In this episode of Feminist Founders, Becky sits down with health and wellness coach Balu Belz to dig into the hidden weight mothers carry—at home, in business, and in society. Part of our summer series on women’s invisible labor, this conversation pulls back the curtain on the cultural conditionizng that leaves mothers unsupported, undervalued, and exhausted.

Balu shares her journey from a challenging fertility process through early motherhood, and how those experiences shaped her mission to support moms in ways that honor their individual needs and identities. Together, Becky and Balu tackle everything from the myth of “it takes a village,” to the systemic failures of maternal healthcare, to why asking for help often feels like a radical act.

This is a conversation about making the invisible visible—naming the unseen labor women perform every day, and insisting that mothers deserve support, care, and recognition. Whether you’re a parent or not, you’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of why this labor matters, how it’s tied to broader systems of inequity, and what it looks like to push back.

Discussed in This Episode:

• Balu’s path into health and wellness coaching after her own fertility and birthing experiences
• Why invisible labor is often unnamed—and how simply naming it can be transformative
• The staggering statistics about maternal support gaps: one-third of women feeling unsupported by providers during pregnancy, and one-fifth experiencing perinatal mood or anxiety disorders with less than half receiving care
• The realities of self-employment, parental leave, and running a business while mothering
• The truth about “it takes a village” and why moms actually need systemic and structural support, not platitudes
• The exploitation baked into childcare—parents overpaying, workers underpaid, and women (especially women of color) bearing the brunt
• How the pressure to “do it all” fuels shame and silence, and why giving ourselves permission to seek support matters
• What becomes possible when we make invisible labor visible

Resources mentioned:

• Connect with Balu Belz on LinkedIn
• Past episodes mentioned:
  • Toi Smith: Loving Single Black Mothers
  • Motherful: Building Villages for Single Moms

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