This week, Krista and Samantha open up about the messy middle of maternity leave, the emotional (and strategic) recalibrating that comes with burnout, and the slow, weird journey of transitioning back to work when your brain still feels half-swaddled in sleep schedules.
Samantha reflects on her own experience stepping back from business after baby #2, navigating the invisible labour of motherhood, and confronting the gap between how we expect maternity leave to feel—and how it actually shows up. Together, they unpack the pressure to be creative on a deadline, the decision fatigue that weighs on both parenting and business, and the friction between the need for support and the challenge of finding it.
This is one of those conversations that lands like a deep breath—permission to feel all of it: the guilt, the gratitude, and the in-between.
Takeaways & Merit Badges Earned:
🍼 Maternity leave isn’t always restful—it’s a full-time identity shift.
🧠 Decision fatigue is real, and it touches everything.
🎨 Creativity and chaos don’t always coexist peacefully.
🔥 Burnout doesn’t mean you’re broken—it might mean it’s time to reset.
🕰️ Focused work time is sacred (and often scarce).
🙋♀️ Asking for help is a strength, not a shortcoming.
📬 Automation and systems are your friends—especially during transitions.
💞 Social connection matters, even when it’s hard to maintain.
🫠 The invisible load is real, especially for women.
🗣️ Clear, direct communication in relationships is everything.
In the thick of it? We’re right there with you.
👶 Follow us on Instagram @MamaMeritBadge
📩 Leave a review, share the episode, and send us a screenshot—we’ll DM you Sam’s summer activity schedule (your secret weapon for surviving the chaos with kids at home).