I am 6 months pregnant and I am getting into what seems like a panic mode. I studied culinary arts, and was hoping to one day open up a cake business either in or out of the home. I know this sounds bad, but I feel like having a baby now puts a huge pause to everything. I feel like my goals and dreams are in the trash. I guess its because I have so much ambition and I am only 22 years old, knew what I wanted, and feel like I screwed up getting knocked up. I know there are women out there who have thrived in business while raising one or more kids alone. My husband and I are together, but for all the help I get from him I may as well be alone. Has this happened to any of you? How long did it take before you could bounce back into the decorating game after having a child? This is my first baby, so I have absolutley NO idea what to expect.

congratulations!
all i have to say is that you think you have love for cakes and the cake business?... wait until that little baby enters your life. its absolutely amazing how wonderful your life can become with them in it. i know you don't know what to expect right now and thats normal to panic. every first time expecting mother goes through that at some point in their pregnancy.

i only do cakes as a hobby and people throw me money here and there but i didn't start doing them until after my child was born. my first cake was the christening cake and i've been hooked ever since.
you are still young and have your whole life ahead of you. you might have to take a little break while the baby is a newborn and until you get the hang of motherhood but you'll be able to go back to it.

right now, I can only work on cakes when napping or in bed for the night. but, i'm fine with that because i'm a night person anyway. you'll figure out a schedule that works for you and that little munchkin. its definitely possible! don't lose hope, you can make it work.

I so understand how you feel. When I got pregnant with my 3rd child, I almost resented it. I didn't want another. (They are a lot of work, and we really couldn't afford another child at the time either.) I was also working on starting my business. It was a very stressful time for me.

The up side is, of course, when she was born, she stole my heart! She was worth it all.

There is usually never a good time to have kids, due to finances, careers, or any of life's many "what if's", etc. But when they're here you quickly learn to cope with the other factors, and realize they are always worth it.

How long it will take you to get back into things will depend on you. After my kids were born, I took my time and enjoyed it. There only that little for a short time. I love to just sit and hold them. Another factor is nursing. Breast feeding is time consuming, but relaxing and beneficial to you both. (But everything about a baby is time consuming.) The biggest factor in how long it will take you to get back to your cake life, is how you plan on raising your child. Do you believe in (or have the luxury of) staying home with your child, or will they go to daycare/family member. When your child is in daycare, you can get back to what you want, but you may find that you are missing parts of your childs growing up that you want to be there for. You may find that when your baby is born, that your career can wait for a few years, and looking into your childs face you'll realize that that's okay. You are still very young and your talents aren't going anywhere, but you only get to enjoy your baby once and then those moments are gone.

Your dreams aren't trashed, they've just got an addition now. You can have both, it just changes the time-line a little.

I understand. When I was pregnant with my Son, everything seemed so weird. Now he is almost six and my husband wants to have another. I want to get my career going, but adding to our family would be nice. I feel I need to make up my mind.

It is worth it when you see them. And your feelings are normal. And ggod for you for saying them out loud and asking questions. One thing that helped me when I felt having my Son was the wrong thing was buying one baby thing Newborn that I really loved and I had it out where I could see it. Something that fits in something that small can't be that scary. I bought a pair of booties.

I had my Son at 23 and felt I was stuck. Life changes when you have a baby and you don't notice nor do you care for a while and when you relize that is changed you have the time to think and adjust. Try to have good thoughts about your baby and enjoy pregnancy and when your baby is little.

As for cake decorating, they have bouncy chairs, baby swings, and play pens, you can put the baby in that and still interact with it while decorating. It will take you longer to do a cake, but you both will feel good.

Do what it good for you. We are all here to help so come back and let us know you are doing good or if you have questions!

I don't know if this will help or not.

But, I quit going to college & several other things when I had children. My only goal was to be a good mother. To be perfectly honest, the second child wasn't exactly planned on, but I still knew what I had to do.

Several years down the road...with one in school and one going next year......their lives were worth my losses. I'll pick back up things I want to finish next year when our youngest is in school.

They're are so many emotions going on right now with you...just concentrate on the most important one right now...and everything else will fall into place....when it's supposed to & when you make it happen.

I hope you have a wonderful pregnancy.......and an easy childbirth. Good Luck to you!

Thank you guys so much. It really helps knowing there are women out there who understand what it means to divide yourself and keep it together at the same time.

As some of the other girls mentioned, it's just a matter of adjustment. I have two teenage daughters (one's in university and the other graduates from high school this year). It doesn't matter how big they are already, I still have to run around with them a LOT! So I've gotten used to working in my kitchen at night. Or better said, I work my schedule around their needs.

You make very beautiful cakes. Just wait till you have that baby: you'll be planning birthday cakes with love!

Marie

I can really relate to you! I just had my son in September and I am 23. I actually didn't start decorating cakes and stuff until after he was born, it takes some time to adjust, but once you do, doing other things won't seem so difficult. I hope that helps, message me if you'd ever like to chat!

Just when you think you will have more time and your kids are raised and on their own, guess what, it starts all over again with the grandkids. Sometime I think I got more done w/my children than w/grandkids. You just learn to work around them and spend all the time you can to make memories and enjoy them. Its just the circle of life. Good luck and enjoy them, they grow soooooooo quickly! My oldest grandaughter loves to "help" but the extra time will someday pay off.

Children are a blessing and their lives go by WAY too fast. Try to enjoy it now, there will be plenty of time to decorate cakes I have 2 litttle ones and sometimes feel resentful that they take every waking moment of my life BUT I know I will blink and they will grow up so i am trying to slow down and enjoy, do what I can at night and on weekends etc. Once they are in school I can get more focused. Not sure if that helped.

I'm 26 with an almost 5 yr old and almost 3 yr old and another on the way. I find that I can bake when they are up, make icing, and put on the base icing coat. But to do any designs or borders I have to have someone else keeping an eye on them or wait until they are in bed. If it's just for their birthday or something they are usually a little more involved and it makes them feel more special. Or we do cookies to decorate. Just as long as they know later they'll have your attention they are usually pretty good.

I was the same age as you when I had my daughter. I was in Culinary School and in the prime of my life. I took some time off and went back til I was due. I was hired as a pastry chef but missed being with my daughter. I made the choice to focus on raising her to my fullest. I am 29 now and doing so much more in cakes than I could imagine. I compete and have a great client list. My six year old was the best thing that ever happened in my life!