of two children.

This is a really special episode, and there's so much to say about Hannah's journey in motherhood and career. She employs an incredible group of refugee women and is passionate about supporting the migrant community. Her daughter was born with a limb difference and she opens up about how she navigated this privately during pregnancy as a generally open person. And she naively - her words not mine - thought that motherhood would be a break. Turns out, that while she adores her little people more than anything, managing a workforce of 75 might just be easier.

From the stories of survival and sacrifice from the incredible women she employs to her experience in navigating her daughter's limb difference, here, Hannah shares what she's learned professionally and personally along the way.

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Ready or Not is brought to you by Elan House of Wellness, the mother-led brand that's dedicated to nurturing, nourishing and empowering new mothers and families. I have eaten my way through SO many of their incredibly nourishing dry food packs like the dark chocolate banana bread, golden kitchari, and blooming bites and you're in luck, because some of my favourite products are currently 20% off. Get 20% off until 30 June here: elan.house/collections/most-loved

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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 at readyornot.pod

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 month, Ready or Not is proudly brought to you by Yoto. Use our discount Code: READYORNOT15 for 15% off your Yoto device [not to be used with any other offer, valid from 1st May - 5th June.]

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, Loz's best mate Chrissie (who works in education at The Memo) kindly steps in for Lu to cover the following:

• We look at Deloitte’s women at work report and the bits that we’re finding interesting. (Deloitte)
• Supporting your loved one to breastfeed starts by valuing it as work. (ABC)
• And with her background in hypnobirthing as well as her own personal experiences, Chrissy talks all things birth trauma and how to support a birthing partner.

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Witching Hour is brought to you by Elan House of Wellness, the mother-led brand that's dedicated to nurturing, nourishing and empowering new mothers and families. I have eaten my way through SO many of their incredibly nourishing dry food packs like the dark chocolate banana bread, golden kitchari, and blooming bites and you're in luck, because some of my favourite products are currently 20% off. Get 20% off until 30 June here: elan.house/collections/most-loved

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Thanks for listening to Witching Hour! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram at readyornot.pod

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 month, Ready or Not is proudly brought to you by Yoto. Use our discount Code: READYORNOT15 for 15% off your Yoto device [not to be used with any other offer, valid from 1st May - 5th June.]

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Hande Cater made the decision to go back to working five days a week alongside her relatively new role as mum, she noticed that she was in a bit of a grey area: most mothers she knew worked part time or inside of the home and most full time workers were not parents. Or if they were, they were likely to be the secondary caregiver. And as we know, that's normally the dad.

There weren’t many people around her who balanced five days of paid work with the 24 hours a day, seven days a week role of parenting and as a result, she didn’t have many places to turn to when it came to making work, work alongside motherhood.

Here, we talk the loneliness and judgement that exists within this grey area, why working four days a week wasn't exactly working for her, and the anxieties mothers face when it comes to parental leave and the return to work.

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

 This episode of Ready or Not is brought to you by us, Ready or Not! We've created three beautiful, practical and comprehensive guides in consultation with the experts in their fields, starting with Breastfeeding and Returning to Work, Postpartum and Return to Work Planning and Childcare 101.

Shop the Go To Guides here: readyornot.au

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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 at readyornot.pod

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 month, Ready or Not is proudly brought to you by Yoto. Use our discount Code: READYORNOT15 for 15% off your Yoto device [not to be used with any other offer, valid from 1st May - 5th June.]

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we're covering the topic we wish we didn't have to: Australia's problem with men's violence towards women, including:

• The feminist talk with Rosie Batty, Catharine Lumby and Fiona Jenkins and the Hedley Thomas talk Lu attended at the Sorrento Writer's Festival.
• Your answers to our questions around how safe you're feeling right now,
• Your scary and devastating stories in relation to men's towards women.
• Plus, your tips around how we tackle this with our children.

Shop the Ready or Not Go To Guides now:

• Breastfeeding and Returning to Work
• Childcare 101
• Postpartum and Return to Work Planning

Links:

• Rosie Batty's book: click here
• Loz's dry shampoo recommendation: click here

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Thanks for listening to Witching Hour! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram at readyornot.pod

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 month, Ready or Not is proudly brought to you by Yoto. Use our discount Code: READYORNOT15 for 15% off your Yoto device [not to be used with any other offer, valid from 1st May - 5th June.]

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ellen Hooper is a people and culture expert. She's a a passionate speaker and media commentator and she's currently writing a parenting book. She's been interviewing a lot of dads. In fact, she's become a bit obsessed with dads and their voice and opinions in the conversation of how we rebalance the mental load of parenting.

She's full to the brim with incredible advice and lived experience when it comes to career and motherhood and 50/50 parenting, and she's deeply passionate in educating mothers on doing the maths when it comes to their paid work, their superannuation, and their overall financial security.

Here, we talk about the research that flies in the face of the gender norms often associated with parenting, her morbid but important advice for looking at how we view care work and housework, and what she's learned from interviewing dads.

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

 This episode of Ready or Not is brought to you by us, Ready or Not! We've created three beautiful, practical and comprehensive guides in consultation with the experts in their fields, starting with Breastfeeding and Returning to Work, Postpartum and Return to Work Planning and Childcare 101.

