Juggling Pregnancy, Motherhood & Building a Business
Launching a business is no small feat. Launching a business while pregnant, raising a toddler, and running another company? That’s a whole new level of chaos.
When I started designing Billow Beach in October 2023, I had no idea I’d soon be navigating one of the busiest, most intense years of my life—growing a business and a baby at the same time.
This is the raw, behind-the-scenes look at what it was like to balance pregnancy, motherhood, and launching a brand from scratch.
The Moment I Found Out I Was Pregnant
Just as I was diving deep into prototyping and manufacturer research, I found out I was pregnant with my second child, Banjo.
My initial thoughts?
“Can I actually do this?”
“How am I going to handle pregnancy, a newborn, and launching Billow Beach?”
I already had a toddler running around and was also managing my other business, Pretty Cool Marketing. The exhaustion, the morning sickness, and the mental load of entrepreneurship all hit at once.
Morning Sickness & Building a Business (Not a Great Combo!)
The first and second trimester was brutal.
🚨 I was spewing my guts up almost daily.
🚨 My energy and iron was at an all-time low.
🚨 Some days, I could barely take care of Safari without feeling sick, so i replied on TV more then I ever wanted to.
I had moments where I questioned whether Billow Beach was even possible during this phase of life. But at the same time, I knew that if I didn’t push through now, I’d never launch.
I had to work smarter, not harder. So, I focused on:
✔️ Batch working – Instead of working daily, I’d plan out a few high-focus workdays and then rest. I treated everyday as a WTH day.
✔️ Trusting my vision – Reminding myself why I started kept me going.
The Bulk Order & Baby Banjo’s Arrival
One of the wildest parts of this journey? My first bulk order of Billow Beach Bags was set to arrive right around my due date.
Talk about stressful timing! 😅
I had 100 bags on the way, a toddler to care for, and now I was preparing for labor and postpartum recovery.
💙 The only way I got through it? My support system.
- My best friend Olivia helped with the Billow Beach launch photoshoot when I could barely bend down because of my huge round belly.
- My mother in law came over to help with my toddler when I needed to focus on business tasks/enjoying the last days of pregnancy.
- I allowed myself to take breaks when my body demanded it.
If there’s one thing I learned during this process, it’s this: You don’t have to do everything alone.
Postpartum, Sleep Deprivation & Still Running a Business
Once Banjo arrived, I officially entered survival mode.
🚼 Postpartum recovery was no joke, my body hurt for days.
😴 Sleep deprivation hit HARD, but somehow I was able to manage which was really weird.
🛍️ I had (still have) orders and business tasks piling up.
Some days, I felt like I was doing way too much—and other days, I felt like I wasn’t doing enough. It’s a constant battle as a business owner and a mum.
What helped?
✔️ Giving myself grace – Not everything had to be done immediately.
✔️ Planning ahead – Before giving birth, I pre-scheduled social media posts, I edited literally 100 reels and I set up automatic email flows.
✔️ Working in small bursts – Sometimes all I had was 20 minutes between newborn naps, and that had to be enough.
Lessons Learned from Being a “Mumpreneur”
✨ 1. You Can’t Pour From an Empty Cup
There were times when I completely burned out because I didn’t take care of myself. Rest is just as important as productivity.
✨ 2. Motherhood Builds Resilience
If I can juggle a newborn, a toddler, and launching a business at the same time, I can handle literally anything. (Birthing two humans also gives me this mental strength)
✨ 3. Done is Better Than Perfect
I had to let go of perfectionism. Some things had to be scrappy—and that’s okay, I just keep working on improving everyday.
✨ 4. Nurturing My Current Audience
Everyone focuses on growing but I feel so lucky to have audience who love being apart of my life and business journey already. I think about them when creating content, even this blog!
What’s Next? Prepping for the Official Billow Beach Launch
Now that Banjo had arrived and my first stock order was finally here, the real work began—preparing for the official launch of Billow Beach!
In my next blog, I’ll share:
📸 How I planned the first product photoshoot (while heavily pregnant!)
💻 How I built my website & social media strategy
📩 The email marketing plan that helped me start selling before I even launched
👉 Mums, business owners, and multitaskers—can you relate? Drop your biggest motherhood + business challenge in the comments!
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<3 Shakas