Happy New Year (I’m a bit late to the party).

But it’s because during the first week of 2022, we welcomed our third baby to the family! I’ve attempted to write this in my head a few times. But then I get distracted and delay it another week.

I’m almost halfway through the fourth trimester and trying to relax as much as I can. We’ve all been home for most of January, everyone is well thanks to help from family and friends and we’re getting used to our new routines.

Although I will say despite my setting up out of office responders, letting people know I’d be offline, going off Facebook and Instagram in 2021 and wrapping up the podcast, I did have an email response the morning of his birth to something I’d been exploring for over a year – I’m not sure what will come of it but it seemed fitting and like a good omen. It also reminded me of the fact, you can’t plan for everything!

Since then, I’ve been living in a haze of medicine scheduling, cluster feedings and slowly building up to more activity each week as it was also my third c-section.

I don’t often write about the logistics or health procedures behind my pregnancies, deliveries and postpartum periods but all of my pregnancy experiences have had some form of complications, so I’ve gotten used to going with the flow and taking it slower than I’d like to.

All lessons I can apply in other areas of my life and work.

When I had my first baby overseas, I was working remotely as a freelancer and felt I could do more once I was six week postpartum. I was full of ideas and it was a time of inspiration, new connections, research and exploration, when I participated in a weekly startup program.

When I had my second baby, I had wrapped up a temporary contract and was prepared with a launch plan to test and validate my ideas, taking action through showing up, accidental activism and creating new experiences for others, working during the naptime routines and on weekends.

Between then and now, a lot has changed. I don’t think I need to elaborate when it comes to current global and local events, workforce participation and the uptake of remote work technologies but I’m proud of what we accomplished as a community leading up to 2020 and since then online.

BUT throughout this pregnancy I have felt the need to recalibrate.

Recalibrate my work, routines, ideas, theories, a number of things big and small that I felt I had outgrown, were no longer working or were not serving my highest good when it comes the health of my body, baby and this business.

When I tried to do things the same way, this baby and my body challenged me to try otherwise. Now that he’s arrived, it’s clear the way we previously ran our household will no longer work (for the time being) and we need to test out a few different ideas, approaches or perhaps…reinvent who I am as a parent altogether?

Or put more simply, to do less, not try so hard and take my cues from others (mostly under the age of six) for the time being.

One thing I did remember from my previous experiences: It’s hard to type while holding or feeding a newborn! And in these early days, they are held and fed a lot. But I’m trying to be more present and in the moment, so many of my thoughts as it relates to work are getting shelved or put on hold for now.

I guess I could have tried dictation but in the end I’ve settled for standing at the kitchen counter (a favourite writing spot), wearing him in the baby carrier and typing while the oven fan runs for white noise.

Hopefully I will be able to resume a somewhat regular writing schedule after the fourth trimester ends but until April, this is as best I could manage.

In the meantime, if you’d like to explore my flexible work resources (podcast mini episodes, time blocking template, babies + business mini guide, remote work retreat course, startup blogging book and ebook), you can find them all here:  https://mixingbabiesandbusiness.vipmembervault.com/

I’d love to keep talking about flexible work over the coming year, if you know of any organizations seeking to provide fresh content around creative workflows or more inclusive business solutions for parents, please do get in touch with me by replying to this email or simply visit the website: mixingbabiesandbusiness.com/contact

If you have a moment, please let me know how your first few weeks of 2022 have been,

– Amy (+ Family) xx
Founder of Mixing Babies And Business™

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