The Emotions That Catch You Off Guard

Before returning, both women carried the same quiet worry – could they really do both jobs, mum and professional, well?

For Emily, it was simple and raw. "Missing my children, obviously," she says. "Being worried that I wasn't going to be able to do the role of mum and do my role here – that fear of letting one side down to keep up with the other."

Georgia felt a similar pull. "It was definitely that transition back to work, and juggling priorities of work and home life," she says. "And also, the emotions of separating from my little guy – that was harder than I expected, if I'm honest. You don't really know how it's going to feel until that first morning arrives."



It's a feeling most working parents recognise instantly. But what surprised them both was what came next.

Rediscovering an Identity Beyond "Mum" 

Ask any new parent what they miss most, and you'll often hear the same thing – adult conversation. A reason to think about something other than nap schedules. A sense of self that exists outside the walls of home.

"It was being able to have adult contact, take a break from being a mum, and still work on my own career," Georgia says. "It gave me a bit more of an identity being back at work. When I'm catching up with friends now, it's not just about what I've been doing with Orlando – it's actually what I've been doing in my work, and that felt really good to have again."

Emily agrees, pointing out that ambition doesn't just switch off the moment you become a parent. "You were working towards something before you became a mum," she reflects. "So, it's really hard to expect to just switch that off – and not have your own career goals, and aspirations, and dreams. Those things don't disappear just because your priorities have shifted."

As Georgia puts it, "I am a mum, but I also have my own career and goals. Both things can be true at the same time, and I don't think we talk about that enough." That duality, they agreed, is something every returning parent deserves the chance to hold onto.

Flexibility Is The Deciding Factor  

When asked how important flexibility was in their decision to return, both women were emphatic – it wasn't just important, it was everything.

"Really important," says Emily. "You want to come back when it's right for you, not too early, and you want to know that you're supported – picking kids up when they're sick, or having flexible working hours, which I'm doing at the moment. It just helps with bedtime routines, especially while the kids are so young, and means I still get to see them during the day before they go feral and go to sleep. Those small windows of time make such a difference to how connected you feel to them."

For Georgia, flexibility looked different – a genuine, supported transition to part-time work. "I've come back, and I'm currently working part-time just due to our family circumstance," she explains. "For me, that's what's let me return to work at all, and I'm really grateful Stellar's been able to do that. The fact we're supported in that decision, not just tolerated but genuinely supported, is something other businesses can take as a learning – how do you bring back people who may not be able to come back full-time straightaway?"

Georgia also raised something many workplaces still get wrong – that flexibility doesn't have to fit a traditional 8-to-5 mould. "Offering that flexibility and having that trust and understanding that although parents may not look like they’re working a typical 8am to 5pm day, we are getting the job done," she says. "It may just look like a different time. It might be me doing up some work a bit later in the evening, but it will get done. It's having that trust in your employees that they want to deliver, and they're invested just as much as 8 ‘til 5. It just looks a bit different at the moment, and that's okay."

Does Motherhood Slow Down a Career? Not According to These Two

There's a persistent worry among many women that having children will stall their career. Emily and Georgia's experience tells a different story entirely.

"For me, it’s the complete opposite of that," Emily says. "I started recruitment after my first child, and I think I've learned more and progressed more in my whole life since I've had kids. I'm more motivated than ever just to do well – and be a working mum. If anything, having kids gave me a reason to want more for myself, not less."

Georgia agrees. "I've come back to the role that I was in before I went on maternity leave, and I'm more motivated than ever to keep growing my career, and be an example for my son," she says. "I'm more driven. I want him to grow up seeing that his mum works hard and loves what she does."

That last point led to one of the most compelling moments in the conversation. Georgia referenced research on the children of working mothers, explaining that "boys who are raised by a mum that works grow up to be better to work with – more collaborative with women in the workplace. And they take on more duties at home too, making it a 50/50 family environment when they're raising a family of their own." For Georgia, raising a son, that's a powerful reason to keep showing up. "It's so important to make women feel comfortable in the workplace and have a real space there – it's bigger than just my own career, it's about the example we're setting for the next generation.". 

What Employers Can Actually Do

So what does meaningful support look like in practice? Emily and Georgia's advice was refreshingly concrete.

"I think just supporting your employee for them to come back when it feels right for them, not rushing them back," says Georgia. "And then definitely having flexible work arrangements – working around kids being sick, or starting earlier, finishing earlier, starting later, whatever works. Every little bit helps. Little changes like that make a huge difference, even ones that feel small from the outside."

And yes – there was one slightly cheekier suggestion that came up more than once, a nap room. "Including the nap room that we suggested earlier," Georgia laughs. "I still think that is one thing we can improve on." Emily doesn't hesitate to back her up, adding, "A nap room. I dream of a nap room. That's what we're wanting, and it'd be constantly booked out – and honestly not just by the parents."

Advice for Parents Preparing to Return

Perhaps the most reassuring part of the conversation was the advice Emily and Georgia had for other parents about to make the same leap.

"I think that it's definitely not going to look perfect," Emily says. "It's okay if your house is messy. A big stress for me was having sick kids or having to take time off work, but that is okay. It will be okay, you will get your work done, and life goes on. That was a big thing for me to accept – it goes back to your employer having trust in you that it will get done, even when the week doesn't go to plan."

Georgia's advice centres on self-compassion. "It's definitely – be kind to yourself," she says. "You're all on a learning curve. You're learning to juggle work and also your role at home, which is a very important role in its own right. Like Emily said, it's not going to look perfect. It's going to be messy. You're going to doubt yourself some days. But at the end of the day, it's all worth it."

The Bigger Picture

What comes through clearly in Emily and Georgia's conversation isn't just their individual resilience – it's how much of a difference genuine workplace support makes. Flexibility isn't a perk here; it's the thing that made their return to work possible at all, and it's clearly paid off in loyalty, motivation, and performance.

For businesses wondering whether investing in flexible, supportive return-to-work policies is worth it, Emily and Georgia's experience offers a clear answer – when parents feel trusted and supported, they don't just come back to work – they come back more driven, more capable, and more committed than ever.

Get in touch with our team today.