Working from home during pregnancy

When I discovered that Marisol Douglas, who has contributed some photos to the Home Working Style pages, is expecting her second baby, I realised that working from home during pregnancy is a topic I hadn’t featured before.

What’s your family situation, Marisol? And when is your baby due?
I have a (nearly) 4-year old and I’m expecting our second child in early August.

How has being pregnant affected the way you work?
I have been very lucky in that both my pregnancies have been very good and trouble-free. So, although I’m feeling a bit more tired as the end gets near, I’ve been able to stay fairly active and therefore my routine hasn’t changed much.

Do you think working from home during pregnancy is helpful?
Perhaps not so much during pregnancy in my case – as I was able to stay active – but definitely after giving birth. I seem to remember I only took three days off after my first one was born but it was precisely because I had an office at home that I was able to continue to work. The baby was a true sleeper so, in addition to not missing out on hardly any sleep at night, I also had a fair amount of ‘quiet’ time during baby’s morning and afternoon naps. So all in all I was still able to work 7-8 hours a day overall, allowing of course for feeding times, nappy changing, etc.

As a home worker with your own business, is it easy to find help and advice about what you can claim?
My husband had set up an office at home a few years before I set up Caradiaz so I kind of knew already. But there is quite a bit of information on the internet these days. Likewise, if you have an accountant for your business, he/she would be able to help as well.

Will your working routine change as your pregnancy advances?
Not unless I’m feeling unwell. Working from home gives me sufficient flexibility to break my day however it suits me. So I can deal with urgent matters promptly and efficiently but also go for a walk and stretch my legs when I have to.

And what are your plans once the baby is born?
If everything goes as well as last time, I’ll probably take a few days off. But I’ll play it by ear really. At the moment I’m not too worried because I know help will be at hand if necessary. I have a part-time assistant who helps out at busy times of the year, such as Christmas, so I can call upon her if it all gets too much with the new baby.

What advice would you give a woman for working from home during pregnancy?
First and foremost I’d say look after yourself. Running your own business, whether from home or elsewhere, can be stressful at times, so try and establish a routine that suits you and your new situation.

And finally, the vital question – do you know if you’re having a boy or girl?
It’s a boy. So, having a little girl already, we are terribly excited – especially my husband, who was a bit concerned about being seriously outnumbered at home!

Marisol runs Caradiaz.com, a UK-based online jewellery shop selling unique – yet affordable – pieces of jewellery she designs herself, as modelled in the photo above. And Marisol is kindly offering readers a 15% discount on your first order if you quote the special code HOME15.

Thanks for talking to us, Marisol, and best wishes for your last few months of working from home during pregnancy, and of course for the birth.

And Marisol came back to talk to us after her son was born about combining business and baby.