Just a few months ago, as I embarked on a new entrepreneurial adventure, I received news that turned my little world upside down. My name is Annick, passionate entrepreneur and mother of three wonderful daughters. Today, I want to share with you my adventure as I prepared for a fourth pregnancy, while juggling prenatal appointments and video calls, inherent waves of fatigue and deadlines to meet.
A whirlwind of emotions: joys and challenges of a new pregnancy
The announcement of this new pregnancy triggered a whirlwind of emotions in me. Between the excitement of welcoming a new member to our family, concerns about running my business, finances, energy, and the well-being of my already present children. I found myself confronted with a complex mix of feelings. Joy and trepidation intertwined as I prepared for this new chapter in my life.
I already had three daughters. I thought that now that the youngest had gone to school, I could finally free up time for my projects and my professional life. And just when I thought I had everything under control, life reminded me that plans can change overnight. It’s true that I care very much about my children and my role as a mother. But I’m not going to lie to you, it takes time to accept that things don’t always go as planned. In fact, I was convinced that 2023 would be my year and now, all of a sudden, certain things would have to be postponed until later.
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Motherhood represents a significant stage in a woman’s professional life. When you are an employee, you have the possibility of putting your career on hold during pregnancy. On the other hand, as an entrepreneur, I can’t really stop my activity. This could cause a significant drop in my income and the loss of potential customers.
Not to mention mood swings, juggling pregnancy and working from home can also be difficult due to increased fatigue. There is also difficulty concentrating on professional tasks due to physical discomfort. Additionally, it is difficult to establish clear boundaries between work and personal life. After giving birth, there is also the question of caring for the newborn and the fact that I no longer have the right to extended maternity leave. For my business to continue operating, I must quickly resume my activity, adapt and resume a new rhythm with the children.
But after a moment of perspective, I realized that this unexpected pregnancy was an incredible opportunity to reevaluate my priorities and redefine my professional goals. Even though difficulties awaited me, I remembered that my family represents the most important thing in my life, my greatest source of motivation and joy. And the arrival of this new member of our family is actually a real blessing.
Photo credit: Annick Randrianantoandro
Redefine priorities to find balance and serenity
After reflecting on my recent family and professional situation, I understood the importance of readjusting my priorities. This time of transition has pushed me to examine what is truly important to me, both personally and professionally. Working from home has many advantages. Still, it can be difficult to manage the responsibilities of a growing business while meeting family needs.
As a mother of three already active children, each day is an adventure in itself. Shopping for extracurricular activities, homework to supervise and precious moments spent together fill my days with happiness, excitement, but also fatigue. I am not a machine and I sometimes feel guilty because I was not able to meet the individual needs of each child while providing them with love and attention. Despite careful planning and a lot of patience, there were times when I was too exhausted to read a story to my daughters and just couldn’t wait to get to bed.
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I also felt like I wasn’t taking good care of my future baby. I didn’t have enough time to prepare for his arrival due to busy days that often turned into late nights. As I tried to balance meetings, training, deadlines and household chores.
I was also plagued with new questions and concerns. How can I manage the physical challenges of pregnancy while still focusing on my business and family? How can I balance my work responsibilities with the need for rest during this time?
Despite my worries and questions, I learned to recognize my limits and set achievable goals. By focusing on my well-being and taking into account the needs of my family and my career, I was able to re-evaluate my priorities and focus on what matters. This period of reflection also made me realize the importance of ensuring that my pregnancy goes well. My health and that of my baby are essential.
The delicate balance: reconciling entrepreneurship and motherhood
Finding the balance between pregnancy, work and family is a daily challenge. Overcoming obstacles while juggling multiple responsibilities can be exhausting, stressful, and you can easily feel overwhelmed. But now, I no longer seek perfection. What matters to me is finding balance and harmony to avoid exhaustion.
Manage daily unforeseen events
When I understood that managing pregnancy, business and family required careful organization, I took the time to think about what was really important to me. That is to say: “take care of myself in order to be able to give the best of myself to my family and to my projects.” I determined my priorities both personally and professionally, which allowed me to better organize my days according to essential objectives. By adopting this approach, I was also able to learn to delegate certain tasks when possible, and to say no when necessary, without feeling guilty.
Photo credit: Annick Randrianantoandro
Adapt to constant changes
By dealing with unexpected events and changes, I have learned to be flexible in my planning. Aware of the importance of leaving nothing to chance, I adopted a rigorous method: I scrupulously note all my tasks in my diary. This allows me to manage my schedule by setting aside time to rest, spend time with family, and work.
Plans can change quickly. And rather than resisting change, I learned to quickly adapt to changing circumstances. I then adjust my schedule and expectations accordingly. It’s true that with pregnancy and hormones, we have difficulty controlling our emotions. However, I realized that it was essential to remain flexible in order to find solutions to the challenges that came my way.
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Nurturing my professional passion despite my family responsibilities
While personal and family challenges seemed to consume all my attention, I also had to make sure I maintained my professional passion. I found comfort in small daily victories, no matter how small.
Taking care of myself during pregnancy
Although I sometimes experience feelings of guilt for not being constantly available for my children or for not meeting all professional expectations. I try to remember that it is essential that I take care of myself. Whether it’s taking a few minutes to meditate and read or taking some time to go shopping. Ensuring my physical and mental well-being helps me stay centered and better cope with stress and daily challenges.
Create my own support network
To alleviate the pressure I put on myself, I accepted that I can’t do everything alone. I’m doing my best and I know I need support. Having people I can count on has made all the difference. Whether it’s my husband, to share family responsibilities and offer emotional support, or my colleagues, to share the work.
Conclusion
Navigating pregnancy, business and family is a challenge, but also a rewarding experience. Ultimately, this new pregnancy is not just a challenge to overcome, it is an opportunity for personal growth. This particular period offered me the opportunity to refine my time management and organizational skills.
There is no magic formula for successfully juggling entrepreneurship and motherhood. Each course is unique, with obstacles specific to each. Even if we prepare as much as possible, the future is often unpredictable.
My story, although personal, probably resembles that of many mom entrepreneurs in my situation. However, it highlights that despite the unexpected challenges, many women are proving that it is completely achievable to be an entrepreneur and a mom at the same time. Every woman has within herself the strength to overcome obstacles and pursue their dreams.
Now that my son is born, a new chapter in my journey begins. I’m still trying to balance the needs of my baby while continuing to manage my business and family. This requires continuous adaptation and effective time management. Yet, I am confident that the skills and lessons learned will guide me in this new phase of my life.
Being there to watch my children grow and celebrating each success of my business makes all the effort worth it. Despite the difficulties I encounter, it gives me the strength and motivation necessary to move forward.
If you share this same passion for entrepreneurship and motherhood, I invite you to discover my article Is it possible to become a mom entrepreneur?
Photo credit: Annick Randrianantoandro
Annick