Before kids, I founded and ran a small food delivery business for 5 years. It was locally loved, I had a steady stream of orders, and from the outside, it looked like freedom.

But then I had my first baby.

Suddenly, the business that once felt flexible… didn’t any longer.

I was up at 5am doing emails before prepping meals and responding to customer requests between feedings. Took the baby into the kitchen and on deliveries a few times when employees were sick.

I once took a call about a missed delivery while holding a feverish baby and sobbing in the pantry.

The reality hit me hard: My business only worked when I did and I was so overwhelmed.

And parenting—especially the kind where you want to be present—doesn’t leave room for that kind of constant output.

I started to resent a business I had once been proud of. I told my husband I would just shut it down. He didn’t want that. Not because it failed, but because it depended on me as the bottleneck.

I luckily found a buyer 2 weeks before baby #2 was born. That was insane.

I’m ready to start something new now, baby #2 is 15 months. I’ve been rebuilding my work around those lessons. Trying to focus on what can run without me.

I’m curious—has anyone else had their business model challenged by becoming a parent?

What did you change (if anything)? Would love to hear from others juggling this same tension. I might add my personal goal for parenting is to be off my phone 90% of the day when I’m with my kids. I know this is unrealistic for so many of us.