Want to know my maternity leave plan as a mom and business owner?
As a mom and business owner, preparing for maternity leave can be overwhelming. I frequently get asked how I’ll juggle nurturing myself, raising my family, and keeping my business running. Today, I'm sharing my personal maternity leave plan and tips for making it work for both your business and personal life.
Written by Nadine Stille
Why Am I Writing This Blog?
That’s me with an ‘announcement picture’ for my Instagram
Building a business and growing a family is a unique challenge, especially when you're both the boss and the mom.
I’m sharing how I approached and created my holistic maternity leave plan that started in my second trimester because I want other mom business owners like you to know it’s possible to take the time you need for yourself and your baby without letting your business fall apart.
It’s all about clarity, preparation, boundaries, and giving yourself grace starting in pregnancy right through the postpartum time.
During my first maternity leave, I didn’t have a plan in place, worked right up to the day my waters broke, and didn’t take much time to fully recover before diving right back into work.
The ‘bounce back quickly’ approach didn’t work out well for my mental health. My body and mind essentially decided on my behalf that I needed to nurture myself and take a long rest.
With this pregnancy, I knew my maternity leave would need to be different. And while I did some research on how to go about it as a mom and entrepreneur in Canada, I realized there wasn’t much information or at least not the one I needed.
In addition, moms in my network, including moms I was coaching, were really curious about my personal maternity leave plan and approach.
Moms asked:
Do you get maternity leave when you own your own business?
What is the best way to take maternity leave as a mom and entrepreneur?
How should I plan my maternity leave?
When should you plan to start maternity leave?
So many valid questions that I needed clarification on and then I added my own.
Questions, Questions, Questions
Before diving into the details of my maternity leave plan, I had to answer some critical questions that I worked through together with my husband, friends, my coach, and/ or other business friends who’d been through their parental leave recently.
These are some of the foundational questions I considered when creating my plan:
What would my ideal maternity leave look like if I had no restrictions?
What’s our financial situation, and how does it impact my leave?
Considering the answers to the first two questions, what’s practical and sustainable?
What worked well or didn’t during my previous leave?
What legal and financial support is available to me as a business owner? (Self-Employed in Canada too? Check here.)
How accessible do I want to be while on leave, and what boundaries will I set?
Can I outsource tasks, and if so, which ones?
When should I start and end my leave, and will it be gradual or all at once?
How can I prioritize my postpartum recovery so I can show up fully when I’m ready?
Who’s in my support network for both my business and personal life?
With these answers, I could build a clear, actionable plan with a timeline for making it all happen.
My Holistic Maternity Leave Plan Set Up
Every task and activity I’ve planned, even during pregnancy, will have an impact on my postpartum experience.
Logistics
Timing: I started planning in my second trimester when my energy was higher and there was still time to plan and do without stress.
Communication: I let key people in my networks know about my leave plans as soon as I had clarity, even if it was just to say I’m still figuring it out, with broader communication later on in my pregnancy.
Tracking: I used simple tools like spreadsheets, my calendar, and Google Docs to keep track of all my appointments, tasks, and to-do-list. However, project management tools like Trello or Asana can also be helpful.
Ease and Flow: I focused on making things easy with the ODD method (Outsource, Delegate, Drop) and automating where possible.
Support Village: I leaned on my support network, which, among others, include my business coach, fellow moms and entrepreneurs, and professionals like a midwife, therapists and consultants where needed.
Personal Set Up
Home Prep: I decluttered, organized, and made space for baby items. (Read this for expert tips.)
Birth Prep: I took birthing courses, practiced breathing techniques, packed a hospital bag, stayed informed, and practiced birth specific mindfulness exercises.
Health: I kept up with prenatal appointments and tests, checked in with my physio, therapist, and did regular pregnancy yoga and stretch exercises.
Support Team: I pre-booked appointments with my support team during pregnancy and postpartum, like my midwife, doula, therapist, etc. so I wouldn’t have to scramble later, especially with sleep deprivation and a newborn.
My First Child: I got my first child excited about the new baby and mindfully involved them in certain baby planning tasks and decision making. I also worked with a pediatric sleep consultant to set up a better sleep routine.
Event Planning: Instead of a traditional baby shower or meet-the-baby party, we opted for a pre-birth outdoor picnic with family and a couple of friends to avoid cold and flu season gatherings.
Batch Cooking: We prepped and frozen meals, which was a lifesaver during my first postpartum period. Lining up a local meal delivery option is still on our radar too.