Shop the Go To Guides here: readyornot.au

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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 at readyornot.pod

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 month, Ready or Not is proudly brought to you by Yoto. Use our discount Code: READYORNOT15 for 15% off your Yoto device [not to be used with any other offer, valid from 1st May - 5th June.]

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• A longer than usual intro on Posie's bottle refusal, Loz's new job contract and us both feeling like we're well and truly in the thick of it.
• Childcare benefits have up to 425% return on investment.
• Plus, we answer one of our listener’s workplace dilemmas.
• And here is the breast pump Loz mentioned

Shop the Ready or Not Go To Guides now:

• Breastfeeding and Returning to Work
• Childcare 101
• Postpartum and Return to Work Planning

---

Thanks for listening to Witching Hour! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram at readyornot.pod

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 month, Ready or Not is proudly brought to you by Yoto. Use our discount Code: READYORNOT15 for 15% off your Yoto device [not to be used with any other offer, valid from 1st May - 5th June.]

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After bouncing between jobs that didn't quite bring the career passion and satisfaction that we're meant to chase after in our twenties, when Liv Brown was pregnant with her first baby, she thought that motherhood was going to be her thing. But while she loved her boy, she needed a creative outlet too, and so she started posting about fashion and styling on her Instagram account, Rattle style. She wasn't necessarily targeting mums, but helping mothers find their style and new uniform when it feels like everything about them has changed.

And as she prepares to become a mother of two, she's experiencing the frustration and overwhelm that so many mothers face: when your career starts to pick up just as you're deep in the trenches of motherhood.

Here, we talk about how she turned her creative outlet into a job, how she's feeling about becoming a mother of two, what making work, work looks like when your partner works six days a week and how to find your personal style in motherhood.

THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Ready or Not is brought to you by Mukti Organics: results-driven, award-winning skincare made with certified organic ingredients & powerful actives.

Experience gentle yet powerful results with Mukti’s anti-ageing Vitamin A serum, one of the first Australian COSMOS certified organic, 100% botanical-based retinol (not retinol) that is clinically proven to work 11 times faster than standard retinols.

Unlike regular Vitamin A's, you can use this serum at any time of the day without the risk of irritation, and it’s even safe for use during pregnancy.

This wonder product has launched this week and is available to purchase at www.muktiorganics.com

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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 at readyornot.pod

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 month, Ready or Not is proudly brought to you by Yoto. Use our discount Code: READYORNOT15 for 15% off your Yoto device [not to be used with any other offer, valid from 1st May - 5th June.]

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to Witching Hour: the show that looks at what's exciting, delighting, intriguing, and frustrating us as we make work, work alongside parenting. It's Ready or Not's loose little sister coming to your ears every Monday.

In today's episode, we cover:

• Four Ridiculously Smart Reasons to Slow Down at Work (The Muse)
• How having a baby in your 20’s became the new ‘teen pregnancy’ (news.com.au)
• What the devastating attack in Bondi last week has made us stop and reflect on

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THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Witching Hour is brought to you by Mukti Organics, results-driven and award-winning skin care products made with certified organic ingredients & powerful actives.

They've just released an upgraded formulation of their Vital A serum which is the first Australian COSMOS certified organic and 100% botanical-based retinal (not retinol), which means it’s one of the first in the world safe to use during pregnancy, and during the day! Not only that - it’s clinically proven to work 11x faster than standard retinols.

We love a female led company and this wonder product launches today, the 22nd of April, and is available for just $99 for the next 48 hours. To get yours, head to www.muktiorganics.com

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Thanks for listening to Witching Hour! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.

You can also find us on Instagram at readyornot.pod

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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 month, Ready or Not is proudly brought to you by Yoto. Use our discount Code: READYORNOT15 for 15% off your Yoto device [not to be used with any other offer, valid from 1st May - 5th June.]

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Natasha Heger had been with the company she worked at for 10 years before she went on parental leave, and just the day before she was originally due to return, she was made redundant.

What followed was a longer than anticipated break from the workforce and a search for a new role, but this time, not just as Natasha, but as mum, too. Not one to settle for any old role - which is such a common experience for mothers who feel like they don't have much choice - she was set on finding a workplace that understood and valued the work of a mother. And as someone who admits to having some dark moments in motherhood, she's incredibly candid when she reflects on those early days.

Here, we talk about why she wasn't sure she wanted children, what happened when she was made redundant, how she went about finding paid work, and how she - even as a mother who engages in full time paid work - finds the time to look after herself and her health.

As you'll hear, this one was recorded when I was pregnant and I've learned so much listening back.

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THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Ready or Not is brought to you by THE INARRA, a premium online shopping and lifestyle publication tailored for pregnancy, motherhood, and beyond.

Re-defining how modern mothers consume content, THE INARRA offers a diverse range of features, interviews, and fashion edits that cater to every stage of motherhood while celebrating individual style and identity. And today, we're bringing our Witching Hour listeners a special offer, as THE INARRA gets ready to launch their styling services.

To claim 30% off a styling experience that can be done virtually or in-person in Sydney and is specifically tailored to those who are pregnant, postpartum or just struggling to define their style as a mother, email [email protected] and mention Ready or Not

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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 at readyornot.pod

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 month, Ready or Not is proudly brought to you by Yoto. Use our discount Code: READYORNOT15 for 15% off your Yoto device [not to be used with any other offer, valid from 1st May - 5th June.]

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.