We are delighted to share our second podcast episode of Company of Two.
In this episode, we explore the transformative experience of maternity leave1 and the challenges of balancing motherhood and career aspirations.
Birth stories are shared, as are some very personal insights into our experiences of the early years of motherhood and the possibilities for personal growth and change.
We’re so looking forward to chatting to you in the comments here at Company of Two on Substack.
Claire and Laura x
In Real Time - This week at Company of Two
There’s been a heat wave in Northumberland and Claire felt relieved that a tummy bug with her youngest passed quickly. Sun drenched sheets drying on the line made for a beautiful moment of gratitude.
Laura has been into London, hosted a creativity and clarity session online and found space with her children in the great outdoors. This podcast comes to you from both of us as we weave making it happen into our days balancing caring for our children. How’s your week been? Did you find balance, time for your being or to work on your business?
Our sponsors here at Company of Two
These mother-led small businesses supported our pilot episodes and the building of this community for you. We are so grateful for their support.
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Kerani Arpaia
https://www.keraniarpaia.com
Kerani Arpaia is an artist, writer, and photographer from the Pacific Northwest. She specializes in fine art fantasy portraits and loves working with other creatives to bring a feeling of magic to life. Her debut novel is a dark fairytale prequel co-authored with her elder sister. On Substack, Kerani writes about her experiences with creativity, anxiety, and motherhood, as well as sharing snippets of her own poetry and fiction writing.
You can find a showcase of her photoshoots and behind-the-scenes details at keraniarpaia.com or follow her on Instagram @its.kerani for more personal news and updates.
Substack: Girl With Antlers: a diary of life at the crossroads of dreams and reality.
Caroline Evans
www.carolineelizabethevans.com
Bespoke parenting advice and support and Early Years Practitioner.
Welcome to my parenting world!
I love supporting families (and sometimes other childcare professionals) in their adventures with babies and children and I feel so privileged to be invited to share brief moments of many children's lives through the support and guidance I offer. You are all the experts on your own children but parenting can be hard, and we often no longer have the support networks in place that we would have had many moons ago. So, I invite you into my world, to share with you my thoughts and insights on the challenges and the joys that you may face as you build relationships with these wonderfully precious little humans.
I would love to hold your hand and remind you what an incredible job you are doing, and that you are not alone!
I have a special interest in reflux and early allergy, infant feeding, sleep and the neurological and emotional development of children but I also support parents with many other aspects of parenting.
Sarah Shotts
Sarah Shotts is a writer and interdisciplinary artist. Their work explores the intersection of creativity and neurodivergence. Sarah is author of Discover Your Creative Ecosystem a holistic approach to developing your creative practice.
Emily Charlotte Powell
https://www.thomkatillustrations.co.uk/
Emily is an accountant by day, counting beans and crunching numbers; and an illustrator by night, creating quirky and whimsical artwork to bring words and ideas to life, brighten your day and make you smile. She writes While I Was Drawing on Substack, sharing stories about things she’s lived and loved and learned, as an illustrator, an accountant, mum, wife, daughter, friend and all the roles we play in our lives.
Hannah Harvey at Mums Days
Hannah is an award winning parenting blogger over at Mums Days and hosts a podcast called Happily ever After that covers everything from divorce and heartbreak to motherhood and identity.
To join the community head to Mumsdays.com
Happily Ever After Podcast: https://www.mumsdays.com/podcasts/happily-ever-after-with-hannah-harvey
In the UK there is no standard for maternity leave. You get to decide how you want/ need it to work.
As a self employed person you can claim around £500 per month for nine months of maternity leave allowance if you’ve paid enough tax. You can also work during this time. If you work for an employer, they decide what your maternity pay is and you negotiate how long you can take with them directly. Many women try to take a year on maternity leave, lots of women start working again after just four weeks. In some areas childcare provision is relied on highly, in others family take care of mother and baby in the early years. My nursery charges £5.25 per hour. Claire
Claire writes that her nursery charges £5.25 an hour. Down south where I am a morning nursery rate a “morning” is £59 and a full day is £97.25. We have a nanny two days a week who is £12 an hour - a bargain when she collects all 3 from school and less so when she just has my son. Having said all of that - childcare providers deserve to be paid properly. And don’t forget you can use the government childcare scheme in the UK so they contribute 20%. Laura.
Company of Two: Season One, Episode Two–Birth and Beyond...