Ready or Not

Hello from your very pregnant and very tired host. I'm Lucinda, and this is Ready or Not's three part holiday listening series. Over the next three weeks, we'll be re-releasing some of the year's most popular episodes. I hope you have a great holiday, and I'll see you on the other side, when we're back with new episodes of Ready or Not on Wednesday the 10th January.

We're kicking things off with Ultra Violette Co-Founder Ava Chandler Matthews. This was the most listened to Ready or Not episode this year, and given Ava's incredible candour, it comes as no surprise.

She went back to Ultra Violette at three months postpartum, she travels a lot, and while she loves her son to no end, she's open about missing her old life and not considering herself a particularly maternal person.

Here, we talk about some of the struggles she had with breastfeeding, postpartum anxiety, feeling like the business she founded didn't need her, and getting used to this new weight of responsibility. She's so generous with her honesty and she walks us through it all.

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This episode of Ready or Not is brought to you by Get Papped, an organisation that promotes open conversations about cervical screenings and urges individuals to take responsibility for scheduling their appointment

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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 I''m lucky enough to raise my son always was and always will be Aboriginal land. I Pay The Rent and you can too here.

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PANDA’s National Perinatal Mental Health Helpline is Australia’s only free national helpline for people affected by changes to their mental health and emotional wellbeing during the perinatal period. They support people throughout pregnancy up until their baby is 12 months old.

If you need some support, call the PANDA National Helpline (Monday to Saturday) 1300 726 306

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.

Just a note that today's episode discusses sexual assault, eating disorders, and stresses that can come up in pregnancy.

In today's episode, we cover:

• Forbes: Drybar cofounder built a $255 million hair business while her personal life ‘imploded.’ She has a warning for success-hungry entrepreneurs.
• Vox: To our generation, being a mom looks thankless, exhausting, and lonely. Can we change the story?
• And how our listeners are navigating Christmas and reducing the mental load.

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THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode of Witching Hour is brought to you by Get Papped, an organisation that promotes open conversations about cervical screenings and urges individuals to take responsibility for scheduling their appointment.

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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, where we've shared a link and some resources to support the devastating conflict occurring in Gaza right now.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son 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.

Author and mother of two Kasey Edwards didn’t like herself all that much growing up, so when she gave birth to her first daughter, she made it her mission to learn how to.

And as someone who had worked out the relationship between hard work and success in her corporate life, motherhood – where hard work doesn’t necessarily lead to reward – rocked her.

IVF made her feel like she’d already failed at womanhood, and her birth and breastfeeding journey further cemented this notion that she had concocted for herself: that she was far from the good mother she’d set out to be.

Here, she talks spending a decade climbing the corporate ladder only to realise one morning that she didn’t want to work anymore, switching gears from management consulting to becoming an internationally bestselling author, and how exactly we raise girls and boys to like themselves.

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THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode is brought to you by Bio Bod, intuitive, supportive skincare that restores the foundations of happy skin. Listeners of Ready or Not will receive 20% off using code READY20 at biobod.com.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, where we've shared a link and some resources to support the devastating conflict occurring in Gaza right now.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son 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.

Just a note that today's episode discusses sexual assault, eating disorders, and stresses that can come up in pregnancy.

In today's episode, we cover:

• ANZ links bonuses to office attendance and we have plenty of thoughts.
• Apparently kids will pay the price in push for universal childcare and our response to that viral "daycare is bad" reel that has been doing the rounds (we don't really want to give it any more airtime than we already have, but the reel is here if you want to watch it. Maybe don't though?).
• And women won’t shut up in meetings according to men, but the studies tell us otherwise.

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THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode is brought to you by Bio Bod, intuitive, supportive skincare that restores the foundations of happy skin. Listeners of Witching Hour will receive 20% off using code READY20 at biobod.com.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, where we've shared a link and some resources to support the devastating conflict occurring in Gaza right now.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son 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.

20 years old, day one of her university degree, and a positive pregnancy test. And a few years later, twins, a separation, and a period of solo motherhood. If that sounds like enough to push university and starting your own business to the side, that's because it is. But nothing was going to stop The Natal Naturopath founder Melanie Nolan.

Here, she shares her incredible story. From finishing a university degree as a single mother of three to building her business. From hoping to sell her first shipment in the first two years to selling out in just three months. From moments of loneliness to incredible strength.

