Maternity leave shouldn't feel like a second full-time job, but here we are. This week Catie and Danielle sit down with Akiko Thayer, founder of Maternity Leave 411 and certified leave management specialist, to break down what nobody tells you about FMLA, state leave laws, and getting paid while you're out. Akiko got into this work after her own employer botched her leave by eight weeks, and she's been fighting for parents ever since.

We cover when to tell your employer you're pregnant, the difference between job protection and paid benefits (they are NOT the same thing), why HR usually doesn't know as much as you think, what dads and partners are actually entitled to, and why "maternity leave" isn't even a real legal term. Plus: should you trust ChatGPT with this stuff? Akiko gives it to us straight.

If you're pregnant, planning to be, or just want to know your rights before you need them, this one's required listening.

Find Akiko with Maternity 411 on Instagram: @maternityleave411 or at maternity411.com

Chapters:

00:00 – Cold open (Danielle can't get through the intro)
00:53 – Meet Akiko Thayer, founder of Maternity Leave 411
01:15 – Quick catch-up: kids, ages, and summer camp chaos
04:50 – Akiko's origin story: how a botched leave turned into a business
07:53 – Why maternity leave is so confusing (FMLA + state laws + employer policy)
09:37 – Why HR isn't always the expert you think they are
11:01 – Does Akiko work with companies, not just individuals?
13:32 – When to tell your employer you're pregnant (and why earlier can help)
16:52 – Short-term disability vs. paid family leave, decoded
21:53 – The #1 mistake: confusing job protection with getting paid
25:21 – How employer pay and state benefits work together
26:54 – Paternity leave for dads and partners is underused — here's why it matters
29:02 – Catie and Danielle share how much leave their partners actually took
33:04 – How to prep for leave: get it in writing
35:12 – Bed rest and how it eats into your FMLA weeks
38:11 – The legal terms you should actually use (hint: "maternity leave" isn't one)
40:03 – Akiko's #1 piece of advice: research, research, research
41:24 – Should you use ChatGPT for leave questions? Where it helps and where it fails
44:03 – Where to find Akiko and get her help

This week Catie and Danielle are catching up after a whirlwind stretch of guest episodes — trading summer camp chaos, girls' trip stories, and real talk on the friendships that carry you through motherhood.

Danielle recaps her 20-years-strong girls' trip to Islamorada with her "LST" crew — boat days, a stray dog named Murph, and the now-infamous "Dick Pick David." The two dig into what it actually takes to keep friendships alive through decades of life changes — breakups, weddings, kids, moves — and why showing up for each other (not proximity) is what makes it stick.

Then Catie gets real about a hard week: Jack's tearful camp drop-offs, the mental load of the transition from meetings to mom-mode, and finding relief in a Diet Coke and a good cry with a friend. Plus: Calvin gives up his binky (unprompted), Catie's new gig as an assistant soccer coach tests her control issues, and both moms share how they're squeezing the most out of summer before school prep creeps back in.

A lighter, more personal one this week — grab your coffee (or Diet Coke) and join the village.

Everyone panics about the ABCs. Brittany Brady — school social worker turned founder of Bright Starts Co. — is here to tell you to put the Target workbook down.

This week we get into what kindergarten readiness actually means (spoiler: it's emotional regulation, independence, and grit, not reading at five), why preschool doesn't automatically guarantee a smooth transition, and how to survive the drop-off meltdown without crying in your car. Brittany breaks down routines vs. "rhythms," the kissing-hand goodbye ritual, prepping kids for the bus, and her 5-minute night-before reset that working moms swear by. Plus: the one thing she wants every guilt-ridden millennial perfectionist mom to stop stressing about.

Real talk, real chaos (melting popsicles included), and a roadmap to send your kid in confident.

Find Brittany on Instagram @brightstartsco and at brightstartsco.com.

🎁 Listener offer: Use code 9TOMOM20 for $20 off her Ready Set Learn course. And through July 2, the Calm Mornings Toolkit is bundled free with course purchase.