My Maternity Leave Story - and the Idea That Became The Mothershift

Everyone who’s been on maternity or adoption leave has a different story. Different highs, different struggles, different versions of what that time looks and feels like.

For me, a mum of three boys, I’ve had three very different maternity leaves...

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With my first, I was made redundant at nearly eight months pregnant when the company I worked for went into administration. Five weeks after he was born, we went straight into lockdown. Not exactly how you picture those early months.

My second son arrived not long after. Too soon, in fact, for me to even qualify for statutory maternity pay. I had to rely on maternity allowance, and every spare penny went on giving my two boys the best experiences possible. I didn’t do much for myself, and it showed. It’s fair to say I lost myself a bit along the way.

Then Rudy came along in August 2024, and for the first time, it felt like the maternity leave I’d always expected. No lockdown. A slightly enhanced maternity package. And the chance to do simple things that made me feel like me again - weekly café dates with friends, the odd fitness class, solo lunch dates after a long walk with the baby.

And I was left thinking - isn’t this how every mat leave should feel? But the reality is, for so many people, it isn’t.

That’s why I started The Mothershift -  a maternity-leave discount platform that helps new mums save money and feel more like themselves. We can’t fix the shocking maternity pay situation in the UK, but we can make it easier to keep doing the things you love, hold onto your identity, and make space for your own joy, not just the baby’s

Because mat leave shouldn’t mean losing yourself, and that’s the story we’re here to rewrite.