Do Not Disturb: The Inside Story

What happens when you leave your job, start a business and discover you are pregnant in the same week?In this episode, Simona speaks with Sabrina Sarl, creative business adviser, artist manager and host of Mothers of Creativity. Sabrina has spent more than 15 years working across the creative industries and now creates space for honest conversations about how motherhood shapes creative careers.Sabrina reflects on how motherhood changed the shape of her work without erasing her ambition. She and Simona discuss the promise and pressure of self-employment, why comparing yourself with people who are not parents is a trap, the different expectations placed on creative mothers and fathers, and what it takes to define success on your own terms.At the heart of the conversation is a more useful question than “Can mothers have it all?”: what is the life and career you actually want to build now?In this conversation:• Leaving a job, starting a business and becoming pregnant at the same time• How motherhood changes the shape of ambition• The flexibility and hidden pressure of self-employment• Why creative parents are working with genuinely limited resources• The danger of comparing yourself with people who are not parents• The different expectations placed on creative mothers and fathers• Building Mothers of Creativity• Redefining success after motherhoodFind Sabrina:Mothers of Creativity: https://podcast.mothersofcreativity.com/Website: https://www.sabrinasarl.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sabrina.sarl/Follow Do Not Disturb: @donotdisturbpodsIf this conversation resonated, follow the show, leave a review and share it with a woman rebuilding ambition on her own terms.

Many women prepare carefully for the baby. Far fewer are prepared for what motherhood will do to their identity, relationships, body, ambition and sense of control.Simona Deifta is joined by Becky Selbie, a therapist specialising in maternal mental health and the founder of Motherway. Together they explore the expectation-versus-reality gap, matrescence, perfectionism, accepting help, invisible labour and why high-achieving women can find motherhood especially destabilising.This is not an episode about becoming a perfect mother. It is an honest conversation about what motherhood actually feels like—and why women may be responding normally to impossible expectations.Find Becky on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_motherway_/

Comparison is the thief of joy—but motherhood can make the timelines women are measured against feel even louder.In this episode, Simona speaks with Gillian Orr, award-winning journalist, former Editor-in-Chief of Refinery29 UK and writer of Slouching Towards Bethnal Green. Gillian reflects on building a career in women’s media, becoming a mother at 39, having her role eliminated while she was on maternity leave, moving into freelance work and slowly finding her ambition again.They talk honestly about the loneliness of maternity leave, why high-powered motherhood so often depends on invisible help, the affluent version of motherhood over-represented in media, the rise and fall of “girlboss” culture, and Gillian’s decision to have one child.At the heart of the conversation is a simple permission slip: stop measuring your life against other people’s milestones and choose the timeline that is right for you.In this conversation:Gillian’s journey from The Independent to launching Refinery29 UKCareer identity after maternity leaveBecoming a mother at 39 and the pressure attached to turning 35The loneliness that can accompany maternity leaveWhy “having it all” usually depends on invisible helpWhat women’s media gets wrong about affluent motherhoodChoosing to have one childLosing ambition, finding it again and allowing life to move in seasonsWhy comparison and age-based milestones steal joyContent note: this episode includes discussion of fertility anxiety, pregnancy, prenatal depression, maternity leave and maternal identity.Gillian’s newsletter:https://gillianorr.substack.com/Gillian on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gillian__orr/Gillian’s Refinery29 archive:https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/author/gillian-orrFollow Do Not Disturb:@donotdisturbpodsIf this conversation resonated, follow the show, leave a review and share it with a woman who needs permission to choose her own timeline.

Anna Hushlak: Why Women Feel Disconnected From ThemselvesWhen did life start feeling like something you were managing rather than truly living?In this episode of Do Not Disturb, I sit down with Anna Hushlak, author of Turn Yourself On, to explore why so many women feel disconnected from themselves and what it takes to reconnect with their energy, desire, creativity, and sense of aliveness.We discuss the pressures of modern life, motherhood, burnout, people-pleasing, self-abandonment, and the ways women gradually lose touch with what they actually want.In this episode, we discuss:• Why so many women feel disconnected from themselves• The hidden cost of people-pleasing• Burnout, exhaustion, and emotional numbness• Motherhood, identity, and desire• Reconnecting with your body and intuition• What "turning yourself on" really means• Living with more presence, energy, and joy• Creating a life that feels good from the inside outWhether you're feeling stuck, overwhelmed, burnt out, or simply curious about reconnecting with yourself, this conversation offers a powerful perspective on what it means to feel fully alive again.Follow Do Not Disturb Podcast:Instagram: @donotdisturbpodsFollow Anna Hushlak:@annahushlakBook:Turn Yourself OnFollow Simona:@greeninlondonWebsite:www.donotdisturbpodcast.com

