Should Entrepreneurs Work on Maternity Leave? What I Tell Every Founder-Mom…
When I was pregnant with my first son, I thought “maternity leave” meant disappearing from my business for months — a total cut-off.
On the other side, I thought I had to “stay in it,” or risk losing momentum.
The truth — like most things in motherhood and entrepreneurship — landed somewhere in the middle.
Whether or not to work during maternity leave isn’t a binary choice. It’s a rhythm you design ahead of your leave and feel into while you’re in the postpartum season.
The worst answer a coach can give…
When moms ask me, “Should I work during my maternity leave?” I smile and say, it depends.
Because it really does.
Some women crave full immersion in the newborn season — no Slack, no launches, just time to rest and bond. Others find that short, intentional bursts of creative work keep them grounded and connected to their identity as founders.
Neither is wrong. And one isn’t better than the other.
What matters is that your choice is intentional, not reactive — made from clarity, not fear.
Great moms (myself included) work a bit on their maternity leave. It’s unrealistic to think that we’re going to completely detach from a business we built— our first baby.
Letting go of the guilt…
Many moms tell me they feel guilty for wanting to work during leave — that it somehow means they’re choosing their business over their baby.
Let me be clear: you’re not.
Loving your business doesn’t compete with loving your child. In fact, for many female founders, work is an extension of who we are — a space where our creativity and confidence still have room to breathe.
The key is creating systems that let you engage without being consumed.
Think: two hours of deep work while your partner takes the baby for a walk.
Or a weekly check-in that keeps you feeling informed, not involved.
This is not the time to make new commitments: a newsletter or podcast, meetings, hard deadlines. If it needs to go on the calendar, I’d try to push it for the first few weeks.
But if you’re feeling called to write a blog post, draw out a new design, develop an idea for a new offer — go for it.
You don’t need to disappear to be devoted to your baby. You just need simple boundaries that protect both your peace and your passion.
Working with Intention
When I was pregnant with my second son, Jack, I ended up designing the full curriculum for Master Maternity Leave while I was waiting for him to arrive. It wasn’t because I couldn’t stop working — it was because the ideas were flowing, and I had systems to hold me.
That season taught me something important: maternity leave can also be a creative reset. A time to listen, to think, to build slowly and intentionally.
If your energy allows, here are some gentle ways to stay engaged:
- Journal ideas for your next product or offer — without a deadline attached.
- Record voice memos when inspiration hits (no laptop required).
- Sketch out team processes or frameworks that will help you later.
- Reflect on what kind of business you want to return to — and what no longer fits.
Working during leave doesn’t have to look like doing. Sometimes, it’s simply becoming.
Designing the Right Support
You can’t find balance without support.
This is where your systems make or break the experience.
Before your baby arrives, set up:
- A clear “bat line” — one channel or contact who filters any true business needs while you’re away.
- A point person to send you simple weekly metrics (no 30-email updates).
- A partner plan for coverage — when and how someone else will hold space so you can work, shower, or nap.
Then communicate the boundaries clearly — with your team, your clients, and your household. Everyone wins when expectations are known.
Your Maternity Leave, Your Way
Some days you’ll feel inspired to dive in. Other days, just getting dressed will be enough.
Both are okay.
This isn’t about productivity; it’s about presence.
You’re building a new life — and a new rhythm that can evolve as you do.
So, if you choose to work a little during your leave, do it because it feels grounding — not because you feel guilty.
If you choose full rest, do it because it feels healing — not because you think you “should.”
Either way, your business — and your baby — will be better for having a mom who’s centered in her own rhythm.
Warmly,
Aly
