I blame it on pregnancy hormones.. but 3 1/2 months into my pregnancy with twins I decided that using rented kitchen space was no longer working for me, so I signed a lease on a shop. I will not only be doing my special order cakes, but will have some ready-made items every day (cinnamon rolls, muffins, cupcakes, etc). I'm 5 months pregnant now, and hoping to have the shop open next month. I will have help running the counter, and some help baking, but no help with wedding cakes so after August I won't be doing any for the rest of the year (due the beg. of October).

For those of you who do this as a serious business, did you do it pregnant? Any helpful advice or tips for my crazy self? I know I'm going to be doing a LOT of sitting.

Good luck to you. I was baking part time last year when I was pregnant with my son and at some point (hard pregnancy) I had to stop baking until he was born because was just too much with standing to bake and then decorating and trying to deliver heavy cakes. If you have the help I would say use them as much as possible especially since you are pregnant with twins. But realistically with twins at some point you might not be able to continue even with help.

Oh. My. God. I opened up a shop and worked 7 days a week for a year, averaging 60-70 hours per week. How in the heck are you going to do it pregnant with twins?! I also had a couple of employees - and I could barely afford them.

Please don't take this too harshly..... but WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!?!

I don't think the pregnancy part is so bad, I think it's the new motherhood bit that's going to be the challenge. In the beginning is the night wakings so you spend at least a year with awful sleep. Then once the sleeping gets under control, they are toddlers and into everything. I have 2 little ones and baking helps me unwind and gives me something else to focus on. Just expect to be exhausted.

I have an 8 week old, and let me tell ya, it's not the pregnancy you should be worried about!!! The hardest part, for me, was rolling fondant- so I had someone do that for me. I had a 4 week maternity leave and went back to work. My best advice would be to WAIT to take any orders post-baby. I WAAAY overbooked- I'm nursing, so having to stop every 3 hours to nurse for 45 minutes makes everything take A LOT longer. Definitely hire some extra help and be prepared to never sleep, lol!

Good luck with that. Make sure to have an alternate plan in case your Doc puts you on bed rest! Oh...congrats! Twice!

I was 6-7 months pregnant with my 3rd at Christmasa few years back & constantly on my feet, etc. Tons on cramping, it honestly scared me. Looking back, I would have taken the time off.
I did a farmer's market when this same child was 3 months old. I don't regret it, but between baking & nursing, I didn't sleep the entire season.
Moral of the story: don't risk complications with your pregnancy for baked goods, there will be plenty of time for that later
good luck

Well like I said, I'm not doing any wedding cakes (or or big, tiered cakes for that matter) after the first week in August until January at least. And I will have someone else with me at the bakery at all times. People that will be able to do other baking..

Just for anyone who might have wondered.. the shop just had it's 1 year anniversary back at the beginning of August and my girls' 1st birthday is coming up next month.

I worked up until the week before the girls were born at 36 1/2 weeks. Had to sit the majority of the day, mainly due to my largely swollen feet, lol. Wasn't due to high blood pressure though, just all the extra weight on them (I ended up gaining a little less than 60 lbs).

After the girls were born, the shop was closed for two months. Then I started back up slowly, working only Thursdays and Fridays for special orders. Then as they were able to sleep through the night and I could actually get some sleep, I added more days. Then between my husband, grandmother and mother in law, they watch them most of the day Tues-Fri and Saturdays when I have weddings. It's working so far

Good for you! My twins just turned 11 last month. I was on bed rest with them for 8 days, at 30 weeks, while Twin B had his entire leg in the birth canal and lets just say he could feel the breeze in his toes...After I almost died 3 times, they took them when they almost died...I didn't have help and I could even speak about the first year for 4 years with out crying,

SO, when I saw this post, I almost had a heart attack! I am so glad things are going well and the girls are healthy. Congratulations on new motherhood and the bakery. I pray things continue to go well. You are Army Strong!

Awesome to hear your story! I about 2 years I plan of having a kiddie or two and it terrifies me to think of what it will do to my shop. You are an inspiration!

Wow congratulations! Everything has seemed to work out fairly well for you. That's great that you got to work up until they were born. Most people I know with twins were not allowed by their doctor to work after 26 weeks, healthy or not.

Congratulations on the babies! And it's great that you have such an awsome support system!

Congrats, WOW! When I had my twins they put me on strict bed rest at 13 weeks, and I the hospital with pre-E at 33 weeks. There is no way I could have handled a bakery. After I couldn't even find time to shower much less make cakes!

I was really fortunate that my pregnancy went so well. My blood pressure and everything was great the whole time, so the doctor said he didn't think bed rest was necessary until something changed. He just told me to sit as much as possible.

Just for fun, here's me and my big belly at about 32 weeks preggo..


And then here are the girls recently