Up All Night - a real look at motherhood and work. With added laughs.

One look at this trailer and I am SO sold.

Okay, so it's a comical TV show, but I love that it's a look at motherhood - especially when juggling work and a newborn - that's far more real than any Huggies advertisement.

The baby wipes scene, the "we are trying to help you", the severe sleep deprivation = getting completely narky at each other. Love.

Here is the trailer again with added commentary.

How funny is Maya Rudolph!

What are your thoughts? Accurate rep of mother-slash-work life?

Stay tuned for details on the Australian screen date.


UPDATED: Australian screen date is Monday July 23 on Channel 7, at 9.30pm, and every Monday at 9.30pm.

Karitane and Tresillian - Parental Presence... the 'new way' to settle a baby

Controlled crying? Parental presence? Co-sleeping?

Which way to go to settle a baby?

If you're already a mum, which way worked for you?

For my husband and I, it was mostly a bit of a blur settling our baby twins, but I do know that we held sacred one thing, and one thing only: routine. Oh, and teamwork. Okay, that's two.

Another thing is certain: newborns cry. And cry. And bawl. And scream. In a pitch you've never heard. And in a way that grates and distresses and upsets you like nothing you've ever experienced.

And sometimes, babies just can't indicate what is wrong with them despite what experts tell you, encouraging you to look out for the kind of cry they have, or a look on their face. In the midst of a monster bawl (yours and theirs), you are often too distressed to look for 'the signs.'

You may be well-prepped, fully read-up, and watched all the DVDs you can get your hands on, but sometimes... they just... Scream. LOUDLY. And no theory will work. And then... it passes.

The people you'd most likely turn to are your mum, sister, best mummy friend, early childhood nurse, books, DVDs, websites, and other real-time help from the sensational organisations Karitane and Tresillian.

According to a newspaper article, these two parent-support organisations have abandoned their stance of controlled crying to settle a baby, and instead have adopted a new view on how to settle a bub, called "parental presence" which involves setting up a bed in the baby's room, and making a gesture or coughing so they know you are there, and they go back to sleep.

You can read the article here:

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/mother-of-a-debate-of-how-to-get-baby-asleep/story-e6freuy9-1226212942377

For us, we had two bassinettes in our room until they were almost six months. They then moved to their cots in another room. I could not do controlled crying... it just did not appeal to me at all.

Whilst I did not leap up every time they cried, as I wanted them to try and learn how to self-soothe, I certainly could not leave them to be distressed for more than a few minutes.

What worked for you? Or, if you are pregnant, what will you do?

Feel free to comment.

Women CEOs need nannies and housekeepers, says Ita Buttrose

According to publishing maven Ita Buttrose women should demand nannies and housekeepers as part of their salary package to keep their careers on track.

In an article for www.news.com.au She believes that if Australia adopted more of a nanny culture it would help women remain in work, further climb up that corporate ladder and score that chief exec role.

You can read the rest here:

http://www.news.com.au/business/women-ceos-need-nannies-not-cars/story-e6frfm1i-1226213318097

What do you think?

We are talking high-level CEOs here: should they not be thwarted in their attempt to continue their careers, instead encouraged and assisted with packages that include hired help? Or should they abandon all ambitions and embrace motherhood wholeheartedly?

Feel free to comment.

How soon to go back to work post-baby? Roxy Jacenko weighs in.

How soon did you go back to work after having a baby?

Six months? One year? Three weeks? Haven't gone back?

How about three hours?

That's how soon Sydney publicist Roxy Jacenko went back to work after having a baby.

No, she didn't escape from the hospital, making a run for it in the middle of the night from the maternity ward, but she did switch on her BlackBerry just three hours after the birth of her first child, daughter Pixie-Rose.

She told her story to Grazia magazine.

In the article, she says she knows some people will judge her for taking micro-maternity leave, but she doesn't feel guilty in the slightest. Nor will she apologise.

Read it here:

http://grazia.ninemsn.com.au/blog.aspx?blogentryid=948795&showcomments=true

What did you think?

Can you relate?

Or is your experience entirely different? Feel free to comment (I know we mums get very passionate, so no personal attacks, please).

Me? Well, I underestimated just how soon I wanted to engage in work again.

After giving birth to twins almost four years ago, I did some work from home - when my babies were just three weeks old.

Looking back now, sure... it was probably a little mad.

It wasn't a huge job - some subbing work, which I always really enjoy - but I was so severely sleep-deprived you'd think all I was interested in was catching some zzz's.

Nope. And it wasn't about the money, either.

It was about retaining some of my old life. A life I'd worked so hard for. Went to uni for, toiled my way up that corporate ladder. I just knew that if I didn't keep working in some capacity, I would not only lose my groove, I'd lose touch with my industry, and most of all, lose confidence in myself and my abilities.

I was - and am - fortunate enough to be able to work from home and that is wonderful for myriad reasons.

Not battling traffic, no need to coordinate an outfit, no need to wash my hair, even. I dare say I am also more productive (no water cooler conversations, no long lunches).

The downside? Working all hours. Juggling an email with a dirty nappy, or a roast I need to turn. Missing out on the co-worker camaraderie. Never switching off.

And while I did say it wasn't about the money (I didn't want to earn bucket-loads of cash so I could surround myself with material things I didn't actually need) it was more about the freedom that the money represented.

As a non-earner for a mere few weeks I felt a slight 'power shift' in the home... and I really didn't like it.

Before even meeting my husband, I was a woman who looked after myself financially, big-time. I paid all my uni fees upfront with my part-time job, bought my cars, set myself up financially, always thought about my financial future.

While I have never gone back to structured full-time work, trust me when I say I work full-time. It never stops. My workload never. Ever. Ends.

What has been your experience of going back to work?

Did you resent going back so soon because, financially, you had to?

Or are you in the midst of prepping to go back shortly?

And how soon is too soon?

Share your experience here!

(Photo of Roxy Jacenko by Andy Baker).