#3 "From Survival Mode to Self-Care: A Mother's Journey at Canada"

In this episode, I interviews Sana about navigating maternity leave with two children and feeling in “survival mode” while breastfeeding and caring for a four-year-old who became more independent. Sana explains how taking up crochet during long feeds helped her feel productive and learn a new skill, while they also discuss the pressure to always be doing more and the value of meditation and self-care. The conversation covers parenting as a nonstop full-time job, why maternity leave should be a right, and contrasts between Canada’s paid leave and limited unpaid leave in the U.S., plus concerns about daycare affecting child anxiety and behavior. Sana also shares her immigrant background from Pakistan, career impacts of back-to-back leaves and telling a new employer she was pregnant, her positive birth experiences and her ongoing postpartum depression tied to breastfeeding and lack of support. 00:02 Welcome to Two Chairs 00:21 Two Kids Survival Mode 02:15 Crochet as Self Care 04:32 Always Doing More 05:50 Parenting Is Full Time 06:54 Maternity Leave as a Right 09:34 Daycare and Child Anxiety 11:53 Unpredictable Sleep and Crying 13:27 Immigrating and Schooling 15:09 Maternity Leave Career Impact 16:25 Telling Work You're Pregnant 17:56 Keeping Kids Busy 18:51 Birth Hospital Experiences 24:02 Prenatal Care in Canada 25:50 Postpartum Depression Reality