Becoming a new mom is an exciting time, but let’s be real—it can also bring financial and emotional stress, especially when you're juggling bills.
When I was pregnant with twins, I started thinking about ways to earn some extra cash during maternity leave to help lighten the load.
While maternity leave is meant for bonding with your newborn (or twins, in my case) the reality is that not everyone has this luxury.
Some of us need to find a balance between caring for our babies and keeping up with our financial responsibilities.
And with the rising costs of groceries and other expenses, figuring out how to make money while on maternity leave is no longer just a nice idea—it’s becoming a necessity.
Why You May Need a Side Gig to Make Money
Maternity leave in the U.S. is a complicated subject, and the reality is that most postpartum moms don’t get paid time off.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 57% of private-sector workers don’t have short-term disability insurance through their employer. That means most moms are out of luck if they want any financial support during maternity leave.
Even more concerning, 88% of workers don’t have access to paid family leave, which covers maternity leave and other family medical situations.
Unfortunately, there is no federal law in the U.S. requiring paid family leave. That leaves new moms scrambling to find ways to cover the bills.
And don't forget that the cost of living is rising, making it harder for families to stretch their paychecks. Grocery prices have jumped 5% over the past year, rent has increased 4% since the previous year, and energy bills have surged by up to 28.8% in some areas.
Concerned about covering expenses while you're on maternity leave? Don't worry—there are several ways you can earn money from home.
But first, here's how I started my freelance and creator business to make money on maternity leave.
Why I Chose to Keep Working During My Maternity Leave
Before I was a mom, I was a special education teacher. I also helped children with autism by doing home therapy.
Having a family was at the forefront of my mind in 2012, and I was ecstatic to learn I was pregnant with twins.
I continued to work, but close to Halloween, my doctor told me I needed bed rest and to stop working. I was pretty bummed because I remember I had my Halloween costume idea already – I was going to be a mummy!
My twin pregnancy became a high-risk one, and to minimize further complications, I took it easy and knitted a lot while on bed rest.
The birth wasn't complicated, and in a few days, I took my twins home.
Canada has paid maternity leave for the first 17 weeks for the birth mother. You and the father are also eligible for parental leave for an additional 30-50 weeks (paid).
During this time, I had pockets of time to think about what I wanted to do once my maternity ended.
My husband mentioned freelance writing, and I looked into that and found it a good fit since I could write when my twins napped several times a day or in the evening. This soon morphed into a creator business with digital products and a thriving online community.
And it was the best decision I ever made.
I created an online business that has allowed us to travel on a whim, renovate whenever we like, and enroll my twins in any sport or activity they want.
Of course, I have to plan every minute of my life, and we still have to budget because kids are expensive, but I have the choice to do those things.
This guide will cover some avenues I've taken and some I haven't, but all are great ways to make money with your young baby – or babies – at home.
17 Ways to Make Money on Maternity Leave
1. Start a blog
The first thing I did online was start a blog. I used a web host provider like Bluehost or SiteGround to build my blog on WordPress. Many other creators use Squarespace or Wix to start a blog. It's a small investment, but you need to look professional.
A blog allows you to share helpful content with the masses. It isn't your personal diary; it's a collection of valuable blog posts and pages that target a challenge and solution for an audience.
With my Twins Mommy blog, I blogged about working from home with little ones. This helped me attract other work-at-home moms with small children.
Over time, my audience grew, and so did my content, which now included advice for mompreneurs or content creators who were moms.
If you cannot figure out your audience, a good rule of thumb is to blog to a past version of yourself.
For my blog, I wrote about managing my business and the challenges I had when I was sick, had client work, and had twins to take care of, i.e., a past self.
So, if you love to travel, you can start a travel blog about your past self's journey to a nomad lifestyle.
A blog allows for many ways to make money on maternity leave. I chose to do affiliate marketing, where I recommend products to my audience, and if they click on the link or buy my product, I get a small commission.
You can also sponsor, offer a service, place ads on your website, or create digital products. Except for sponsored blog posts, I have used all of these methods, and digital products have helped me go from making a few thousand a month to tens of thousands a month.
2. Try your hand at proofreading, editing, or consulting
Besides my Twins Mommy business, I also have a freelancing business. I offer writing and editing services, but you could also offer proofreading, graphic design, or consulting services.
It's one of the quickest methods of making money on maternity leave, and there isn't much overhead, either.
Alexa Saarenoja is a new YouTuber and mom who offers YouTube consulting services. In one month, she's already made over $1,000.
You don't need a blog to offer a service, but you do need another way to land clients, and most creators choose social media. I found Instagram and LinkedIn to be solid places to find client work. Others have had luck with X, YouTube, and TikTok.
A simple way to build your client base is to let your social audience know you are looking for work. Share the links in your videos and posts and let them know you are taking on new clients.
3. Invest in real estate
If you’re on maternity leave and looking for a way to make money, investing in real estate could be a smart option that fits into your new routine.
Decide if you want to flip houses or generate a more stable income with rental properties. Generally, people spend around 10% of the home's purchase price, so it's best to get your finances in order.
