How to Make Money While Pregnant In 2024 (Top 10 Side Hustles)

Bump up your bank account with these pregnancy-friendly gigs.

Learning to make money while pregnant is simple, and continuing with your full-time job isn't necessary, as taking on gig work needn't be physically demanding.

You should avoid gigs that require heavy lifting, standing for long periods, or strenuous activity, but many options are still available.

These jobs should offer flexibility, allowing you to work from home and set your own working hours - especially when your due date is near.

How to Make Money While Pregnant: Top 10 Side Hustles

Your doctor may well recommend that you choose gigs that are less stressful to manage, given the demands of most pregnancies.

Remember to always consult your doctor before starting any new physical activity, including the option of running a home-based business.

You need to be realistic when it comes to your energy levels and limitations, knowing that late-stage pregnancies can be very tiring.

Top 10 Best Side Hustles for Pregnant Women

A good side hustle will help you earn extra money quickly, which is why we’ve selected the pregnancy-friendly options below.

Here’s a list of the ten best gig ideas to earn extra money while you’re pregnant:

1. Transcription 

Transcription is an ideal work-from-home option where you can set your own hours and entails sitting with minimal physical exertion.

As a stay-at-home mom, transcription work-from-home jobs are ideal, as they can fit in with the time you have available each day.

Transcription gigs consist of transcribing video and audio recording files so clients have a written copy of the contents.

You are usually paid per word and need to have a transcription pedal, software, and headphones to complete each assignment.

A good understanding of grammar and punctuation is necessary, as is knowledge of the subject matter you're transcribing.

Upwork and Freelancer are two job portals that offer transcription jobs but you can also earn extra income by emailing or calling businesses directly.

2. Proofreading Jobs

Proofreading for content creators is similar to transcription work in that it involves flexible hours combined with minimal physical demands.

Earning extra cash as a proofreader is a low-stress option for moms who want to add to the family budget without the stress of full-time employment.

This service is needed for any written material, from articles to books, and a thorough understanding of grammar, punctuation, and spelling is required.

3. Virtual Assistant

Virtual assistant tasks can vary, but many involve remote work, like accounting for startups, with little physically demanding activity.

You may provide administrative or customer service support and earn extra income for companies that prefer to outsource their work.

Virtual assistants must understand office jobs and procedures and be able to manage emails, create spreadsheets and documents, and schedule appointments.

Your excellent organizational abilities and top-class communication skills will ensure you fulfill all virtual assistant requirements.

4. Bookkeeper

If you have a few years of experience in an accounting department or have worked at an accounting firm, then freelance bookkeeping is ideal.

Experience with cloud accounting packages, such as Xero or Quickbooks Online, will ensure that you receive regular online work worldwide.

If you know how to file taxes or monthly state and federal submissions, you'll be in great demand in the USA.

5. Offer Budgeting Services 

Virtual consultations allow you to offer budgeting services online while setting your own schedule, and they require minimal physical effort.

As an expectant mom, you'll know all about balancing your household budget, and this experience, together with bookkeeping knowledge, can help you earn money.

Depending on where you are located, you may have to enroll in a certificate course to prove your value to prospective clients.

6. Online Tutoring

Working as an online tutor is one of the most popular online jobs, with many great options to work flexible hours teaching English online.

Chegg and Tutor.com are two excellent sources of online tutoring jobs, but you can also post ads in local Facebook groups.

Earning extra cash by helping students improve their marks is a low-stress job that pays very well all around the world.

7. Freelance Writing 

You can build a freelance writing customer base working from home and reduce your working hours as your pregnancy progresses.

Freelance writers can work from just about anywhere and earn money using a laptop and an internet connection - they're the original digital nomads.

Your earning potential as a freelance writer is virtually unlimited, mainly if you focus on copywriting rather than generic content.

8. Design Online Courses 

If you have in-demand skills, creating and marketing a course can help you make money quickly and easily with minimal upfront time and effort.

Once created, courses can sell on autopilot, earning you extra cash while you spend more time with your family and newborn baby.

If you already have a skill set that lends itself to online work, visiting the biggest gig economy company websites like Fiverr or Upwork is all you need.

9. Social Media Management 

You can work flexible hours doing social media marketing for your clients, but it may become too time-consuming later on.

To make money online as a social media expert, you need experience and a good grasp of online marketing and PR fundamentals.

There are plenty of social media manager jobs available on gig economy platforms like Upwork and Freelancer, but the competition is fierce.

