7 Tips for Pregnant Bloggers

It seems like there are a lot of bloggers out there who are pregnant!  Now that I’m in my third trimester of pregnancy I thought I would share some advice  (and remind myself of some advice) on how to deal with being pregnant blogger.

 

Take a babymoon (again)

If you’re like me, life gets really busy!  My husband and I work very hard.  There are days where we drop into bed and wonder where the day went.  With the new baby coming it’s important to take a little time to reconnect with your partner and get some perspective.   It’s been our tradition to take a little trip together before each baby is born.  Usually it’s only a short overnight getaway   (it’s hard to get sitters for our kids!) But it’s nice to take a breather, remember that you love each other and love building a family together.

Plan for future posts

You know how people suggest that you make a meal and freeze a meal before the baby’s born?  Same thing with posts.  Try to write a post for now and post for later to cover any gaps when the baby is born, or when you’re just to tired and sick to deal with your blog.

Plan for maternity leave – and let everyone know

Let me tell you about my boss.  She bugs me at 1 AM about a post I’ve been working on.  She expects me to monitor my blog  24/7.  She’s always asking me to come up with new ideas and assigns me more projects than I could ever hope to complete.  She sounds pretty mean right?  And yes – I am my own boss.  But I’ve put my foot down with my meany boss alter ego.  I am taking maternity leave – whether I have posts set to cover it or not.  I’ve also informed my advertisers that I’m taking a break and when I plan on coming back.  Its set with the advertisers I’ve worked with, but more importantly it’s set with me.  I’ve given myself permission to let go of less important things and put family first.

Choose the nap

Pregnancy can be tiring.  On those rare days when both the kids happen to fall asleep at the same time and house is quiet I normally rejoice and bang out a couple of posts.   But now, more often than not I choose to take a nap.  I also choose to not feel guilty about it.  My family has deal with crazy hormones and mood swings I shouldn’t add exhaustion on top of it.  If the opportunity presents itself – take the nap!  You’ll feel better and be happier.

Post less – it’s ok

Since taking the nap has taken priority I have less time to post.  Instead of posting every single day I’m posting a few times a week.  And it’s been fine!  I’ll pick up my posts when I’m off maternity, but it’s ok to slow down for a few months.  Let it go!

Allow Guest Posts

Help out some fellow bloggers and let them help you by allowing guest posts.  Guest bloggers get to advertise their blog and you get content – it’s a win/win!   I first saw this on Craft Snob when she did a “handmade ornament parade” on her blog a couple of years ago.  She invited fellow bloggers to guest post ( I was one of them) and planned it out well in advance to cover part of her maternity leave.  I thought that was very smart on her part.

Babies before blogs

The bottom line is your little one that is on the way comes before your blog.  Your blog should not come at the expense of your health and happiness.   One of the reasons I chose to start blogging was that it is a “family friendly” occupation.  But like most self-employed jobs, it’s what you make it to be.  I’m choosing to make my job family and baby friendly.