There's a lot to learn if you aren't a realtor. That's why joining a real estate community is a good idea to help you find the best deals and properties. On Whop, you can find dozens of real estate resources.
4. Open a home daycare
While on maternity leave, I seriously considered opening a home daycare. I would take care of my twins, but I could also take care of one or two more small children to supplement my income.
Depending on where you live, you must adhere to different protocols and licenses when operating a child home care business.
To start a home daycare, expect to invest around $10,000 in initial costs.
This covers essential items like furnishings, safety equipment, and business licenses.
You’ll need to set aside money for advertising and marketing to attract clients, which could run up to $4,000, so it's a good idea to network while you're pregnant to get a list of leads.
Once your daycare is up and running, ongoing expenses will include supplies, utilities, food, and possible part-time aides, up to around $36,800 to $38,000 per year, depending on the number of children in your care.
5. Sell handmade products on Etsy
Do you enjoy knitting, making jewelry, or turning junk furniture into beautiful vintage creations?
You can turn your hobby into a profitable side hustle during your maternity leave by using Etsy.
Etsy is a growing marketplace with over 95 million active buyers, making it the perfect platform to start making money at home.
While starting an Etsy account is easy, the bulk of your time will be spent developing a marketing strategy to promote your Etsy shop. If you create popular items like wedding planners, you might find it extremely difficult to reach your ideal customers on Etsy.
That's why it's important to focus on your titles, keywords, and tags when detailing your items.
6. Create and sell artwork
If design and art are your passions, why not monetize them by selling artwork on maternity leave?
Becoming a digital artist has become a popular way to do what you love and earn from it.
For example, the creator below is selling a mini class with a video and a PDF on how to draw cute animals for $35. They've already made over $6,000 from this one product and have several other products to sell.
If painting and drawing are your true passions, you can sell your artwork on platforms like Etsy or Gumroad and gain massive success by finding a niche audience, like people who want a hand-drawn picture of their pet. Or, you can sell your digital artwork on Whop for much lower fees (Whop only takes a 3% cut of your revenue).
With Whop, you can sell your prints, start an art class online, create a new web font, design logos for small businesses, or even offer custom illustrations for social media influencers - all from one online hub.
It’s all about showcasing your talent and finding the right platforms and audience to sell to.
And if you're balancing motherhood with your artwork, flexible options like these can allow you to grow passive income at your own pace while still spending quality time with your little one.
7. Do email customer service
If you want a remote job with a stable income, try email customer service. Many companies, such as ecommerce brands, travel and hospitality companies, and retail brands, offer email customer service roles.
You can work from home, set your own hours, and still have time to care for your baby.
Companies are always looking for people to help respond to customer inquiries, handle order issues, and offer support via email—no phone calls required, so you can do it during nap time or whenever you have a moment.
Check job sites like Glassdoor and Indeed to find jobs for email customer service.
8. Become an influencer and get paid to promote products
An influencer uses social media to guide their followers’ buying decisions. They share valuable content, like specialized knowledge, entertaining posts, or niche insights.
Influencers focus on building real connections with their audience, which leads to loyal followers. They are grouped by follower size: macro (500K-1M), micro (10K-50K), and nano (up to 10K).
You don’t need to be famous to become an influencer, just your authentic self.
Many influencers grow their audience from scratch with consistent content, like Emma Chamberlain, who started on YouTube and, over time, expanded into podcasting, fashion, coffee, and collaborations with major brands like Louis Vuitton and Calvin Klein.
The real benefit of becoming an influencer comes from working with brands who pay for product promotions because of the trust you've built with your audience. This relationship is what makes it different from affiliate marketing.
The Influencer Marketing Hub's Influencer Report states that by the end of the year, influencers will generate $24 billion in sales. The report also shared that TikTok Shop is the top influencer marketing channel and that brands increasingly pay influencers with money rather than free products.
9. Sell stock photography
If taking photos is a passion of yours, why not sell them? Uploading photos to Shutterstock or Adobe Stock is easy, and you can earn income.
According to Shutterstock, they pay creators 15% to 40% of the earnings from selling their content.
The biggest upfront cost will be for camera equipment, but with some time and patience, you will be on your way to making money.
10. Start dropshipping
Dropshipping is a flexible way for moms on maternity leave to start making money online without managing physical products. With dropshipping, you can simply set up an online store on platforms like Shopify and Etsy, and partner with suppliers who handle inventory, packaging, and shipping directly to customers.
Your job is to choose the products, create a storefront, and market it to attract buyers. This makes it a low-risk business model since you don’t need to invest in inventory upfront.
For equipment, a computer or laptop with internet access is all you need to manage your store and create product listings. You can also use a graphic design tool, like Canva, to create eye-catching visuals for your marketing.
Finding reliable suppliers on directories like AliExpress or SaleHoo is important to ensure they can handle orders efficiently. Finally, tools like Google Trends can help you identify trending products to sell, making it easier to build a profitable dropshipping business.
