What Does my Maternity Leave Look like?

Ask Elizabeth: What is your plan for maternity leave as a self employed blogger?

I’ve been thinking about this question off & on in the back of my head since I saw that positive test. I have also been asked a lot by friends and family what I think this will look like for me – especially now as the days draw near. I’ve kind of put together a plan for what it all could be. I don’t feel like this is as ironed out as I want it to be but… that’s life! Also, I don’t really know how to make it more concrete. I don’t have “traditional” maternity leave that has been all mapped out in a handbook. I don’t get paid when I don’t work and I don’t get vacation days to throw at this. But that’s also part of the joy of this job.

Anyways, I need to set up some boundaries as I figure out how to be a mama. I know these first weeks / months with our little girl will be an adjustment and I want to be able to focus on her and our little family and not have to stress about work. Here is how I’m planning to do that –

SCHEDULED POSTS

I’m going to try to get some post scheduled out. I’m kinda running out of time… but the goal is to get at least one a week for a couple weeks. I’ve got some vacation posts, some fun posts, and some Ask Elizabeth’s & Thursday Links I can post. I really just need to sit down and iron them all out.

This will help me be here without being here the whole time. I may be slower to reply to comments and share on Instagram but I still want to not go radio silent.

Email Responder

I’m planning on setting up a Maternity Leave email responder for my email. I just want to warn people that I may be slower to answer emails/ not reply for awhile. I am going to keep this up for 12 weeks or so (the standard set by The Family and Medical Leave Act) but I’ll still try to keep on top of my emails in some way. Just not in a way that makes emails a priority over baby!

Sponsored Posts

I’m going to take a break from sponsored posts. That’s how I make the majority of my money here so I don’t love the idea – haha! But I know it is what I need to do. My maternity leave won’t necessarily be paid but that is a-okay. Family always comes first over here. I still have a couple campaigns I am working on that will go live and some other ones I may say yes to depending on how I feel. But I don’t want to feel like anything needs to be a priority when I can’t make it one.

Anyways, I guess the moral of the story is that I’ll be slowing down and I ask that you be gracious with me. I’ll pop in & out as I can/ want but I hope you will also allow me some time to adjust to my new role!

I think this way more than I say it – Thanks so much for reading and following along with Oak + Oats! I’ve blogged on and off for ten years (more “on” the last couple years!) and your comments, emails, and messages mean so much to me and make this job so fulfilling. It is also just a joy to be able to share with you my life!