10. Sell Crafts Online

With gig economy websites like Etsy, you can scale your craft business by working flexible hours, but managing inventory can be time-consuming. 

Working full-time doesn’t preclude you from starting a side hustle when pregnant, but care should be taken as you get closer to your due date.

Selling on local Facebook groups and the Facebook marketplace is a simple way to tap into an existing audience that trusts and likes you.

Other Ways To Earn A Few Extra Dollars While Pregnant

If you have a talent or hobby, such as photography or graphics skills, you can earn extra money by selling a service or product online.

Here are a few more ways that you can make money while you’re pregnant that won't stress you or your baby:

• Create and Sell Online Stock Photos - If you have a knack for photography and have the equipment, then food photography, home decor, or other stock photos sell well online through stock photo platforms like Shutterstock or Adobe Stock. 
• Develop and Sell Online Templates - If you’re good at organizing and love creating planners or budgeting templates, selling them on Etsy or Creative Market is a great side hustle. Offering templates is scalable; you can make more templates early in your pregnancy and reduce your workload later.
• Test Websites and Apps (User Testing) - Companies always look for user feedback on their websites and apps, which can be done remotely and with flexible hours. 
• Teach Online Yoga or Fitness Classes (modified for pregnancy) - If you're a certified yoga instructor or have experience in prenatal fitness, offering online classes specifically tailored for pregnant women is perfect. It allows you to share your knowledge while working from a comfortable space and adapting exercises for pregnancy safety, depending on your trimester.

How to Start Your Side Hustle While Pregnant?

Starting a side hustle while pregnant sounds like a good idea, but it can be daunting without a clear plan of action.

We’ve compiled the following list of things you can do to find the right work-life balance while starting your home-based business.

Managing Time Effectively

It’s difficult to work effectively if you don’t have a designated place to work from - such as your dining room table or your own study.

Make sure that you have all your work supplies in one place, so that you’re not wasting time constantly looking for them.

Then, set a comfortable schedule that you can live with, dividing your time between work and personal time to allow time for relaxation.

Acknowledge Your Physical Limitations

Early on in your pregnancy, you might not notice your physical limitations, but you’ll tire more quickly as time goes on.

When you feel tired, you need to prioritize nap times for your health and that of your baby - so don’t sweat the small stuff!

You may also need to let go of perfectionism for household chores and other physically demanding tasks - hire assistants to do the heavy lifting.

Strategize Your Workload

You need to identify tasks you can complete in short work windows while planning longer tasks in focused blocks of time.

Always ask for help if you need it. Utilize family, friends, or childcare for busy periods, or even consider hiring part-time help.

Create A Budget

Before starting your side hustle, plan out your business using a budget for both revenue and expenditures. This gives you a good starting point.

List all your fixed and variable expenses, including your tax filings and health insurance payments, to calculate your money needs.

Be conservative when estimating your income, doing research online to see what other freelancers are earning on gig platforms like Fiverr or Upwork.

Set Goals And Target Dates

After completing your budget, you need to create an action plan with goals and target dates for completing each task.

Your action plan will change as you add new tasks, rearrange schedules, and make adjustments for each new eventuality.

Prioritize Communication

Communication is key to business success, and you must keep your customers or clients up to date on what’s happening with their orders.

By being open and honest, you reduce your stress, and most clients will appreciate your honesty and cut you some slack if you miss deadlines.

Skills You Need To Find A Side Hustle While Pregnant

To find side hustles online requires research skills and the ability to identify the best options for your unique situation.

At first, you may struggle to secure gigs, but following this Upwork tips for beginners guide will help you get started quickly.

If you plan on supplying arts or crafts or applying for a variety of gigs online, then the gig economy offers you a wide array of options.

Pick a gig that aligns with your skills and experience, and visit websites like TaskRabbit or FlexJobs to see who is hiring.

Where To Look For Side Gigs?

Finding clients is a numbers game, and the more people and businesses that you contact, the better your chances of securing a gig.

You can start by checking out these for starters:

• Fiverr - They have more than 66 categories of jobs to look through, and hundreds of thousands of clients are looking for freelancers.
• Upwork Inc. - This website has been around for many years and is considered one of the best places to look for gigs.
• Toptal - If you have experience in a profession like accounting or graphic design, Toptal is a great place to find work. 
• LinkedIn - All the top companies in the world have a presence on LinkedIn and it is fast becoming the go-to portal for full-time and part-time jobs.
• 99designs - For job seekers who have graphic design skills, this website carries some of the most sought-after roles and projects.
• TaskRabbit - Anyone looking for help with remote and in-person tasks, including handyman work, personal assistance, deliveries, and furniture assembly, can find it here.
• DoorDash - While delivery jobs might not be suitable later in your pregnancy, it may be an option to raise quick cash early on.

