Mobile hairdresser and maternity leave?

[babychops]

Hi geeks, as a lot of you may now know I'm finally pregnant! Yay lol now that I'm 12 weeks I'm starting to tell my clients and they are asking me about when I will stop working and when I'll come back etc! I don't really know what I'm gonna do tbh. I'm due early December so obviously all of December I'll be off. What did you mobile hairdressers do? Did you recommend someone else to do their hair whilst you are on leave? Did you set a date you went back to work? How long did you have off? It's stressing me out a little bit now!
Thanks x

 

[Emily9]

Congratulations!!

I do mobile beauty, with my first child i was induced 4 weeks early! I finished 7 pm on the Wednesday to be induced at 8pm. Had him Thursday afternoon and went back to work on the Tuesday!

My daughter arrived 6 weeks early and we were both very poorly so after an emergency c section I took 2 weeks off and I'm due my third in 6 weeks but think I may take 2/4 weeks off depending on what happens.

a lot of my clients asked if they could gone to me and a lot especially older clients will ask you too take baby with you as long as you and they don't mind do what's best for you and what you feel most comfortable with.
I'm booked up until my due date and don't feel great but I have that much booked in I'm terrified to go into labour early and I couldn't afford too!

 

[sallysally]

Congratulations!!

I do mobile beauty, with my first child i was induced 4 weeks early! I finished 7 pm on the Wednesday to be induced at 8pm. Had him Thursday afternoon and went back to work on the Tuesday!

My daughter arrived 6 weeks early and we were both very poorly so after an emergency c section I took 2 weeks off and I'm due my third in 6 weeks but think I may take 2/4 weeks off depending on what happens.

a lot of my clients asked if they could gone to me and a lot especially older clients will ask you too take baby with you as long as you and they don't mind do what's best for you and what you feel most comfortable with.
I'm booked up until my due date and don't feel great but I have that much booked in I'm terrified to go into labour early and I couldn't afford too!

Emily that's incredible that you only had only 5 days off with your first and a 2 weeks with your second? How come you had so little time off?

I am due Dec 1st and could not imagine not having a few months off, I don't think my husband would let me go back to work that soon!

 

[fluffy26]

I'm a mobile therapist & I took the full 9months off!! Your never going to have this time again!! Enjoy it!!! Yes I had clients phoning & texting "when are you coming back!!?" (But I didn't cave!) I then gradually introduced Friday days & evening work back in, I contacted all my clients saying I was coming back to work & they pretty much all came back!! Yes whilst clients will go elsewhere while your off, they love what you do, have confidence 90% of the will be back!! Good luck & enjoy your maternity leave!! Xx

 

[sallysally]

I'm a mobile therapist & I took the full 9months off!! Your never going to have this time again!! Enjoy it!!! Yes I had clients phoning & texting "when are you coming back!!?" (But I didn't cave!) I then gradually introduced Friday days & evening work back in, I contacted all my clients saying I was coming back to work & they pretty much all came back!! Yes whilst clients will go elsewhere while your off, they love what you do, have confidence 90% of the will be back!! Good luck & enjoy your maternity leave!! Xx

I agree fluffy....I am looking forward to 9 months at home!!

Emily did you not qualify for maternity pay??

 

[babychops]

Congratulations!!

I do mobile beauty, with my first child i was induced 4 weeks early! I finished 7 pm on the Wednesday to be induced at 8pm. Had him Thursday afternoon and went back to work on the Tuesday!

My daughter arrived 6 weeks early and we were both very poorly so after an emergency c section I took 2 weeks off and I'm due my third in 6 weeks but think I may take 2/4 weeks off depending on what happens.

a lot of my clients asked if they could gone to me and a lot especially older clients will ask you too take baby with you as long as you and they don't mind do what's best for you and what you feel most comfortable with.
I'm booked up until my due date and don't feel great but I have that much booked in I'm terrified to go into labour early and I couldn't afford too!