What happens when the advice parents receive is driven more by fear than by evidence?In this episode of Do Not Disturb, I sit down with economist, bestselling author and mother Emily Oster for an honest conversation about modern parenting, decision-making, risk, and why so many parents feel paralysed by the pressure to get everything right.We live in an age of more parenting information than ever before. Yet many mothers and fathers feel less confident, more anxious, and more afraid of making the wrong decision.Emily has built her career by asking a different question:What does the evidence actually say?Together we explore how fear has become embedded in modern parenting, why guilt has become almost a default emotion for parents, and how understanding data can help us make calmer, more confident decisions.This isn’t a conversation about finding the perfect way to raise children.It’s a conversation about learning to trust yourself when the world is telling you there is only one right answer.In this episode we discuss:Why parenting feels more overwhelming than everPregnancy advice versus evidenceVaccines, risk and making informed decisionsScreen time, phones and children’s independenceWhy modern parents feel so guiltyRaising resilient children rather than perfectly protected onesHow data can reduce anxiety instead of creating itWhat confident parenting actually looks likeWhether you’re expecting your first child, raising teenagers, or simply trying to navigate modern family life with more confidence, this episode offers a thoughtful, evidence-based perspective on one of the biggest responsibilities we’ll ever have.About Emily OsterEmily Oster is a professor of economics at Brown University, bestselling author of Expecting Better, Cribsheet, The Family Firm and The Unexpected, and founder of ParentData. Through her books, research and writing, she has helped millions of parents make informed decisions by translating complex evidence into practical advice.

Hiba Siddiqui: The Truth About Postpartum RecoveryWhy are women expected to prepare for birth, but not for what comes after?In this episode of Do Not Disturb, I sit down with Hiba Siddiqui, founder of The Tenth Wellness, to discuss postpartum recovery, maternal health, motherhood, and the realities of healing after having a baby.We explore the physical, emotional, and identity shifts that many women experience after birth, why postpartum care remains overlooked, and what mothers actually need during the fourth trimester and beyond.This is a conversation about recovery, support, expectations, and giving women permission to prioritise their own wellbeing.In this episode, we discuss:• What postpartum recovery really looks like• Why so many mothers feel unsupported after birth• The physical and emotional impact of the fourth trimester• Pelvic floor health, healing, and recovery• Identity shifts after becoming a mother• Why maternal care needs to change• Asking for help and accepting support• Building a healthier motherhood experienceWhether you're expecting a baby, navigating postpartum, supporting a new mother, or simply interested in women's health, this episode offers an honest and refreshing perspective on one of the most important and overlooked periods in a woman's life.Follow Do Not Disturb Podcast:Instagram and TikTok: @donotdisturbpodswww.donotdisturbpodcast.comFollow Simona:@greeninlondonThe Tenthhttps://thetenthwellness.com/lander?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Mimi Ikonn: Motherhood, Ambition & Choosing YourselfWhat happens when the life you've worked so hard to build no longer feels aligned with the person you're becoming?In this episode of Do Not Disturb, I sit down with entrepreneur, author, and mother Mimi Ikonn for an honest conversation about identity, ambition, motherhood, marriage, and the courage it takes to keep choosing yourself through every stage of life.We explore the invisible shifts that happen after becoming a mother, the pressure women feel to be everything to everyone, and why success often looks very different once children enter the picture.This isn't a conversation about having it all. It's a conversation about deciding what actually matters.In this episode, we discuss:• How motherhood changed Mimi's relationship with ambition• The hidden mental and emotional load many women carry• What a "good mother" really looks like• Marriage, partnership, and evolving together• Reinventing yourself without losing yourself• Why choosing yourself is not selfish• Building a life that feels aligned with who you are todayWhether you're building a career, raising children, navigating a relationship, or quietly questioning the path you're on, this episode offers a thoughtful perspective on growth, identity, and modern womanhood.If this conversation resonates, please follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with someone who might need to hear it.Follow Do Not Disturb Podcast:Instagram: @do.not.disturb.podcastFollow Mimi:@mimiikonnFollow Simona:@greeninlondonMimi's book:Choose Yourselfwww.donotdisturbpodcast.com

Want to know how to walk into your birth feeling confident, prepared, and trusting your body? In this episode, I talk to Catherine Rose-Bloom, certified antenatal, birth and postnatal doula, to dive deep into natural, unmedicated childbirth, birth mindset, and practical tips every mother should know.We cover how to prepare physically, mentally and emotionally for labour, myth bust common medical narratives, and reveal actionable strategies to reduce fear and increase trust in your body. Whether you’re pregnant for the first time or preparing for your next birth, Catherine’s insights will help you feel seen, informed, and empowered.You’ll hear about:Techniques for coping with pain and breath workHow to choose your support team (midwives, doulas, birth partners)The truth about interventions: What’s optional vs necessaryPostnatal care and how to heal well physically & emotionallyReal stories and wisdom based on Catherine’s work✅ If you found this helpful, please like, comment your big takeaway, and share with other mothers who might benefit.✅ For more birth, pregnancy, and motherhood content, hit Subscribe and ring the notification bell. 🔔✅ Check Catherine’s work on Instagram: @nourishandbloomdoula#NaturalChildbirth #BirthPreparation #PregnancyTips #motherhood #CatherineRoseBloom