“…I'd always had a successful career and was always achieving and they just collided. I didn't feel like I could be the mother that I wanted to be, I also felt like at work I wasn't the person that I was before and that was when I started to get panic attacks, and that was the point where I was like, this isn't how life is meant to be like this.”

Sara Pantry is a UK transplant in Singapore for the past 8 years and mother to a 3 year old. She is a Senior Workplace Leader at Linkedin and a passionate advocate and expert on the topic of matrescence, a term that refers to the profound developmental transition a woman undergoes as she becomes a new mother who is navigating the early stages of motherhood. Her work sheds light on how this period impacts not only a woman’s identity but also her mental and emotional well-being. As a Matrescence Practitioner, Accredited ICF Coach and LeanIn Circle leader, Sara has been at the forefront of exploring and discussing this important phenomenon, providing invaluable insights into the complex interplay between motherhood and personal growth with a community of mothers in Singapore. We’re excited to dive into this conversation and explore how matrescence can help us better understand the journey of motherhood.

In our enlightening conversation, Sara also shares on:

🌟 Motherhood: Understanding what makes transitioning into motherhood so difficult

🌟 Navigating maternal load with her partner and working on resolving resentment in parenthood.

🌟 Her experiences and unexpected learnings from creating a LeanIn circle for mothers in Singapore

🌟 The significance of having peer-to-peer mentoring at the workplace who can support and understand the transition back to work after maternity leave.

Also available on: 🍏Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/make-it-work/id1701442085

▶️YouTube : https://youtube.com/@makeitwork.podcast

Connect with Sara on:

👋Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/she_thrives_tribe

👋Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/src357/

👋LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-pantry/

👋Email: sara@shethrives.net

Connect with us! We’d love to hear any feedback, comments, or suggestions from you.

➡⁠LinkedIn⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/company/make-it-work-asia-podcast/

➡⁠Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/makeitwork.asia/

➡ ⁠TikTok⁠: https://www.tiktok.com/@makeitwork.podcast

➡⁠Email⁠: makeitwork.asia@gmail.com

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Chapters

00:00 Episode Snippet

00:23 Introduction to Make It Work

01:07 Hello Sara

02:08 A Day in the Life of Sara

03:12 Balancing Work and Family

06:13 The Challenges of Motherhood

09:45 Discovering Matrescence

19:17 Navigating the Maternal Load

20:46 Understanding Resentment in Parenthood

22:01 Balancing Responsibilities and Communication

24:22 Raising a Child Abroad: Finding Your Tribe

25:47 Creating Support Networks: The Lean In Circle

26:59 Championing Working Moms at LinkedIn

28:02 The Importance of Peer-to-Peer Mentoring

29:57 The Two-Year Transition: Returning to Work

31:10 Global Perspectives on Maternity Support

32:52 Starting a Mentoring Program in Your Company

34:27 The Power of Community Support

36:05 Final Thoughts and Takeaways

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