A Bun in the Oven
...and freelancing with said bun!
I have some big news: I’m pregnant! It is my first time, I’m almost 30 weeks along and I have been enjoying it more than I could ever have imagined. It is a completely bizarre experience, feeling kicks throughout the day and trying to fathom that there’s a baby in there. I’m excited to meet the culprit and see what motherhood is all about!
Everyone experiences pregnancy differently, and at the beginning I was scared of morning sickness and how my body would change, but I was lucky to have a first trimester free of any nasty symptoms at all, and I have found myself feeling in awe and rather amused at my new egg shape, and many other wonders besides. Overall it has been an extremely positive, joyful time in my life.
I want to talk more specifically about how it relates to my work as a freelance illustrator, because that’s a bit more nuanced.
When my husband and I first started talking seriously about trying for a baby, I was plagued by the myth that you can’t be a mother and an artist at the same time. That maternity would cause me to lose my thread, to stop caring about my work, which has been hitherto so tied to my identity, and to “lose” valuable youthful years that could be dedicated to honing my craft. I am no longer worried about that.
I believe that being an artist involves throwing yourself into life, and that for me (and many other amazing artist-mothers), having a child is part of that. I feel I am unlocking doors previously unknown to me, and I’m excited to see how my work will evolve accordingly!
That’s all wonderful, but on a practical level there are a lot of unknowns. Whilst I will never stop drawing, relying on it as an income is not such a given. Freelancing is by nature precarious; there is no guaranteed salary; during quiet periods I sometimes feel it is all over, only to get busy again all of a sudden. The prospect of a family brings a craving for stability. I considered packing it all in and taking a few months to retrain for a career with a more secure income, but then, case in point, I got busy again.
It’s still an issue that I will have to work out. Luckily we artists are resourceful - people manage and I guess I will, too.
In any case, the further I advance in my pregnancy, the more I have come to appreciate some of the benefits of freelancing which remind me why I chose this path to begin with. Being able to work from home, setting my own schedule (with naps throughout the day), has been such a blessing as the third trimester fatigue sets in. I know this flexibility will be even more useful once the baby is here.
Since my husband is also a freelancer, he has been able to come to all the maternity appointments and literally be by my side through everything. Later it will mean we will be able to support each other, share the childcare between us and spend plenty of time together as a family, which is no small thing.
And the work itself is undeniably fulfilling. I’m currently midway through a non-fiction picture book project with a French publisher and I’m looking forward to being able to share that with my child! I’ve always wanted to author my own children’s books, too, but have never really known what I want to say. I think having a little person around full-time will provide a lot of inspiration and I’m excited to see where it all leads.
Finally, what a splendid excuse to accumulate loads of amazing children’s books by other people! A small pile of Beatrix Potter books I bought years ago has been patiently awaiting this moment, as well as some Père Castor books and some by Miroslav Šašek, Sydney Smith and Beatrice Alemagna. Feel free to send further recommendations!
Anyway, having a baby, with all the joys and challenges it entails, is a big adventure and I’m thrilled to have the chance to experience it all.
Till next time,
PS. I asked my husband to proofread this post and he suggested I anthropomorphise the oven, providing the following sketch:
Congratulations Louise, I hope it all goes smoothly! 🤞 My wife and I are freelancers as well, and we've been splitting our days 50/50 taking care of our little daughter (she'll be 2 years old soon). It hasn't been easy at all, but the fact that we got to spend so much time with her – compared to people with office jobs who had to put their babies into nursery very early – is priceless. 👌 Our daughter went to nursery only 2 days per week for almost a year, then more recently she's been going 3 days per week, and soon she'll be going 4 days per week. We don't plan for her to go 5 days anytime soon, we still want to be together as much as possible. She's the best thing that's ever happened to us, after all 😊
Be careful with the excuse to accumulate loads of amazing children’s books, it can easily get out of hand, trust me on that 😅 Taro Gomi's books are wonderful, especially Bus Stops, Spring is Here, My Friends, Little Chicks. He's done so many though. Some you can find in French, if not in English. Another favourite is the classic Goodnight Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann. Some of our favourite authors: Yusuke Yonezu (his Guess What books are great), Marcos Farina, Jon Klassen, Chris Haughton, Chris Raschka, Christian Robinson, Julie Morstad, Mercè Gali, Aino-Maija Metsola, Ed Vere, Jarvis, Jean Jullien… (hard to know when to stop). Enjoy growing your collection and reading them with your little one! 🙌
Lovely news Louise ❤️ mine are practically grown now, and they have by far enriched my life for the better. Wishing you a smooth sail with the rest of your pregnancy.