Maternity Leave Plans
This is one of those times that being a small business owner is pretty great. This season of life is why I became a business owner. It’s the biggest perk of all, setting a schedule that directly benefits my family. I’ve always dreamed of becoming a mom, a very involved mom one, like my own. My parents own a small business and while that comes with many challenges, my mom played a very active role in my childhood! Until I was about 12, and could watch my siblings in order for her to get a part time job, she was there all the time. Every lunch, play date, bubble bath had mom in it. Looking back, it was incredible and one of the biggest gifts she’s ever given me and my siblings. She could’ve went out and got a job at a big company, made lots of money for us, but instead chose to do something even better – to stay home and raise us everyday. As I got older, I hoped that I could be half as involved as my mom was – so I started my own business. MBP blossomed out of the hope that I would one day be blessed to become a stay-at-home mom. This business gets me out of the house just enough, introduces me to some incredible couples & families, and helps with bills and extra stuff. My dream is that MBP will put my children through private school – but we have a few years before that happens!
A lot of photographers try to “plan” (as much as possible) their babies birth’s around the wedding season. We decided that we wouldn’t worry about that for our first. You could say were hoping that it would be less stressful that way and God would bless us when he saw fit. Little did we know it would be so soon! After passing on a dozen brides for this fall (the hardest thing ever!), I can see why people hope for off season deliveries! Putting Abe and my new family first was something completely strange to me. The old Megan would’ve gone through hoops to serve new couples! It seems that things are changing quickly, life and priorities are difference than they once were. The changes leave me wondering what the future of this business will look like and I am taking it one season at a time!
I’ve been asked about maternity leave, and the blessing is that MBP allows me to not have a set maternity leave. Pregnancy and child birth are incredible unpredictable and I can’t imagine how hard it must be to have a clock ticking for going back to work. Those mamas are stronger than they know! I do have an idea of what we’re hoping my maternity leave will look like and how much more work I am going to be taking toward the end of this year. Of course this depends on the birth itself and how my body recovers to it…
If all goes well, I am hoping to take time off from —
September 16th (37 weeks) to November 18th (weekend before Thanksgiving)
I am hoping this will be enough time for my body to heal and recover! Of course we will have a newborn we are adjusting to, but with the help of many family members, a supportive husband & one awesome Aunt Kate, I think i’ll be able to shoot a few family sessions this fall!
With that being said, if you haven’t already booked your family shoot for this fall, please reach out! Especially if you need to do them on a weekend! I only have a handful of dates left! September 9th is the only weekend date left prior to my maternity leave!
PSA! CHRISTMAS CARDS PEOPLE!!
After maternity leave, my schedule will be very limited! I have a few 2019 couples that requested fall engagements, which I can’t wait for!
I also have a November 16th & 17th as well as November 25th, and December 1st & 2nd! – But that is it! After those weekends, we will be in full on Christmas mode and I won’t be taking any more weekend dates! We are really looking forward to Abe’s first Christmas and I may or may not have been playing Christmas music on my belly to prep him! 😉
If you’re flexible to a weekday shoot, then great! That get’s a little tricky after daylight savings time (November 4th), but those sessions discounted compared to my limited weekend schedule.
I hope this answers some questions! After our next doctors appointment, I will hop on and give you guys a baby update! We’re hoping for a late September baby, Abe is growing quickly in there!!
