Warning! Preggo Paranoia Post

By on August 6th, 2009 In Uncategorized

I’ve had many restless nights of sleep lately.  The fact that I have a very active baby in my belly has me tossing and turning just as much as the stress and worry I have for my business. You see, I am an Indie. Its just me, my computer and my cellphone in my home office. I have been handling my client’s PR all by myself for the past three years. Once in a while I would have someone help me with a release or have an intern do research, but its all me, all the time. I check my emails constantly and always have my phone nearby. I read the paper every morning, scan the internet and Twitter for the latest news and water cooler chat and flip between all the news shows all day long.

For those of you with kids, you know a baby changes your life forever. I hear it all the time. Almost as much as how tired I will be in the first few months. I have been trying to prepare for what I will do when the baby comes and the business for months now, but still not sure how it will all turn out. A baby will change my business forever too. I have been picking the brains of many of my mommy friends in PR for their advice and guidance. Sometimes I think I will be ok, I just won’t be responding to my emails and phone as fast as I have in the past. Other times I freak out thinking that I won’t be able to stay on top of all the latest information and leads and lose opportunities to get my clients that media hit.

You are probably thinking I should just hire someone to help with the baby or my pitches. That sounds so easy, but along with expenses, the media and a baby are so unpredictable, how do I ever stay on top of all my responsibilites in the most effective manner? Will it matter if I take six hours to get back to a reporter’s call or email request? Can I catch up on sleep while the baby sleeps? Is it possible to breastfeed and reply to emails on my Blackberry at the same time? Do I bring a baby with me to meetings if I don’t have a sitter?

These are things I think and worry about constantly. For the first time in my career, I can’t completely be in control. It scares the hell out of me.

Comments

Wendy Kenney @23Kazoos Says:
August 6th, 2009 at 8:47 pm

Hey Charlotte,

As a mother with three sons who worked from home when they were all babies, I have to tell you that these things have a way of working themselves out. But- you will need to have some all important time off for a few weeks after baby is born to rest and adjust. People will understand. And I know that you have many awesome PR friends who will help pick up the slack so you can take care of the new little guy (and yourself) for a few weeks. Wishing you all the best!

Marketing Sociologist Says:
August 6th, 2009 at 10:36 pm

Mrs. Shaff:

Welcome to 21st Century business, “Its just me, my computer and my cellphone”

As the parent of the two most wonderful children in the world, now in their 20s, I am so excited for you. Learn what unconditional love is! Keep us posted on his/her development, or their if more than one.

You’ll find the first year you’ll depend A LOT upon relatives to cover when you have meeting. After the first year, you’ll loosen up and discover sitters and day care.

“Can I catch up on sleep while the baby sleeps?” You are so funny, Ms. Shaff. For the first six weeks you can toss that word from your vocabulary – really!

“Is it possible to breastfeed and reply to emails on my Blackberry at the same time?” That’s fine, but I would discourage it for Web cam chats.

My only other advice is, don’t worry about the business. It works out. Enjoy every precious moment with that child. You blink your eyes, and they have their own family – ask your parents if this isn’t so.

Ann N. Videan, APR Says:
August 7th, 2009 at 9:19 am

Charlotte, you are a smart, resourceful woman and you will figure out what works best for both your family and your business.

I’ve been through this with two kiddos myself and can vouch for the comments in the replies above. It will work itself out. Your clients will understand, even help. So will your PR cronies.

You just have to ask when you need help. That is the key. Oh, and taking care of YOU is most important. if you don’t, you won’t be helpful to anyone.

Bridget Daly Says:
August 7th, 2009 at 9:23 am

Charlotte,

Thanks for this post. Although I wasn’t working full time from home when I had my kids, I was going to college full time. Three days after having both my children, I was writing research papers and taking exams. It is so normal to feel this way and like both comments before mine have already stated, things will work out and you will be amazed at the superheros women turn into when they become mothers. Can I be so bold as to give a little advice? Getting to know you (if even online) over the past couple years has proven one thing – you work REALLY hard. Don’t forget to take time for you and the baby. After my second child, I unfortunately started to neglect my family because of my exciting and new PR career. I quickly realized what I was doing and “snapped out of it.” I promised myself that I would never do that again. Clients can wait. Being a mother is a much, much more important job.

Paula Hubbs Cohen Says:
August 8th, 2009 at 4:39 pm

Charlotte, I lurk on here frequently and only know you from reading your posts, but I know exactly where you’re coming from – as does every other mother, and dare I say, father…

We’ve all been there, and I will validate your fears – it IS scary to think about all that will change! My two are now older, in fact, oldest is leaving Monday (boo hoo :( )and heading back down to UA for her junior year. My “baby” starts his senior year in high school on Monday -and oh, by the way, he’s 6’4″!!!…which is something I could not have imagined when I first held him in my arms 17 years ago. I have worked as an indie freelance writer for many years and while it could be tough working at home when they were very young, where there’s a will, there’s a way…

My point is that your fears are real, but you are smart enough and have enough support to figure out what will work and what will not work for you and your family. Yes, your priorities will change, they have to. Now, your clients are like your “babies,” but soon, they will be clients – treasured, important – but clients. You will learn to juggle and prioritize. You will lean on friends and family. You will learn to power-nap :)

Finally – (and sorry for the essay on motherhood :) ) there will be times when you are so exhausted you will literally be too tired to even cry. There will be times when you will feel hopelessly confused/scared about what to do (baby has fever, baby won’t stop crying, if/where/when to use daycare/sitter, should I call the doctor because his poop is green, should I call the doctor because he hasn’t pooped in two days, yes, poop and all its varieties will become a big part of your life…) that you will cry. And there will be many, many, MANY more times when you will be so in love with your little one, you won’t remember your life “before.”

Enjoy – I have to stand on my tip-toes to hug my son these days :)

Linda Kaplan Says:
August 10th, 2009 at 3:39 pm

Hi Charlotte
Why not set up a 90 day plan for after the baby. Get your PR friends lined up and organized and filled in on what they may need to do. Then you can rest assured that the first three months are covered if you need it. Babies are unpredictable. Yours may be an angel…or not in the first weeks. My take on clients is they will be understanding to a point but then, they will want what they want when they want it.

Linnea Maxwell Says:
August 10th, 2009 at 9:21 pm

Get used to it now — control is an illusion.

Good luck with the rest of it!

Add your Comment


Want Your Picture Icon? Go to gravatar.com and set a picture up to your email address for free. It also works on thousands of other websites, too!