Mum Club 101 is the podcast where best friends (Katy and Vicky) navigate the chaos of modern motherhood with honest chats, big laughs, and zero judgment. Come for the parenting truths, stay for the giggles.

In this week’s episode of Mum Club 101, we’re catching up on lots of recent goings on in both of our families and households. From new sofas to toddler bed struggles, and child-free camping trips it’s a jam-packed catch-up before diving into a big conversation on why one in four mums quit work after maternity leave. We explore the stats, the stories, and the systemic problems and reflect on our own experiences of navigating motherhood and our careers.

Catch Up:

There’s a lot going on behind the scenes lately! In this week’s catch-up, we share:

• Pregnancy update – Vicky sees her consultant to discuss and agree a birth plan following a previous postpartum haemorrhage.
• Toddler bed transitions – The highs, the lows, the wild 3am wanderings.
• Katy goes camping – Child-free! We talk about why time away as a couple is so needed when you’re deep in the parenting trenches.

Critique of the Week: Why So Many Mums Quit After Maternity Leave

A huge number of mums leave their jobs within a year of returning from maternity leave, not because they want to, but because the system makes it too hard to stay.

Key Facts:

• 1 in 4 mums (27%) quit within 12 months of returning to work.
• Only 1 in 3 returning mums have access to flexible working.
• 12% face direct workplace discrimination.
• The long-term cost? Lower pay, lost confidence, and mental health struggles.

We share our own experiences trying to balance motherhood with work and what has led Katy to take a six-month career break to focus on family. We reflect on the emotional weight of that decision and why so many women are walking away from jobs they once loved.

Useful Links:

• Your Right to Request Flexible Working in the UK (GOV.UK)
• Support for Working Parents – Working Families
• Your Rights: Pregnant Then Screwed
• Unpaid Parental Leave UK (GOV.UK)

Nonsense Time

Unreal 1950s housewife facts that made us laugh... and cringe. From advice to women about taking tranquillisers to manage their mental health to tips on how to “greet your husband,” you won't believe some of these real-life vintage ‘advice’ gems.

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