Mary Catherine Starr on Art, Activism, and The Mental Load of Motherhood

Ep511. Renee sits down with illustrator and writer Mary Catherine Starr, the creative force behind @momlife_comics, to talk about how the chaos of early motherhood—and a global pandemic—sparked a viral career that resonated with millions. From her first comic to landing a book deal, Mary Catherine shares how she uses humor, art, and personal storytelling to make sense of the emotional labor, invisible work, and double standards baked into motherhood. They also dig into the behind-the-scenes reality of being a creative mom online: the pressure to do it all, the fear of burnout, and dealing with the backlash that sometimes comes from posting content. This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt like the default parent, wondered how it all fell on their shoulders, or found comfort in seeing their experience reflected back with honesty and heart. Find Mary Catherine’s comics at: https://www.instagram.com/momlife_comics/ RENEE REINA   Instagram: @themomroom | @thereneereina   TikTok: @thereneereina   Facebook Community - The Mom Room Community  YouTube: Renee Reina - The Mom Room Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices