Hotmilk Lingerie is led by women for women. We constantly seek inspiration and motivation from the success of other mothers who delicately balance motherhood and their careers. As leaders in Maternity and Nursing Lingerie for over 18 years, we have been fortunate to work and partner with a range of talented women.
Balancing Life as a Working Mother
We wanted to shine a spotlight on a few of these remarkable women: Keira, founder of Krumble; Lara Christie, CEO of Pure Mama; Amanda, CEO & Co-founder of Mama Style. These three women are trailblazers in their field, skillfully balancing the demands of running a business with the joys of family life
Keira Rumble
Mum of two, CEO of Mini + Me and Krumbled Foods.
What are your top tips for balancing motherhood, business and life?
Ask for help when you need it. Be it a mum’s group, a nanny, recruiting a grandparent or doing night shifts with your partner, finding ways to not carry all the mental load alone is so important. For me, this looked like finding a nanny so we could balance home and work life. My partner and I went back to work quite quickly after the birth of our first child, so with this in mind, we hired a nanny, and honestly it turned out to be such an amazing thing to do as a family. Nanny Sam is still with us now, with another child in tow and Hunter is now 3.
With increased flexibility to work from home while still breastfeeding and alternating working from home days and office days, I found having this support gave me the best of both worlds: It’s still a juggling act and it’s definitely taken me some time to accept that I wasn’t going to have a long maternity leave experience, but knowing the kids are in good care gives me the flexibility and confidence to juggle work life and mum life.
How do you set boundaries between your multiple roles?
It can often be tempting to quickly check emails at home in between family time and scrolling during the more mundane moments of parenting is natural and at times a chance to switch off, I really try to take breaks from my device (be it on aeroplane mode or in another room) when I’m with the kids. It can not only benefit your child and relationship with them, but give you a moment to recalibrate, be present and enjoy disconnecting too.
What does balance mean to you?
This year, I wanted to really focus on the business, while being very present on the weekend and after work with the kids, I have set a clear expectation with myself that this for the time being is what balance looks like. Quality time with the kids + full steam ahead with growing my business. Sadly, this has meant that I have not been able to physically see my friends who do live a few hours away from me, but I have made it a priority to voice note them, message and call as much as I can. In an ideal world, maybe me being able to switch my mind off from work would allow my own "balance" of slowing down, but that just isn't a reality for me right now, and I am ok with that! I am however looking forward to some much-needed time off work over the summer holidays!
As a working mum, what is your biggest challenge?
Mum guilt is absolutely my biggest challenge right now, as soon as I leave the house to go to work, I miss them so much, I feel like part of my heart is split in half, I don't know if mum guilt will ever go away, but it absolutely is the biggest challenge I face with being a working mum. I try and remind myself that I am working towards their future and providing for them and that they will see their mum to be a woman who followed her passion and dreams. That isn't to say that those who choose to be a stay-at-home mum aren't following their passion and dreams or they don't have mum guilt, I know how challenging either can be and how equally exhausting just being a mother really is!
Lara Christie
Mum of two, CEO of Pure Mama
What are your top tips on how to balance motherhood, business and life?
I don’t think, as women, we can do it all—at least not all at the same time—no matter how much our inner selves try to push us. I believe it’s important to appreciate that this is a busy season of life, one that comes with its own ebbs and flows, so you need to be kind to yourself. It’s also very easy to catastrophise things or let mum guilt really get to you, but in most cases, it’s not worth it. Lastly, I think it’s crucial to start saying ‘no’ when needed, as we often overcommit ourselves (myself included) and then end up chasing our tails so to speak.
What do you feel you need to improve on in terms of your balance?
Unsurprisingly, I don’t usually take a lot of time for myself, and when I do, I often feel guilty because I know there are always things I could be doing at home or work. I need to get better at letting go of that guilt because, without my health and well-being, everything else slips as well.
What do you think the biggest challenge for a working mum is?
