Workin’ Moms Catherine Reitman Interview

Just when we thought Catherine Reitman, mama of two, creator, executive producer, writer and star of Workin’ Moms couldn’t be any more relatable, she shared that mothering while quarantining isn’t easy—and we feel so seen.

“It’s challenging,” says Reitman, who’s running a writers’ room for the series via Zoom. “But I know I have it very good compared to many other moms.” The actress is currently staying with her parents in Santa Barbara, California and is thankful to have more space and extra hands to help with her 4- and 6-year-old.

But even with extra help, Reitman stresses the importance of mamas finding time for themself as it’s vital for survival, especially during a pandemic.

“You have to find moments for yourself,” she says. “They don’t have to be long moments, but find small moments of time. For me, it’s taking a long shower, or finding time alone in the bathroom. Even when I’m tying my shoelaces, I can focus on breathing and just being in the moment.”

Finding moments for yourself is also crucial when trying to manage postpartum depression, a condition she’s very familiar with in her own life and even while portraying PR executive Kate Foster on Workin’ Moms.

“When my second son was 5 weeks old, I packed up my family and moved them to another country where I began working harder than I ever had,” Reitman said in an Instagram caption on Mother’s Day. “Blinded by my own fear of failure, I threw myself into my work and did not see the postpartum depression steadily swallowing me whole.”

More recently, she shared with us that she wasn’t aware of her depression during her second pregnancy. In fact, it wasn’t until months after giving birth did she realize what it was. Her biggest advice for mamas battling postpartum depression now? “As quickly as it comes, it will go away.”

But through it all, Reitman was able to turn her depression to something good, as it fueled her to write a script for Workin’ Moms, which Reitman confirms is renewed by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) for a fifth season.

“I committed to retelling the postpartum scenes I had lived, but with one glaring change: I wrote myself as four different characters who I knew would outgrow this period,” she told Glamour in an interview. “While I felt hopelessness, Kate Foster would persevere. She could outwit her darkest moments while rocking a skirt suit that screamed: I know who I am!’ I could sit in a pile of fear and tears at my computer, but the women I scribed were barreling forward and speaking their truths.”

And that’s the lesson Reitman hopes every mama will learn. Tell their truth and preserve—even while quarantining during a pandemic.