Don’t forget that you have a network of family, friends, and colleagues who might know someone who needs help with various tasks.

The best gig economy platforms are very easy to spot, as the most trustworthy ones have been around for years.

How Much Extra Money Can You Make From Side Hustles?

It’s difficult to gauge how much your side hustle will make as a lot depends on your skills, time available, and motivation to succeed.

To give you an idea of what’s possible, here are some side hustles and what you can expect to make from each of them:

Kindle Self Publishing

Self-publishing on Kindle can be lucrative, with some writers with expertise in a niche making six figures per year and more. 

By writing and marketing ebooks on Amazon, you can earn over $1,000/month on autopilot with minimal upfront investment.

However, you need to create books in popular niches that have a high demand for the information you are providing.

Amount You Can Make: $1000 - $100,000+/year

Real Estate Wholesaling

If you are well-connected then real estate wholesaling is an option as it involves finding motivated sellers who need to sell their homes quickly.

You can use your network to get properties under contract at a lower price and then sell the contract to a cash buyer for a profit. 

Amount You Can Make: $100,000+/year

e-Commerce

Starting an e-commerce business is one way to cash in on the gig economy, whether through creating your own product or drop shipping.

This gig requires a basic knowledge of Facebook ads and e-commerce websites such as Shopify as well as some initial investment in advertising. 

It’s important that you keep track of your revenue and expenses using accounting software like Xero or Quickbooks or another cloud-based option.

Amount You Can Make: Low 6-figures

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a popular way to promote products or services and earn a commission for each sale made through your referrals. 

It can be done through social media platforms like YouTube, Pinterest, TikTok, Instagram, X, and Facebook if you have an existing following.

Amount You Can Make: $250,000+/year

Create Info Products

Creating information products such as ebooks, email courses, video tutorials, webinars, music, spreadsheets, and checklists can be very lucrative.

Use your blog or social media following and expertise in the relevant topic to motivate people to buy your info product.

The potential for earning significant income is limitless, and the upside is that the cost of fulfillment is very low.

Is Having A Side Hustle While Pregnant Worth It?

With the rising cost of having children, a side hustle can make a world of difference to your financial well-being.

However, the financial benefits of starting a successful side hustle should never outweigh the importance of your health and that of your unborn child.

The freedom that a side hustle gives you is far greater than working a full-time job, especially taking into account flexible hours and lower stress levels.

A study published in the Royal Society of Medicine journal Obstetric Medicine warns of the dangers of prenatal stress on childhood development.

Pros And Cons Of Having A Side Hustle While Pregnant

While there is a strong argument to be made for having a side hustle while pregnant, it is well worth considering the risks as well.

Here are some gig economy pros and cons to consider:

Pros

• Income Stability - Side hustles provide an additional source of income, which can be especially helpful for covering unexpected expenses. 
• Flexibility - Many side hustles offer flexible working hours, allowing pregnant women to work around their prenatal appointments, fatigue, and other pregnancy-related challenges.
• Skill Development - A side hustle provides opportunities for skill development and personal growth, which can be valuable both during and after pregnancy.
• Sense of Purpose - Maintaining a side hustle can help women maintain a sense of purpose, contributing to overall mental well-being.
• Networking Opportunities - Side hustles involve interacting with different people providing networking opportunities that could be beneficial in various aspects of life, including parenthood.

Cons

• Increased Stress - Balancing a side hustle with pregnancy can lead to increased stress and fatigue, negatively impacting both physical and mental health.
• Risk of Overwork - There's a risk of overworking oneself when managing a side hustle alongside the physical demands of pregnancy, exacerbating health issues.
• Time Constraints - Juggling a side hustle with pregnancy may leave little time for rest, relaxation, and self-care.

Taking on the added stress of a side hustle may be worth it if you can balance your need for additional income against the possible health risks.

If you have any doubts about whether or not it is a good idea, discuss them with your health professional before making a decision.

Summary

There are numerous side hustle options suitable for pregnant women that provide flexibility and the possibility of earning a significant income.

It is crucial to consult a doctor before starting any new physical activity, including running a home-based business, due to the stress and potential harm. 

While side hustles do offer income stability, skill development, and networking opportunities, there are also potential risks that must be considered before making a decision.