Honestly, it feels like you're constantly rushing from one place to the next. There really isn’t much downtime, and I think that can be exhausting. When you add sick children, appointments, school/daycare hours, and work deadlines to the mix, it can be extremely challenging. I have so much respect for all the mums out there. The juggling and demands are so intense, and everyone really is just doing their best.
Amanda McEniry
Mum of one, CEO & Co-founder of Mama Style
How many hours per week do you work?
I work full time in a real estate tech company as well as running The Mama Style with my founders. Between the two I work about 40 hours a week.
How old is your child?
My little boy is 18 months old
How did your business come about?
The idea for The Mama Style came from my own experience. I had just started building my dream wardrobe with a stylist's help, but once I became pregnant, those designer high-waisted jeans and fitted singlets didn’t work anymore. I quickly gained weight and wasn’t comfortable showing my arms. Between dealing with nausea and my full time job, I didn’t have time to search for style inspiration and ended up wearing hand-me-downs that didn’t suit my body at all. One day, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror at work, wearing this pair of daggy drawstring jeans and an oversized cheap tee and felt like I’d lost myself. That moment made me realise how important it is to feel good in what you wear, especially during pregnancy when you’re going through so much other change. I wanted to help other women going through the same thing, so I started searching for stylish maternity options and sharing them. After speaking with my co-founders, The Mama Style was born, and we’ve since helped thousands of mamas feel confident and beautiful during this special time.
What are your top tips on how to balance motherhood, business and life?
I’m notorious for overcommitting to things so I have to really work at balance. However, there is one rule that I apply to guide what I do: when I am with my child, I am fully present. That means no scrolling, no working and minimal phone calls. This means I am extra disciplined when I am at work - I use a time boxing methodology, where I set a timer for 25-45 minutes and do as much as I can in that time on one ‘box’ of work before moving onto the next. I also generally work after Billy goes to bed and, if it’s extremely urgent, I’ll get up early to tap away before the house wakes up. It’s a huge challenge right now but these sacrifices are worth it for quality time with my son.
What you might feel you need to improve on in terms of your balance?
Your top tips on returning to work?
Australia’s systems and structures don’t always support women returning to work, and this is a topic I could talk about endlessly. But my key advice, based on returning to work too soon myself, is to take as much time off as you need to feel mentally ready. Many working women I’ve spoken to agree there’s a sweet spot around 9-12 months postpartum when you start to feel like yourself again and are ready to get back to work. For me, 9 months was when I felt emotionally and mentally prepared to dive back in. Another important piece of advice: don’t feel guilty about prioritizing your child when you return to work. There's still a stigma around working mums, but I’d argue that we’re often more efficient, resilient, and motivated. You’re setting an amazing example for your child and doing an incredible job. Never forget your worth!
What do you think the biggest challenge for a working mum is?
If you are the main breadwinner even for a period of time, your challenge is going to be the added mental load on top of your workload. You need to be prepared for frustration and find an outlet to channel that energy. For me, I run or go to the gym even for just half an hour. If you’re working part time, you will still need to balance the additional responsibilities. The best advice I got was from a great friend I met at sleep school actually. She reminded me that you can’t pour from an empty cup, and I think of that often.
What do you love about being a working mum?
I love that I am setting a positive example for my son when it comes to strong, hardworking women. I have strong conversations and back myself in everything I do. I love that I share full control of our finances and freedom and actively contribute to our family’s future with the support and encouragement of my husband. It’s incredibly stressful at times but it’s also very rewarding and keeps my brain firing.
The team @hotmilklingerie
Currently raising 35 children combined (including 3 born in the last 12mths!)
Our shared experiences as mothers fuel our commitment to creating lingerie that goes beyond functionality – it's about enhancing and changing the way you experience motherhood. We understand the nuances, challenges, and joys of being a mother, and that understanding is woven into every aspect of our lingerie. We're here to support you, celebrate you, and empower you through every step of your unique motherhood journey. Hotmilk Lingerie is designed by mothers, for mothers.