Admin: Preparing all necessary paperwork in advance, like applications for the birth certificate and health card, was a great approach during the first pregnancy. So this is again part of the plan this time around.
Bucket List: I made a list of fun things to do before the baby arrives—like binge-watching favorite shows, catching live gigs on TV (any other Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, or Coldplay fans out there?), hitting the movies, trying a new haircut, and squeezing in a relaxing massage.
Business Set Up
This part of my maternity leave plan is mainly due to my indispensable, badass biz coach who’s been pivotal in guiding me and helping me figure this stuff out.
Clients: I reached out to my clients well in advance, clearly communicating my availability. I offered them alternative solutions, like referrals to trusted colleagues, to ensure they felt supported while I step back. It was important to me that my clients knew I valued our relationship and had their needs covered even when I couldn’t be there personally.
Newsletter: Staying connected with my MamaCare newsletter community is a priority, so I pre-wrote motivational newsletters packed with tips and encouragement. I could later add personal updates too. I wanted my subscribers to still feel that personal touch, even while I’m on leave. I also took this time to unsubscribe from newsletters to avoid overwhelming my inbox while I’m on leave and myself upon return.
Content Creation: Knowing I’d have no time to create content during maternity leave, I dedicated my second and third trimester to creating as much content as possible. I wrote blog posts, recorded podcast episodes, and scheduled social media posts. It was a creative sprint, but it means I can keep adding value to my audience with pre-written newsletters and posts without being constantly plugged in.
Communication: Clear communication was key, so I set up out-of-office replies for emails, updated my website, and shared the news on my social media platforms. I wanted to set expectations upfront so everyone knew when I’d be available and how to reach out if needed.
Automations: To keep things running smoothly, I automated as many processes as possible. Email automations for my free resource library, monthly newsletters, and the occasional social media posts are all set up to function without my daily input. This way, I can focus on my family while my business continues to operate efficiently in the background.
Support Team: I couldn’t do it all alone, so I coordinated with my support team.
HR, Legal, and Financial Matters: Where needed, I took time to review all the fine print, updating contracts, business insurance, and any legal documents to ensure everything was set for my absence. This step gave me the confidence that all the bases were covered, allowing me to step away without any loose ends.
Subscriptions and Memberships: I took a good look at all my subscriptions and memberships to see what I really needed during my leave. Anything unnecessary, I paused or canceled, and for others, I downgraded where possible. It’s a small but practical way to lighten the load and avoid paying for things I won’t use while I’m focused on family.
CREATE YOUR OWN MOM SUPPORT VILLAGE
Browse my PERSONAL PICKS page for recommendations and deals to make your busy mom life a bit easier.
Some of the links on the Personal Picks page as well as in this blog are affiliate links.
Mindset
I've been intentional about boosting my mindfulness and mindset, especially during pregnancy and as part of my maternity leave plan. These practices have been part of my life for years, but I’ve really leaned into them over the past few months and plan to carry them into postpartum with even more focus.
Give Myself Grace: Keep reminding myself it’s okay to slow down and that not everything needs to be perfect, or not right now.
Focus on Control: Concentrate on what I can control and let go of the rest.
Abundance Mindset: I embrace the belief that there’s enough. Instead of focusing on scarcity or what I might be missing out on, I’m focusing on the opportunities and support available to me. This mindset shift helps me make decisions from a place of calm and confidence, rather than fear or pressure.
Positive Affirmations: As positive affirmations helped me from being extremely anxious about my first birth to essentially having a powerful, positive experience, I know the power of affirmations for a positive mindset. I’ve increased the practice as part of my pregnancy and postpartum prep.
To Sum It All Up
To plan your maternity leave as a mom and business owner I encourage you to get clear on what you want, need, and what’s possible. Then, start your preparation well in time to ensure you’ll be cruising not rushing through it while growing your baby.
I hope that by sharing my insights and approach, you too can create a maternity leave plan that supports your wishes.
It’s all about finding what works for you, setting expectations, and leaning on your support system.
This is an exciting time of transition. I encourage you to listen to what you truly want, ditching the shoulds and expectations of others. Take your time to recover, to nurture yourself and your growing family. Heartfelt congratulations on this new part of your life journey.
If you’d like updates during and after my maternity leave, I invite you to join my MamaCare Newsletter, where I share tips, resources, motivation, and real-life insights for moms who want more in and for their lives.
As a welcome gift, you'll receive a calming bundle of meditations, affirmations, and a self-love journal.