Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/72093
THE BABY BUMP "I worked my butt off for the entire nine months of my pregnancy. I worked until the day I went into labor," says Jackson, who owns Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork in Pleasant Grove, Utah, and South Valley Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork in Midvale, Utah. Planning to start—or add to—a family is not a decision to be taken lightly by anyone, in any profession. Certainly anyone who wants to take a maternity or paternity leave has to consider the financial and professional consequences of doing so; for massage therapists like Jackson, however, there are many more issues to consider. Whether a pregnancy is planned or unplanned, time is of the essence to get everything in order before leaving a business for an extended period. Many massage therapists are self-employed or work with a small staff, and though being a part of an intimate team has its advantages, taking working hands away from such a business can sharply cut into a clinic's profits. The massage profession is also different because loyal clients often have regular appointments year after year with the same massage therapist. And, as if juggling finances and clients isn't difficult enough, it's also important to remember that massage therapy is a physically demanding job. The last couple of months before the baby comes, as well as reentering the workplace, can be challenging. Taking an extended maternity leave as a massage therapist isn't simple, but in this field that's predominantly female, thousands of people do it successfully every year. With a lot of planning, a bit of trust, and the willpower to push through the stress, preparing for, taking, and returning from a maternity leave is both possible and rewarding. ALWAYS BE PREPARED Of course, it is always a good idea to have a contingency plan in place for your departure, especially if you are a business owner. You never know when an unexpected illness or emergency might require you to take an extended leave of absence at a moment's notice. Having such a plan in place will make the transition to taking a maternity leave much easier, because you've already thought about how to deal with issues like finances and client communication. With a few months of advance notice, you can find ways to cut costs, save money, and work with clients to transition their care to someone else while you're gone. Finances There is never enough time to prepare for every possible circumstance when going on maternity leave, so start with the thing that concerns most people more than anything else: finances. "Financially, what people need to do is understand how long they're going to be gone from the business and how much money they need to cover both living expenses, plus anything that might be unexpected," says Kimberly Loftis, 74 massage & bodywork may/june 2012