Building a business while raising babies is not nearly as picture-perfect as Instagram makes it look. It is sticky fingers on your laptop, late-night emails written with one eye open, and “office hours” that sometimes look more like folding laundry while listening to a podcast. It’s hard and it’s messy. But it can also be incredibly rewarding.

When I think back to those early days, I see a mom with a newborn on her hip and a laptop open at midnight. I also see someone fueled by purpose. For me, building a business while raising babies wasn’t just about money. It was about creating freedom, showing my kids what’s possible, and building a life that didn’t depend on someone else’s timeline.

If you want to hear more than just the highlights, you can listen to the full podcast episode here.

Why I Took the Leap Into Mompreneurship

The spark to start my business came when I found out I was pregnant with my son. I already had a career as a dental practice manager, but something inside me said, “you need to do more.”

It wasn’t about climbing a corporate ladder. It was about building something that gave me the flexibility and security my family deserved. I wanted to travel with my kids. I wanted to help with college someday. And I wanted to prove to myself that I could create something bigger than a paycheck.

That moment of clarity pushed me forward. Even though the timing looked crazy from the outside, it became the perfect reason to start.

What Daily Life Really Looked Like

Now, let’s be honest. Building a business while raising babies is not glamorous. My daily routine went something like this:

• Morning chaos: bottles, diapers, daycare drop-off.

• A full day at work managing a dental practice.

• Evenings filled with dinner, bath time, and bedtime routines.

• A second shift at the computer, often until midnight, checking on my team and clients.

It was exhausting. Some nights ended with tears of overwhelm. Others ended with a quiet sense of pride. Both were normal. Both were valid.

The Importance of a Support System

One thing I learned fast is that no one builds a business while raising babies alone. My husband was supportive, but his job had long hours too. Luckily, my in-laws lived only a few houses away. They became our emergency backup, our babysitters, and honestly, our lifeline.

Support also showed up inside the business. Outsourcing tasks like bookkeeping and later, podcast editing, gave me back hours I couldn’t afford to lose. At first, I thought outsourcing was indulgent. Now I see it as survival. Support isn’t just nice to have. It’s the strategy that makes everything else possible.

The Myth of “Work While the Baby Naps”

If you’ve ever been told, “just work while the baby naps,” let me save you some heartache. For me, nap time rarely meant laptop time. More often, it meant bottles in the sink, laundry piling up, or collapsing on the couch because I was just too tired to think.

With my daughter, naps weren’t even guaranteed. She was colicky for months. Many days, survival meant grabbing ten minutes of quiet wherever I could. Working during naps sounds productive in theory, but the reality is often different. And that’s okay. Rest is productive too.

Selling My First Business Before Baby #2

By the time my husband and I decided to have a second baby, I knew I couldn’t keep running at full speed. The business had grown beyond what I could handle on top of motherhood. When the right buyer came along, I sold.

Letting go was terrifying. But selling that business gave me the space to welcome a new baby and, eventually, to create something new. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I made.

Starting Again With One Wild Brand

Today, I’m still building a business while raising babies — but this time it looks different. One Wild Brand is leaner and more creative. Instead of managing a team of 40, I work one-on-one with clients, create Showit websites, and design Canva templates.

This business feels lighter. I still work hard, but I also build in space for family, rest, and the things that matter most. I keep a vision board in my planner and on my office wall to remind me of my bigger goals. And I celebrate the small wins along the way — something I didn’t do enough of the first time around.

Lessons for Moms Building Businesses

If you’re a mom thinking about entrepreneurship, here’s what I want you to know:

• Balance doesn’t mean doing everything. It means choosing what matters most each day.

• Support systems are not optional. Family, friends, or outsourcing — you need them.

• Rest is part of the process. Exhaustion isn’t a badge of honor.

• Small wins are worth celebrating. Launching a website or signing one client is huge.

• Your “why” is the anchor that will keep you moving through the hardest days.

How I Want My Kids to Remember This

At the end of the day, building a business while raising babies is about more than revenue. It’s about the kind of life I want my kids to see. I want them to remember presence, not pressure. I want them to see that hard work can build freedom.

Will they remember me being glued to my laptop? I hope not. What I want them to remember is bedtime stories, kitchen dance parties, and the feeling of being loved and supported. If they also pick up a little bit of the entrepreneurial spirit along the way, that’s a bonus.

Final Thoughts

Building a business while raising babies is hard. It’s messy, unpredictable, and sometimes overwhelming. But it’s also worth it. The sleepless nights, the sacrifices, and even the tears all add up to something bigger than me — a life I get to create on my terms, with my family at the center.

If you’re in the thick of it, know this: you are not alone, and your hard work matters more than you think.

Listen to the Full Episode

This blog post is just the surface. For the full story, including the behind-the-scenes chaos, listen to Episode 7 of the One Wild Brand Podcast: Building Businesses and Babies.

✨ Ready to build your own business while raising babies — and want a brand and website you’re proud of? That’s what I do at One Wild Brand. Let’s make it happen.