21 weeks along and losing my skills

[threebt]

I work as a freelance writer-editor, sometimes from home, sometimes in clients' offices. I've been building up my hours and clients for about a year now, and I wasn't doing too badly.

However... I'm now 21 weeks into a completely uneventful and very much wanted and planned pregnancy, and I feel as if I'm losing my skills.

One client has said that my proofreading had gone downhill to such a degree that they will only give me writing jobs from now on.

An editor has asked me to give him eight feature ideas, and my mind is completely blank -- normally I'd be full of pitches and ideas that I want to pursue.

I've just been sat at my desk for TWO DAYS trying to write a feature that would normally have taken me a couple of hours. I struggled to take notes during the interview, and I struggled to read my shorthand back. And now I've just read over what I've written, and it's full of typos, and terrible word choices.

I'm getting quite stressed by it: My confidence has been really knocked. My husband says I must just do my best, and that should be enough -- but I've worked so hard to get a good reputation, and I don't want to leave clients remembering me as rubbish and flaky. I'm hoping they'll give me work when I'm ready to start again.

I'm not sure if it wouldn't be more stressful giving up this early: we'd have to manage on one income for longer than planned. Also, I know I'd be climbing the walls after two days -- I've got a history of depression, and I'm healthiest when I've got something to fill my hands.

Has anyone else had performance problems like this? And what did you do?

I totally believe that your mind goes funny when you are pregnant and didn't believe it when a study disproved the idea that your memory goes when you have kids. I had an excellent memory when I was a nanny but once I had my own kids, forget it.

I would try and rest as much as possible, give yourself time to think baby stuff and then get down to the work. Give yourself extra time to do the work and try not to worry.

Hi, just wanted to sympathise with you as I also work as an editor/copy-writer and I know how tricky it is doing this type of work when you're tired and also how awful it is when you get negative feedback.
I would suggest taking on easier work (I would say that proof-reading is easier than writing but perhaps that's just me) eg, consider stopping the paid work and taking on volunteer work as an editor eg, I worked as an editor for my local NCT branch - it kept my hand in (and actually was very useful on my CV) but I got to set my own deadlines and standards were lower as it was voluntary work. It's also a great way to build up new contacts - I've have several paid jobs as a result of my volunteer work.

Best of luck and congratulations on your pregnancy!

Thanks Trainsetter -- I'm so glad I'm not the only one.

Staranise -- that article that's giving me so much trouble... it's about voluntary work (oh the irony!) But actually, it's not a bad idea. I'll contact the NCT and see if they could make use of me. Thank you so much for suggesting that.

I'm going to talk to the editor and see if I can do one feature a week, rather than two.

Normally, I find writing much easier and more absorbing than proofreading, but I'm really struggling to put my thoughts in order these days.