What happens when motherhood collides with elite performance, constant travel, and a career that doesn't have to pause for postpartum?
In this conversation, I sat down with storyteller, publicist, and brand strategist Megan Harrod to explore what it looks like to become a mother while working inside the fast-paced world of elite ski racing. Megan shares the reality of taking both of her babies around the world just weeks after birth, navigating postpartum while traveling full-time, pumping in airports and media centers, and balancing the demands of caring for world-class athletes while learning to care for herself.
But underneath the logistics is a much deeper conversation about identity, nervous system resilience, and the unrealistic expectations we place on mothers. We talk honestly about miscarriage, body image, breastfeeding, the invisible mental load of motherhood, and why sharing the messy parts of postpartum matters just as much as celebrating the joyful ones.
In this episode, we talk about:
Becoming a mother while working in elite sports
Traveling internationally with newborns and young children
Breastfeeding, pumping, and the realities of postpartum on the road
The identity shifts that come with motherhood
Miscarriage, grief, and why we need to talk about it more openly
Why postpartum isn't something you can fully understand until you're living it
The pressure to "bounce back" and making peace with a changing body
Learning to receive support while balancing work and family
Building resilience through flexibility instead of perfection
Why honest conversations about motherhood help all of us feel less alone
One of my favorite reminders from this conversation:
"You really realize how much you're capable of... and how much time you have. Your threshold for discomfort and chaos expands in ways you never expected."
This conversation is an honest look at the realities of modern motherhood including the beauty, the exhaustion, the humor, and the constant recalibration that happens as we learn to care for ourselves while caring for everyone else. Whether you're preparing for postpartum, currently in the thick of it, or supporting someone who is, I hope this conversation reminds you that there is no one "right" way to mother, only the way that is true to you.
Connect with Megan:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meganharrod/
Connect with Lesha:
Website: https://www.leshanelson.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesha__nelson/
