Being pregnant can feel like a full-time job, which is problematic if you already have a 40-hour workweek. However, there are a few perks to working from home while you’re expecting.
Aside from the toilet being right around the corner, the biggest advantage is that you have more time to plan for your baby’s arrival. Think about it. No commute, a flexible schedule, and midday breaks in your living room mean extra time for prepping and nesting.
So, whether you’re pregnant or hoping to become pregnant, there are a few things you can do to plan ahead. Then, when your sweet little bundle of joy is finally here, you’ll be ready to crush motherhood and maintain a successful career all at the same time.
1. Rethink Your Routine
Pregnancy can challenge even the most solid of routines. Between midday prenatal checkups and running to the loo every hour, it can be difficult — if not impossible — to keep the same schedule you did before becoming pregnant. Instead of trying to fight your new schedule, try to plan work around it. After all, your and your baby’s health comes first.
Of course, you may have to change your schedule again once your little peanut arrives. Maybe you’ll work during nap time, between feedings, and after bedtime. Or maybe you’ll adjust your hours so you don’t have to work so often — at least until you get your bearings. Either way, changing your routine now will help you stay flexible in the coming months.
2. Start Working On-the-Go
You might also start working on-the-go if you haven’t already. Download apps that will help you send e-mails, make to-do lists, and collaborate with other employees while you’re out and about. Use an app like Dragon Dictation when your fingers are unavailable and Dropbox or Google Docs to access information on-the-fly.
While you’d rather work from home, multitasking from your car, the store, or the doctor’s office will help you complete mom and work duties without toting your laptop around. Plus, you’ll be ready to strap your baby to your chest — or the dreaded breast pump — and get to work after your due date.
3. Find Child Care
If you think work is difficult now, just wait until your little bundle of joy is here. While you certainly can work with them in the house, it may be easier to hand them off to the grandparents for a few hours every week.
Find child care now and work out a basic schedule so everyone knows what to expect after you come home from the hospital. Start pumping before birth so you have a few bottles on standby, too. This way you have bottles of milk to give friends and family when they watch your newborn.
4. Build an Emergency Fund
Practically every aspect of having a baby and raising a child is expensive, so building an emergency fund is a must.
If you don’t have a cash fund to cover three to six months of expenses, start saving now by keeping frivolous spending to a minimum. Think twice before making any large purchases, even if they’re necessary. Odds are good you can find must-have items for less with a little time and effort.
5. Consider Maternity Leave
Can your business survive without you? If you’re a blossoming entrepreneur, maternity leave may be out of the question. However, if you’re one of dozens of employees or have already firmly established your business, taking time off of work may be a viable option.
Assess your financial situation to help you decide whether a few weeks of maternity leave are doable. Then, talk to your boss and request off. Take advantage of any paid-time-off policies and express your eagerness to return after you’ve had the baby so they’re confident you’ll come back.
6. Delegate Projects
Do you have employees or a team of coworkers to rely on? Whether you decide to take leave or not, you probably won’t feel up to tackling large projects or lifting heavy loads during the late stages of pregnancy. Therefore, it’s important to delegate these tasks to others while you’re still in the first or second trimester.
Take a critical look at your team and decide who can handle what in your place. Odds are good they’ll be willing to lend a hand in most cases.
7. Share the Load
Almost half of two-parent families include two full-time working parents, which means dads are taking on more child care responsibilities at home. Therefore, if you need your partner to pick up the slack, don’t be afraid to ask. Anticipate what you’ll need help with and try creating a chore list to split household responsibilities. Sharing the load now will give you a solid foundation to build upon when the baby arrives.
Work with your partner to talk about your needs, help around the house, and more before troubles arise. Anticipating disruptions and splitting chores will give you a solid foundation.
Flexibility Is Key for a Work-From-Home Pregnancy
No matter how much you plan and prepare, some parts of motherhood will be a complete surprise. Blowouts will happen at the most inconvenient times and you’ll inevitably clock in late every now and again. Therefore, it’s important to remain open to change, especially as your baby grows and their schedule advances.
If you cultivate flexibility now, you’ll ultimately become both a better mom and a more successful professional. Plus, granting yourself some grace will help you enjoy both jobs a lot more.