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THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode is brought to you by Bio Bod, intuitive, supportive skincare that restores the foundations of happy skin. Listeners of Ready or Not will receive 20% off using code READY20 at biobod.com.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, where we've shared a link and some resources to support the devastating conflict occurring in Gaza right now.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son 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.

Just a note that today's episode discusses sexual assault, eating disorders, and stresses that can come up in pregnancy.

In today's episode, we cover:

• The mum who was fired a week before her due date, inspired by this The Cut piece
• Another mum got slammed about concerns about a male daycare worker, but does this new research justify her worries?
• Is it wrong to directly ask a woman about her baby bump? Inspired by Nell Frizzell's Vogue column. You weigh in on one of the most contributed to Ready or Not Instagram poll ever.
• How much sex are tired parents having? Your red hot answers to our polls.
• Plus, Lu shares two terrible parenting moments.

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THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode is brought to you by Bio Bod, intuitive, supportive skincare that restores the foundations of happy skin. Listeners of Witching Hour will receive 20% off using code READY20 at biobod.com.au.

---

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, where we've shared a link and some resources to support the devastating conflict occurring in Gaza right now.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son 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.

Tori Bowman Johnson never considered herself overly maternal, so it's come as a surprise even to herself how entrenched her work is in the motherhood space.

Through her books, Afterwards and Before, and her production series The First Word, Tori is deeply passionate about opening up conversations not just about motherhood, but womanhood, too.

As a mother of two who has never taken traditional maternity leave, she knows a thing or two about making work, work and here, we talk about the messiness of navigating motherhood and paid work, wanting to pursue both, and tackling mum guilt.

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THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode is brought to you by Elan House of Wellness, the ultimate destination for postpartum care supporting mothers with food, education, self-care tools and gifts.

Listeners of Ready or Not will receive 10% off using code POSTPARTUMREADY at elan.house.

This offer has no expiration date but excludes 28 Day Postpartum Packages and Gift Certificates.

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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, where we've shared a link and some resources to support the devastating conflict occurring in Gaza right now.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son 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:

• Goodbye cover letters and CVs, hello TikTok resumes, and how we feel about this new trend, inspired by this Women's Agenda piece.
• Does anyone feel like an actual adult? Not us, and this piece by The Cut has us thinking about our most mature and immature moments as supposed adults.
• Your thoughts on the four-day school week trial.
• And so much more, because we always go off on a tangent.

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THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode is brought to you by Elan House of Wellness, the ultimate destination for postpartum care supporting mothers with food, education, self-care tools and gifts. Listeners of Witching Hour will receive 10% off using code POSTPARTUMREADY at elan.house.

This offer has no expiration date but excludes 28 Day Postpartum Packages and Gift Certificates.

---

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, where we've shared a link and some resources to support the devastating conflict occurring in Gaza right now.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son 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.

It might be easy to pin Sophie Pearce and Jayde Couldwell as two mothers that are living the dream when it comes to parenting and paid work, but that would be to miss the point entirely. Six and a half million downloads, partnerships with some of the country's biggest brands, and over 200 episodes later, the pair have been incredibly influential when it comes to opening the flood gates for genuinely honest parenting dialogue.

Here, the mothers share why making work, work isn't quite working at the moment, the ways in which motherhood can light you up and break you down, and what they've learned about navigating it all along the way.

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THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode is brought to you by Elan House of Wellness, the ultimate destination for postpartum care supporting mothers with food, education, self-care tools and gifts.

Listeners of Ready or Not will receive 10% off using code POSTPARTUMREADY at elan.house.

This offer has no expiration date but excludes 28 Day Postpartum Packages and Gift Certificates.

---

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, where we've shared a link and some resources to support the devastating conflict occurring in Gaza right now.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son 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 Whitney Wolfe Herd headline that made us question the way women are portrayed in media,
• Queensland public schools to trial a four-day school week,
• The gender pay gap for organisations with a workforce of 100 or more employees is going to be on the public record from next year
• And your answers to our questions about mowing the lawns and how much time you’re getting to yourself.

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THIS WEEK'S PARTNER

This episode is brought to you by Elan House of Wellness, the ultimate destination for postpartum care supporting mothers with food, education, self-care tools and gifts. Listeners of Witching Hour will receive 10% off using code POSTPARTUMREADY at elan.house.

This offer has no expiration date but excludes 28 Day Postpartum Packages and Gift Certificates.

---

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, where we've shared a link and some resources to support the devastating conflict occurring in Gaza right now.

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which I''m lucky enough to raise my son 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.