In this episode, equine vet Phoebe Putt chats to Alexandria Lipka and shares her honest reflections on returning to clinical work after maternity leave. Drawing on her own experience as a first-time mother, Phoebe discusses the concept of ‘matrescence’ and why it is often misunderstood or overlooked in the workplace. She explores the challenges and emotional realities of returning to work, the role of employers in providing meaningful support and how maternity leave can equip clinicians with valuable new skills rather than diminishing them.