Omg you didn't have much time off! I def want to have at least 2 months off or more. I'll see how I feel at the time. I have had clients say I can bring the baby with me but that isn't really something I want to do. I can't imagine bringing all the babies stuff and my stuff everywhere I go! I am going to speak to my friend who is a hairdresser and ask her if she would like to cover my clients for me when I'm on leave. I understand I'll probably loose some to her but I won't be able to take them all back on again anyway x

 

[Emily9]

Yes I qualified for maternity pay but it's very little compared to what I earn so i didn't feel it was really an option I was also glad of a break and getting out of the house!

I'm finding this pregnancy with 2 small kids harder and slowly getting slower as the weeks come to an end but will definitely be going back as soon as I have had the baby.

I think it's all down to how you feel personally about it. I think when your self employed it's the worry of loosing clients we've worked all these years for!

 

[sallysally]

Yes I qualified for maternity pay but it's very little compared to what I earn so i didn't feel it was really an option I was also glad of a break and getting out of the house!

I'm finding this pregnancy with 2 small kids harder and slowly getting slower as the weeks come to an end but will definitely be going back as soon as I have had the baby.

I think it's all down to how you feel personally about it. I think when your self employed it's the worry of loosing clients we've worked all these years for!

That's very true Emily as I worry about losing clients because even though they say they will come back I think as soon as they find someone else they may be lost forever!

 

[sallysally]

Yes I qualified for maternity pay but it's very little compared to what I earn so i didn't feel it was really an option I was also glad of a break and getting out of the house!

I'm finding this pregnancy with 2 small kids harder and slowly getting slower as the weeks come to an end but will definitely be going back as soon as I have had the baby.

I think it's all down to how you feel personally about it. I think when your self employed it's the worry of loosing clients we've worked all these years for!

Emily what do you do for childcare as that's a concern of mine at the moment?

 

[Emily9]

A mix between nursery and a child minder Monday-Friday then my sister helps me on a Saturday which I do try not to work if I can help it!

 

[Grace_Hair]

I've not got kids.
But the owner of the previous salon I worked took the full 9 months off. My accountant was shocked someone self employed took such a long time off. Most of her clients weren't impressed.

I had two weeks off for appendicitis and that was long enough to be away.

I don't fancy kids so hopefully I'll never have to deal with time off!

 

[babychops]

Iv just had the midwife round as I was experiencing a lot of pain on my left hand side. It was so bad I was in tears on the floor. She thinks it's structural as it's painful when I move my left leg. I have to see a physio soon. She said my job isn't helping. I am cutting my hours down but it seems silly to have to slow right down on work at only 14 weeks! I have a high pain threshold but this pain was just too unbearable for me! I got to a client today and had to re-book her as I couldn't stand up straight! X

 

[sallysally]

Iv just had the midwife round as I was experiencing a lot of pain on my left hand side. It was so bad I was in tears on the floor. She thinks it's structural as it's painful when I move my left leg. I have to see a physio soon. She said my job isn't helping. I am cutting my hours down but it seems silly to have to slow right down on work at only 14 weeks! I have a high pain threshold but this pain was just too unbearable for me! I got to a client today and had to re-book her as I couldn't stand up straight! X

Baby chops sorry to hear that....remember baby is no 1 at the moment! Hope you feel better soon xx

 

[sallysally]

I've not got kids.
But the owner of the previous salon I worked took the full 9 months off. My accountant was shocked someone self employed took such a long time off. Most of her clients weren't impressed.

I had two weeks off for appendicitis and that was long enough to be away.

I don't fancy kids so hopefully I'll never have to deal with time off!

I suppose everyone is very differant,I would not be shocked if a self employed salon owner took 9 months off....she will never get those precious 9 months back of spending time with her new born baby! If the clients weren't happy then that's up to them I am sure the ones who were mothers themselves would of understood

 

[babychops]

Baby chops sorry to hear that....remember baby is no 1 at the moment! Hope you feel better soon xx

Thanks. I'm getting really annoyed with people saying to me that "hairdressing isn't hard, just get on with it!" x

 

[claire@evolve]

It is very hard love , don't put pressure on yourself . I believe it comes down to personal circumstances in the end, if you can afford the time off and you don't mind rebuilding your business if you do lose a few clients then take time off and enjoy your baby , if you need the money then rethink as I have always had to rebuild my business after each child but I did have time off and just did some clients part time xxx