Navigating freelance life during pregnancies and early motherhood has been deeply challenging and rewarding.
I wanted to share my experience and my learnings, but have been terrified of posting anything about motherhood for fear of what it will do to my career. That alone says a lot.
Telling clients
Unfortunately, you’ll need be wary of introducing yourself to new clients whilst pregnant.
As a freelancer, you aren’t obliged to tell employers at all. To know where you stand on that front Pregnant Then Screwed is very helpful.
Hiding my pregnancy felt horribly uncomfortable even though it meant getting some ongoing work.
I didn’t hear back from a single new one I met in my second trimester, and kicked myself for being so honest when discussing immediate availability, next project and planned return to work. “You’ll want at least a year” is not helpful when you don’t know others circumstances.
Fortunately, some clients are wonderfully supportive.
Lean on your network of strong women doing it well - I'm forever grateful to fellow freelancing parents on sharing productivity tips and how to do the juggle.
During my first week as freelance mat cover taking up the reins to lead Nike at R/GA, I found out our baby wasn’t going to survive to term.
The team there let me throw myself into work when I needed it and pause when I couldn’t. There’s an important lesson in there about having decent handover time. My clients there were kind, and supportive.
Maternity pay
Freelancing obviously means little maternity pay.
Pay differs whether self-employed (claim Maternity Allowance) vs director of your own company (SMP). If you’re director of your own company: bump up your SMP for the first 6 weeks by increasing your salary for a bit whilst pregnant. Your tax bill may be slightly higher - but overall it works.
You get 10 keeping in touch (KIT) days during your mat leave - 10 days to work your day rate whilst on SMP; bank that extra ££.
It’s a great way of keeping the cogs going if you choose to.
For support on working out your financials try people like Nugget and speak to a good accountant.
Also worth working out the pros and cons of shared parental leave, this can increase your KIT days to 20.
Returning to work
When thinking about returning to work, remember, as a freelancer, you make the rules.
Whilst not having a set plan for return like with a normal employer can feel a bit daunting, there is SO MUCH freedom in returning to work at your own speed - even if sooner than you wish, hello SMP - starting back at 1-2 days a week is a luxury many don’t get.
Same goes for increasing your days.
Although more agencies want on-site presence again - being freelance gives you more flexibility to say no. You won’t always get that client but there’s plenty who will be ok with remote.
Nursery days and freelance life aren’t particularly compatible. You can’t fully enjoy those days off as you can’t take the babe out and save the cash, though you can have a day to you…
Lean on your network
Lean on your network of strong women doing it well - I’m forever grateful to fellow freelancing parents on sharing productivity tips and how to do the juggle post babe.
Many freelancers have been super generous with their time and advice when I feeling most vulnerable.
Any freelancers who want to pick my brains on pregnancy and motherhood whilst working freelance, to share and pass on all I’ve learnt and help where I can, get in touch.