To learn all there is to know about dropshipping, you should join an online dropshipping community or take a dropshipping course. These can be found on the Whop Marketplace, which is home to hundreds of dropshipping resources where you can learn from the experts.
11. Become an affiliate marketer
Affiliate marketing is a popular side business that anyone can start. Affiliate marketers market products using multiple platforms, such as blogging, email, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.
One company that has an affiliate program is Target. Once you sign up, you get a special link you can share with your audience. It's best to recommend products you are familiar with and can demonstrate online. Let's say you run a mommy blog - why not link baby goods in your blog and earn revenue every time someone makes a purchase using your link?
A platform like Instagram makes it easy to share your favorite products through Reels. For example, Jen Reed of The Sister Studio directs her audience to her Amazon storefront, which shows all her favorite clothing items.
Similar to being an influencer, you can make good money with affiliate marketing by growing an audience that trusts what you say.
12. Try print-on-demand
If you decide to become an influencer or YouTuber, you can sell merchandise via print-on-demand to your audience as a low-risk way to make money on maternity leave.
You create designs that are printed on items like T-shirts, mugs, or phone cases and sell them without worrying about inventory or shipping.
Platforms like Redbubble, Society6, or Etsy make it simple to get started. They allow you to upload your designs and connect with a built-in audience.
If you aren't graphically inclined to create a design for print-on-demand, you can use it as a vessel for a catchphrase you commonly use or your tagline.
For example, new mom Cathrin Manning shares her merch with her tagline: create the life you love.
Once your store is live, focus on marketing through social media to build up sales and grow your brand.
13. Write a newsletter
If you enjoy writing, you can create a paid newsletter and share your insights, tips, or stories with an audience eager to learn from you.
You can write about many topics, including parenting, personal development, or a hobby you’re passionate about.
A newsletter can be a flexible way to earn income while on maternity leave. Plus, it’s something you can work on at your own pace, and as your audience grows, so does your potential income.
You can use many platforms like Whop, Substack, beehiiv, or Convertkit.
I created a paid newsletter with Convertkit, and while it's slow-growing, I'm excited about the potential to make passive income from something I love doing: writing!
14. Create an online paid community
If you're having success growing an audience, you can easily monetize your efforts with an online paid community.
This is a safe space where like-minded people can connect, share ideas, and support each other—whether it’s about parenting, a hobby, or even a business niche.
To get started, choose a platform like Whop, Telegram, Discord, or even a private blog where members can interact. You’ll need basic equipment like a computer, internet access, and tools like Canva to create engaging visuals for your community.
While members must pay to opt-in, you can stack on other income streams like sponsorships, advertising, creating digital products, and hosting exclusive workshops.
15. Write and sell ebooks
Along with writing newsletters, you can also create ebooks to sell.
This option is flexible for new moms since you can write during naps or dictate your notes on walks.
I created two ebooks to help my audience and found it incredibly easy. You can use Canva for the format and design, and then a platform like Whop or Teachable to sell your ebook.
16. Create an online course
I created my first online course during my maternity leave, and it has inspired me to create other courses and digital products.
Plus, an online course on blogging goes well. Blogging helps you define your niche and brings an audience to your online course.
You can create your course for free on Whop, and use platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram to market your online course.
For example, I created a video walkthrough of my course on YouTube, which has helped me generate more sales.
17. Start a podcast
If you love gossiping or chatting with a friend, you might enjoy starting a podcast during maternity leave.
While podcasts don't earn much money if you don't have a large following, you only need a dedicated audience to reap sponsors' benefits.
What's great is that you don't need a lot of equipment to start a podcast. All you need is a smartphone to record audio, and with apps like Audacity and Anchor by Spotify, you’ll have access to editing and publishing tools.
Managing Your Money on Maternity Leave
Stretching your money during maternity leave is challenging, especially when you're living on a reduced income.
Start by setting up a simple budget that covers your essentials like rent, utilities, and groceries. Tracking what’s coming in and going out by using an app like Mint or GoodBudget makes it easier to avoid overspending.
Additionally, you can save by stocking up on non-perishables when they’re on sale. Use the Flipp app to help find weekly deals and coupons at local stores so you can plan your shopping and cut down on spending.
Also, look into short-term disability insurance, which helps cover a portion of your income while on maternity leave. It's especially helpful for moms who don’t have access to paid leave through their employers. Be sure to apply well in advance to have that financial cushion ready when your leave starts.
Make Money on Maternity Leave With Whop
There's no shortage of ways to make money on maternity leave, but to make this a consistent way to live, you need a platform to build your empire.
With Whop, you can easily create your own online business without startup costs. Whether you want to sell ebooks, courses, content, art, or even build a community, Whop gives you everything you need to get started.
It’s a flexible way to share your talents and earn money while on maternity leave, all from one simple platform.
To set up Whop for your online business, start a free account, add any relevant apps, and start pricing your items.
Once your audience pays for Whop, they get access to all your content, plus other great features you can integrate, like a forum, members' chat, giveaways, and more. It's a great way to earn money from home, using nothing but a phone, with zero start-up costs.
