When it comes to maternity leave, third time’s the charm – or at least, I’m hoping that’s the case! As I prepare to welcome baby #3, I can’t help but reflect on how different each of my maternity leaves has been, and how each experience has shaped my approach to this upcoming transition.
My first maternity leave in 2017 was straightforward, at least on paper. I was working at the Attorney General’s office in St. Louis and took the standard 12-week FMLA leave when my daughter Grace was born. While I officially kept my options open, I had a feeling I wouldn’t return – though I had no idea of the entrepreneurial journey that lay ahead.
Those early months as a stay-at-home mom were precious, but around the 7-month mark, I found myself drawn to exploring work-from-home opportunities. What started as writing articles for other law firms soon blossomed into a vision for my own virtual trademark law practice. I set an initial goal to match my AG office salary, but to my surprise and delight, I soon surpassed it while working less than half the hours.
Fast forward to my second maternity leave with my son, and I faced a completely different scenario. Gone were the safety nets of paid leave and helpful coworkers covering my docket. As a self-employed attorney, I had to navigate uncharted waters. While that leave went relatively well, it also taught me valuable lessons that I’m applying to my upcoming leave.
This time around, I’m fortunate to have more support structures in place. My mother, an experienced attorney herself, joined my practice in 2022 after retiring from her previous position. I also have a more robust virtual assistant relationship, with increased support hours compared to my previous leave. These additional resources have allowed me to create a more comprehensive maternity leave plan.
Here’s how I’m approaching this third maternity leave:
- Smarter Calendar Management
One key lesson from my last maternity leave? Timing is everything. Previously, I blocked off too much time before my due date, only to have my son arrive at 42 weeks! This time, I’m blocking my calendar from my due date onward and planning a complete 5-6 week pause on consultation calls. After that initial period, I’ll ease back in with limited availability just two days per week for consultations only – keeping all other work responsibilities delegated during this transition period.
- Strategic Team Coverage
The backbone of this leave plan is my support team. My mom (and law partner) will handle all trademark client work for at least the first 8 weeks postpartum. While we’ll pause new copyright and contract work during this period (as these are my exclusive domain), we’ll continue booking these engagements for after my return. My virtual assistant will manage daily operations, including inbox monitoring, docket calendaring, client status updates, and processing onboarding materials and invoices.
- Automated Lead Conversion
Rather than completely pausing business development during my leave, I’m experimenting with a new approach. I’m creating a comprehensive PDF guide that provides prospective clients with all the information (and more!) that they’d typically receive during a consultation. Clients can then choose to either book a call for after my return or proceed directly with our services. Given our strong base of returning clients, I’m optimistic about this solution – though I’m viewing it as an experiment and looking forward to sharing the results!
- Streamlined Communication Strategy
Traditional email isn’t always the best solution when you’re juggling a newborn. I’m implementing Voxer, a mobile walkie-talkie style app, for all team communication during my leave. This allows me to stay informed without getting pulled into my inbox. We’re also developing new internal systems to enable direct communication between my mom and our VA, reducing the need for me to serve as an intermediary. Our auto-reply will clearly communicate my leave status while providing resources like our contract template shop and comprehensive trademark guide.
What strikes me most as I plan this leave is how each maternity leave reflects a different phase of business growth. From my first leave as a government attorney to now planning leave as the owner of a thriving practice with a team, each experience has built upon the last. The goal isn’t perfection – it’s creating a sustainable approach that works for your business, your clients, and most importantly, your family.
For other business owners contemplating a leave of absence – whether for maternity, health reasons, or simply a much-needed break – I encourage you to think about your support systems well in advance. Who can help cover critical tasks? What can be automated or temporarily paused? How can you communicate with clients to set appropriate expectations?
I’ll be sure to report back on how this plan works in practice, especially our experiment with the consultation alternative. After all, the best plans are living documents that evolve with experience!
