The Mother Load

The Straits Times
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Weekly

Synopsis: Join us for a five-part series on working motherhood from July 3-31 with episodes out every Friday. This series isn’t just for mums – it’s for anyone trying to make sense of where careers and motherhood intersect. Through candid conversations and lived experiences, we unpack the issues shaping everyday decisions - from childcare and career progression to guilt, ambition and the invisible mental load. Host: Vanessa Chelvan Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Elizabeth Law A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Episodes

  1. 6d ago

    Politician Rahayu Mahzam on mum guilt, screen time, social media algorithms

    Mothers today have more advice than ever before. But when does helpful information become overwhelming, and what can we do about it?  Synopsis: Join us for a five-part series on working motherhood from July 3-31 with episodes out every Friday. Social media has become a lifeline for many mothers - offering advice, reassurance and community at the tap of a screen. But what happens when the endless parenting tips and constant comparison start to undermine our confidence instead? In this episode, host Vanessa Chelvan sits down with Huda Rasid, founder of The Mum Collective, and Minister of State Rahayu Mahzam to talk candidly about the pressures of raising children in the digital age. From information overload to screen time guilt and the pressures of competitive parenting, they unpack why so many mothers feel like they're constantly falling short - even when they're doing their best. The conversation also explores practical ways to build a healthier relationship with social media, trust your own instincts again and find real support beyond the screen - reminding parents that no algorithm knows their child better than they do. Highlights (click/tap above): 5:20 Do social media algorithms reflect our anxieties back at us? 9:54 Too many choices have eroded mums' confidence in their own instincts 13:00 Getting caught in the comparison trap  18:04 Rahayu on mum guilt and parenting her son 23:45 Screen time struggles and why parents may feel judged 27:50 Keeping it real on social media and examining your own triggers around screentime 33:08 Intensive mothering: Can we be less competitive?37:42 The tuition dilemma 41:42 Using social media as a tool, not a trap45:10 Finding a mum community IRL47:50 No algorithm knows your child better than you do Host: Vanessa Chelvan (vpchelvan@sph.com.sg) Read Vanessa's articles: https://str.sg/gr5Z Follow Vanessa on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/jHdJ  Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Elizabeth Law — Follow The Mother Load limited series every Friday (July 3-31): Channel: https://str.sg/oMofY  Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/8Kbv  Spotify: https://str.sg/DELD  Youtube: https://str.sg/HnaV Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg  — Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7  Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts  Watch The Mother Load on YouTube: https://str.sg/HnaV --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB  Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX #themotherload See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Politician Rahayu Mahzam on mum guilt, screen time, social media algorithms

  2. Jul 8

    2 mums on guilt, being the default parent and juggling work

    We explore the cost of carrying it all - and how to lighten the load. Synopsis: Join us for a five-part series on working motherhood from July 3-31 with episodes out every Friday. For many mothers, every day is a balancing act: work emails, school messages, and trying to be fully present with their children while an endless mental checklist runs in the background. In this episode, we unpack the feeling of never being enough at work or at home, the invisible mental load of being the “default parent”, and why some things in life are rubber balls that bounce back when they are dropped. We also talk about burnout, sharing the load with your partner, and how becoming a mother reshapes what ambition and success looks like. Host Vanessa Chelvan is joined by Jacinth Liew, parenting coach and founder of Our Little Play Nest. Highlights (click/tap above): 2:40 “It seems like I have it all, but I don’t”  7:25 Guilt is the only constant 10:45 What gets sacrificed when the juggle gets too much? 12:50 Juggling rubber balls and glass balls  14:55 Should working mums feel they have to do everything? 16:30 Being the “default parent”  18:25 The art of delegation and equal partnerships  25:42 Dads can take career detours too   31:25 Reframing personal ambitions as a working mum 33:35 Their ‘worth it’ moments: Jacinth and Vanessa share Host: Vanessa Chelvan (vpchelvan@sph.com.sg) Read Vanessa's articles: https://str.sg/gr5Z Follow Vanessa on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/jHdJ  Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Elizabeth Law — Follow The Mother Load limited series every Friday (July 3-31): Channel: https://str.sg/oMofY  Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/8Kbv  Spotify: https://str.sg/DELD  Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg  — Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7  Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts  Watch The Mother Load on Youtube: https://str.sg/HnaV --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB  Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX  #themotherload See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    2 mums on guilt, being the default parent and juggling work

  3. Jul 1

    'You don't have to do this perfectly to do it well': Working motherhood and mental health

    How women navigate careers, caregiving and the expectations that come with both. Synopsis: Join us for a five-part series on working motherhood from July 3-31 with episodes out every Friday. We begin with a question many quietly ask themselves: Why does motherhood feel so overwhelming even when everyone says it's supposed to be joyful? What happens when mum is depleted, running on empty, and yet still tries to keep going?  From the hormonal and neurological changes of matrescence to the relentless mental load of caregiving, we examine why motherhood can feel so all consuming – and why so many struggle in silence. Host Vanessa Chelvan is joined by clinical psychologist Elysia Tan from Annabelle Psychology, who is navigating life with her nine-month-old daughter, and parent coach Joline Lim, co-director of Chapter Zero, who is raising two neurodivergent children.  Highlights (click/tap above): 5:50 Breastfeeding: Not so ‘natural’? 9:26 Mental health professionals struggle too 10:35 Vanessa on her struggles as a new mum to twins  16:35 No shame in seeking therapy 18:50 Returning to work as a new mum never gets easier  24:42 Dysregulation and the hand model of a brain 28:25 Parenting excavates your entire childhood  31:45 Reparenting and becoming the parents we wish we had  40:38 ‘Baby steps’ – tips on letting go 42:27 Millennial parents spend more time caregiving than boomer parents  45:35 When does hard become “too hard”? Recognising when mums need help  51:34 One actionable tip for mums  --- Read more: First Stop For Mental Health: https://mindline.sg/fsmh It All Starts Hear: https://www.iash.sg/  Annabelle Psychology: https://www.annabellepsychology.com/  Chapter Zero: https://www.chapterzero.org/ Host: Vanessa Chelvan (vpchelvan@sph.com.sg) Read Vanessa's articles: https://str.sg/gr5Z Follow Vanessa on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/jHdJ  Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Elizabeth Law — Follow The Mother Load limited series every Friday (July 3-31): Channel: https://str.sg/oMofY Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/8Kbv Spotify: https://str.sg/DELD Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg — Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Watch The Mother Load on Youtube: https://str.sg/HnaV --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX — Helplines: MENTAL WELL-BEING National Mindline: 1771 (24 hours) / 6669-1771 (via WhatsApp) Samaritans of Singapore: 1-767 (24 hours) / 9151-1767 (24 hours CareText via WhatsApp) Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019 Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928 Chat, Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health: 6493-6500/1  Women’s Helpline (Aware): 1800-777-5555 (weekdays, 10am to 6pm) The Seniors Helpline: 1800-555-5555 (weekdays, 9am to 5pm) Tinkle Friend (for primary school-age children): 1800-2744-788 — #themotherload See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    'You don't have to do this perfectly to do it well': Working motherhood and mental health
  • 3 Episodes

About

Synopsis: Join us for a five-part series on working motherhood from July 3-31 with episodes out every Friday. This series isn’t just for mums – it’s for anyone trying to make sense of where careers and motherhood intersect. Through candid conversations and lived experiences, we unpack the issues shaping everyday decisions - from childcare and career progression to guilt, ambition and the invisible mental load. Host: Vanessa Chelvan Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Elizabeth Law A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Information

  • Creator
    The Straits Times
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    3
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    The Mother Load