That's My Baby Who says running a business and motherhood don't mix?

Many women refer to their businesses as "their baby."But what happens to business when a real baby is on the way?

"I'm accustomed to being a strong, independentperson," says Alison Nelson, 30, co-owner of candy store theChocolate Bar and CEO of event execution firm Four Little Sisters,both in New York City. Nelson, seven months pregnant with her firstchild, admits, "The physical limitations can be frustrating,but it [has] also taught me to allow others to pitch in."Nelson believes her pregnancy has made her more focused. She'sachieved goals on specific dates based on her birth schedule andplans to resume work within three weeks of giving birth.

Caroline Caskey, 37, president and CEO of Houston-based Identigene Inc., aDNA identification service with annual revenues nearing $5 million,spent almost eight months of her pregnancy working and focusing ongetting the company ready for her maternity leave. After trying toconceive for six months, she was already prepared to make changesin her work life once she became pregnant. She plans to continueworking after her child is born, but has hired a COO to help withsome day-to-day responsibilities.

For Adrienne Lumpkin, pregnancy at 45 was unexpected. Thepresident of Raleigh, North Carolina-based Alternate Access Inc., aconverged communications firm specializing in businesstelecommunications tools, had planned to go to the office two daysper week after her son was born, but 17 months later, she'sworking nearly full time again.

Lumpkin started her business 10 years ago from home, jugglingthe business while raising her daughters, ages 1 and 2 at the time,and her stepdaughter, 13 at the time. Her husband joined thebusiness in 1994. It's been six years since the company movedinto an office and added eight employees. For Lumpkin,"working while pregnant was not that big a deal." Lumpkindidn't announce her pregnancy until she was five months along,opting to keep a low profile: "I worked pretty much as normaluntil the seventh month, when the pregnancy became physicallydifficult for me."

All three women admit to mixed emotions about pregnancy andwork. Says Nelson, "People assume being pregnant means beingweaker. They predict that your abilities will diminish as yourfocus becomes fixated on your child." Nelson believes motherswho are also businesswomen not only multitask well, but also set astrong example for their children.

For Caskey, the issue is personal. "I'm amazed at howreadily other people volunteer their opinions about whether amother should work," Caskey says. "People should maketheir own choices about how they live their lives. I believe havinga baby will be the most profound experience of my life. However, Iwant to maintain my sense of self as well, for myself, my husbandand my baby. My work is a big part of that."

Lumpkin is even more pragmatic. "The business is our meansto earn a living. [Justin] has given us new energy to tackle ourbusiness. He [and the girls] are incentives to keep it going, andmake it even stronger." How can other moms make this work?"Be flexible enough to know the plans you make won'thappen 'just so,'" Lumpkin advises. "You have toroll with the punches, expect to give up sleep for a while, and byall means, get household help!"

"Don't let clients, partners or colleagues shake yourconfidence," says Nelson. "Look for support from yourfamily, husband and friends. And know you are capable of being amother and a business owner."

Aliza Pilar Sherman (www.mediaegg.com) is an author, freelancewriter and speaker specializing in women's issues.