Self employed mobile hairdresser/beautician and pregnant

SalonGeek

Help Support SalonGeek:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

SimonaD93

Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2019
Messages
13
Reaction score
2
Location
Oxford, UK
Hi Ladies.

I need advice. I just found out I'm pregnant first time but haven't been to the doctor's yet as I only found out this morning and appointment waiting time is 3 weeks.
I work as a self employed mobile beauty therapist/hairdresser. I have to carry my beauty couch about to some clients but not all as for waxing and facials most clients are understanding enough to let me use their bed/sofa for them to lie down on. It's just few waxing and all massage clients who get me to carry the couch to them. It's heavy as it is so I try to avoid carrying it about if I can avoid it.
Now what treatments/services would I have to cut/reduce amount of during pregnancy? What precautions would I have to take? I've tried to attach my treatment list to this but the program won't let me so if you go on Google and search for Lotus Divine Beauty in Oxford I should come up either on Facebook or Treatwell as it's too many things to list on here (to round it up I offer facials, waxing, massages, eyebrow & lash tinting, gel polish, manicure & pedicure, hair cuts but full list is on Facebook/Treatwell). I'm also starting to offer hair colour services and lash lifts.

Please only answer if you know/had been through this yourself and don't judge.
 
Congratulations on your pregnancy. :)

You’re self employed so it’s entirely up to you how to combine running your business with your growing bump. Unless you have extra risk factors, you can probably do most of your job until well into the third trimester but I certainly don’t recommend pushing yourself unnecessarily. Your midwife at your booking in appointment should be able to guide you and answer any pregnancy related questions you might have.

I wouldn’t fancy lugging a heavy couch around at anytime so it makes sense to me to leave it at home for now and concentrate on treatments that can easily be done in the clients home using their own furniture.

My only serious advice is listen to your body and if you feel tired, then rest. Every pregnancy is unique so it doesn’t really matter what other people think you should do, you get to decide for yourself. Don’t feel pressured into doing something just because a client/partner/friend is pushing you.
 
Thank you. That's the thing. I do want to work as much as I can without overdoing it. I'm thinking about cutting out the massages where clients lie down for now to save me from lugging the couch around and keeping other treatments as I obviously don't want to lose my clients
 
Totally agree with AcidPerm

You mentioned that some clients let you use their sofas/beds for treatments. I'm thinking about your back here. We all need to protect our backs at the best of times, but you need to be especially careful as you're pregnant. As someone with back issues I have had to find ways to carry out treatments without putting strain on my back and if I can't find a way I don't offer the treatment - so massage isn't on my treatment list. I have never attempted to do any treatments from a bed or sofa but I can't imagine it can be very comfortable for you?

It sounds like you have quite a few regular clients and I understand you obviously don't want to lose them. Would it be possible to set up a small area in your home with your couch etc to do those sort of treatments and ask them to come to you? As you know them already it would be less daunting than having strangers and so much easier for you x
 
Congratulations! As above definitely listen to your body and take it easy - you’ll know your own limits .

I am a self employed hairdresser and my youngest is now 5 months, I stopped the week before little one was due and returned to the salon part time when he was 4 weeks old it’s tough but I really enjoy the balance of spending lots of time with baby and still keeping my hand in.

Definitely think about reducing your services so that your not bending over too much or having to carry heavy things but as I said you’ll know yourself what you can handle xx

All the best with your pregnancy [emoji4]
 
Doing massages from home is a great idea. You see, if I'm doing facials on their bed/sofa then they normally get me a chair so that I can sit down, whereas for waxing we make sure to put something on the bed/sofa like a air mattress or something to get it to the right height for me or if it's really low (close to the floor low) then I kneel down next to it to do the wax. I have done facials & lash tints where the client is sat in an armchair with their head up and I stood behind them. I find that even if the bed/sofa isn't at the right height 100% it's better (back don't hurt as much afterwards) than carrying the couch up the stairs to a 3rd floor flat to put it up to do the treatment. Although I'm now thinking of setting up a room in my house for massages & facials so that the ones who can get to me, could come to the house
 
I would try and get them to come to you apart from that you need to be careful of the oils you use especially during your first trimester unless you can wear gloves.
 
I would try and get them to come to you apart from that you need to be careful of the oils you use especially during your first trimester unless you can wear gloves.
That's a good call, thank you. As for the oils I can just stop offering essential oils in the treatment if I wish. Most clients ask for either Swedish or Indian head massages
 
I'm a self employed hairdresser and beautician and have been pregnant 3 times. I just carried on treatments as normal with my last pregnancy and worked right up until the day before I had my baby! I did a full set of hair extensions the day before going in hospital, I just had a few breaks were I sat down for a few minutes. Towards the end of the pregnancy I asked my regular clients to come to my house instead. If they couldnt I still carried my couch, mines not very heavy but found most clients offered to take it from me as soon as they seen me coming up the path.
 
Totally agree with AcidPerm

You mentioned that some clients let you use their sofas/beds for treatments. I'm thinking about your back here. We all need to protect our backs at the best of times, but you need to be especially careful as you're pregnant. As someone with back issues I have had to find ways to carry out treatments without putting strain on my back and if I can't find a way I don't offer the treatment - so massage isn't on my treatment list. I have never attempted to do any treatments from a bed or sofa but I can't imagine it can be very comfortable for you?

It sounds like you have quite a few regular clients and I understand you obviously don't want to lose them. Would it be possible to set up a small area in your home with your couch etc to do those sort of treatments and ask them to come to you? As you know them already it would be less daunting than having strangers and so much easier for you x

Congrats!

How about ‘Hello thanks for booking an appointment with me. Im pregnant and am doing well but I may need your help getting the couch inside is that ok?’ Guarantee nobody would say no unless they had a severe health issue or something. No point making it even harder for you to work by not using the couch. You might find it easier as bump grows to put the couch up to max height so you can have bump underneath and out the way while you work - I’ve no idea how you wax on a bed, how do you not have a sore back! :D plus I make SO much mess I’d ruin their bed!
 
Congrats!

How about ‘Hello thanks for booking an appointment with me. Im pregnant and am doing well but I may need your help getting the couch inside is that ok?’ Guarantee nobody would say no unless they had a severe health issue or something. No point making it even harder for you to work by not using the couch. You might find it easier as bump grows to put the couch up to max height so you can have bump underneath and out the way while you work - I’ve no idea how you wax on a bed, how do you not have a sore back! :D plus I make SO much mess I’d ruin their bed!
Thank you for the advice. I normally just put my protective sheet down on their bed as I would do that anyway with the couch. I'm quite short myself and I find that most clients' beds are high enough for me. I got few clients who put their spare mattress on their beds if their beds are quite low. I find that if I have to tweeze someone's eyebrows into a shape while they are on the couch, makes my back hurt but doing waxing on clients beds doesn't. It's only when I'm bending down and staying in that position too long when it gets affected but have been like that since I left college 8 years ago.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top