Meet the 'mumtrepreneurs'

MEET the mumtrepreneurs - new mums who are choosing to set up their own businesses rather than return to work after giving birth.

These superwomen might seem rare but new figures show as many as one in three new mums is setting up a business from home in a bid to get the best of both worlds.

And the entrepreneurial mums are quite a force to be reckoned with, generating on average £5,614 a year from home working.

The survey, by AXA Protection, quizzed 1,354 new and expectant mums and found that, on average, those working from home are generating £467.91 in earnings per month from home-based business ventures, equivalent to £5,614 a year.

And more than a third of the women polled said they only spend an average of 18.4 hours a week on these money-making activities, equivalent to around two-and-a-half days in an average 9am to 5pm office environment.

Lyn Chambers, who owns The Bump maternity wear shop in Fleming Square, Blackburn, planned to return to work after having her daughter Libby in 2001. But after the birth her attitude changed completely.

"I'd enrolled Libby in full-time nursery before she was born and was planning to go back to my job in export textile sales," said Lyn, 37, of Blackburn.

"I didn't think giving birth would change my life much.

"But from the moment she popped out everything changed beyond recognition and I was mortified at the prospect of leaving her.

"I cancelled the nursery and handed in my notice.

"I'd always wanted to open a shop but I soon realised I needed a niche.

"One day I was driving home and it came to me - the sheer frustration I'd had not being able to find decent maternity clothes. I decided to open The Bump."

Lyn's new working life is very different from her old one.

She opens the shop at 10am, meaning she can take Libby, now five, to school, and two days a week she brings her second daughter Mae, 11 months, to work with her.

"Starting your own business is hard work but, like lots of things, the thought of it is harder than the reality," said Lyn.

"Once you get into it it's less daunting and if you find the right people to talk to it's fine and there's always someone to give you help, whether it's the local authority or the Chamber of Commerce.

"The flexibility is the big advantage and the satisfaction you get out of it is great too.

"I'd say to other mums thinking of starting a new business to spend more time with their children - just go for it, but make sure you find a gap in the market.

Another budding mumtrepreneur is Ruth Schofield, who launched online baby giftware company www.preciouslittletreasures.co.uk this summer.

Ruth, 40, of Billinge Avenue, Blackburn, refused to return to work as a teacher after giving birth to daughter Florence in 2004 after an eight-year battle to give birth.

Ruth had undergone five attempts at IVF, suffered an ectopic pregnancy and husband Robert had fought back from leukaemia which left him sterile, before their miracle baby was finally born.

"Every moment is so precious with Florence that I didn't want to miss a thing," said Ruth.

"I was a teacher and had the option to go back part-time but there was no way I wanted to go back to a job and miss out on seeing her grow up.

"This type of internet and house party business is ideal because the parties are in the evenings and I can organise everything around Florence.

"Being a mumtrepreneur is a good because you feel you haven't totally given everything up and you still have a sense of worth in terms of bringing something into the home," continued Ruth.

"It's like having your cake and eating it."

The survey found needing the money was cited by more than one in four as the reason for working from home, with a further 20 per cent saying they didn't want to give up their career but needed to combine work with child care.

A further nine per cent of those questioned said they had always wanted to start their own business from home and eight per cent said they were motivated by the high cost of childcare or lack of child care places, making working from home their only option.

"It's interesting to see how many new and expectant mothers are looking to start their own businesses from home and also the level of contribution that they are currently making to family incomes through home-working activities," said Iain Mallon Head of AXA Protection.

"By undertaking this activity, these entrepreneurial mothers are making a significant contribution to both the economy and their family's financial wellbeing."

l The Bump, Fleming Square, Blackburn. Telephone 01254 690 095 or visit www.thebumpmaternitywear.co.uk, Precious Little Treasures. Visit www.preciouslittletreasuers.co.uk or email info@preciouslittletreasures.co.uk Call 01254 609701.