Preparing for my first baby while running my business has brought its own unique challenges. While I am extremely grateful to be in the position to have flexibility in my schedule and control over decisions made, I feel like there aren’t a ton of resources out there for expecting moms operating under self-employment – which has left me feeling a bit like I’m in the Wild West in this new season.

As I’ve been moving through this uncharted territory, there are a few things I’ve discovered, been given advice on, or wished I started doing when family planning. While there is absolutely no one-size-fits-all, here are 5 tips as a creative solopreneur and 32 week pregnant mom-to-be for those who plan to be in a similar situation.

01.

Prepare yourself financially

If you are planning to start a family, begin saving now. Aside from the fact that babies are expensive, as a business owner, we don’t have built-in benefits that many of our 9-5 counterparts do, which includes paid maternity leave. Determine the amount of time is appropriate for your situation and work to put yourself in a financial position where you can walk away from your business to recover mentally/physically, bond with baby, and adjust to being a new mom. Saving for a proper maternity leave, medical costs, all things baby supplies, and a solid emergency fund can in return prevent added stressors and help protect your growing family.

02.

Focus on quality over quantity

In 2021 I overbooked and overworked myself, which created my most profitable year to date, but at the cost of burnout and a skewed work/life balance. In 2022 I focused more on protecting my time by taking on fewer projects at higher price points. In return this created more flexibly, freedom, and a stronger sense of balance. This shift proved to be extremely timely and important when I began my pregnancy journey the second half of 2022. As I all the sudden had the physical and mental challenges and stressors of growing a human, I had a little more wiggle room to take care of my mind, body, and all things preparing for baby.

03.

Slow down if possible

While everyone’s circumstances and needs are different, one thing I am thankful I did was slow my schedule down leading up to my due date. Baby will come when baby is ready, and the last thing I want in the event of an early arrival is to be drowning in projects or kicking off new client work. Instead, depending on your situation, I would recommend closing out your schedule to new clients 2 months prior to your due date, leaving that time to finish current design commitments, work with existing clients on smaller-scale projects, and focus on internal tasks. All in all, be mindful of commitments leading up to baby’s arrival and create a buffer if possible.

04.

Protect yourself contractually

As you onboard new clients nearing your due date, be transparent with your pregnancy and make sure they understand a pre-set plan in the event of an early labor. I included a maternity clause in my contracts for my clients to acknowledge I was pregnant and understand the terms if I went into labor while we had outstanding deliverables: which includes a 4 week leave of absence before finishing out the remainder of the project.

05.

Find a community

Since becoming pregnant, I have been blessed to connect with other women in creative business going through the same journey both locally and digitally – which has been an important source of encouragement. Whether joining a Facebook group, local parenting classes, or reaching out directly to people via Insta and Tiktok – having sounding boards to seek advice, celebrate milestones with, and support one another holds so much power. 

Hey Mamas

If you are looking for a space of encouragement and support, we’ve created an online community for creative businesses owners navigating parenthood: Creative Mamapreneur.

All in all, I truly believe there is no perfect way or right path to navigate the transition of becoming a mom with an existing business you are passionate about. But that is the beauty – you have control to make this journey look the way you want or need it to. Just remember to give yourself grace every step of the way – because growing your family while pursuing your passion is a complete inspiration.