Meet Meg, she's a single mother of two deliciously cheeky three year old twins.

Coffee with Meg Hutchinson Harris , Bed Threads Global PR & Partnerships Manager.

An interview series featuring mothers within the DD community. Here, we examine the juggle of paid working mothers – we talk motherhood, career, routine, self-care and daycare. I ask the things you actually want to know, like what they outsource, why they work, how they work, keep it together and get out the door each morning. If you’d like to be featured please fill in your answers here.

Can you start by sharing a bit about your family dynamic?
I'm a single mum, my ex husband and I co-parent our twins but I have the majority care. They live with me 6 days a week and spend one night with their dad on the weekend. Aside from being the sole parent, and all that that entails (the daycare runs, meals, bedtime routines, toddler meltdowns - send wine!) I'm also responsible for all the domestic duties.

Can you give us a basic rundown of what your paid role entails? And has this changed since having kids?

I work full time in PR and Marketing. I actually started my own PR consultancy 5 years ago in preparation for having a family as I knew it would be difficult to balance family with agency life. I started my current role only a couple of months ago and because it's remote it works really well around taking care of my twins.

How old were the twins when you returned to work? What helped with this transition?

I went back to work part time when the twins were 4 months old, then gradually I built up to full time by the time they were 3. I was lucky in that when I was working for myself I could set my own hours and workload.

Did you always envision you would be a working mother or pre-kids?

Yes, I always knew I would be a working mother.

What does your career mean to you – why do you work? 

I love my job and career, I like to be challenged and it's an outlet for my creativity.

How do you work – Take us through your schedule.

I work from home, technically it's 9am-5pm, though as my role is global. I will sometimes jump back on after the kids are in bed to talk to other markets.

How do you get into work mode?

Coffee! I can't work in my PJs or from my bed. I need to get up and get dressed and sit at my desk or the kitchen table to get fully into work mode. A killer playlist also helps.

What method of childcare have you opted for?

My kids attend a daycare centre just down the road. I handle all the drop offs and pick ups.

What do you outsource?

My family live interstate so I've created my own support system. I have a cleaner once a fortnight, which makes maintaining the house in between a lot easier. And I have two amazing babysitters I can call on if I need support with the kids.

What’s your morning routine – how do you get out the door?

I do as much as possible the night before - prepare lunch boxes, pack daycare bags etc. I do admit to turning ABC Kids on for the kids while they eat their breakfast so I can quickly get myself ready. I also allow them to choose their own outfits - getting out the door with 2 toddlers is about picking your battles so if they go to daycare in a Spiderman suit then so be it!

In motherhood, what have you found most challenging? And Any advice for those in the thick of it?

The sleep deprivation. The twins hardly slept as babies and even now one or both, ends up in bed with me most nights. My mantra since they were born has been "it's only a season" and it helps give me some perspective.

What do you do to take a break? 

My kids go to their dad's every weekend for a whole 24hrs. That's my ‘me-time’. Usually I go for a coastal walk, do all the life admin things I can’t do or prefer not to do with 2 toddlers in tow, catch up with friends, and enjoy having my bed all to myself. And sometimes I do absolutely nothing but binge Netflix.

HSDI is an interview series featuring mothers within the DD community. If you would like to share how you get out the door, juggle paid and unpaid work, we’d love to have you. Click here to submit your answers.