The year Elisha became a mum

Elisha here, Nisa’s founder and CEO. The summer break is my favourite time to pause, reflect back on the year that has been, and set intentions for the year to come.

This has been a big year for me, both personally and professionally. I found out I was pregnant late in 2021, and so I spent the start of 2022 searching for someone to lead the team while I was looking after bub. I found myself daydreaming about being a normal employee who can just email HR with the start and end dates for their parental leave and have someone else sort it out. 

We went through two recruitment rounds before realising that the answer had been in front of us all along. Hannah, our digital marketing marketing manager, had had her own babywear brand in London, and was perfect for the role!

Handover was a crazy process of documenting everything I’d done without thinking every day. I think that process of writing it all down has made the business stronger.

I was working full-time up to the Friday night before my induction on Monday morning. On Monday, while waiting for the induction drugs to kick in, I guiltily did a bit of last-minute Nisa admin (much to the horror of my team). Our midwife said that we could leave the hospital between doses of medication, so we went for brunch at Maranui Cafe in Lyall Bay. The medication worked a bit quicker than expected, because my waters broke as I stood up after my Big Breakfast. I can’t wait to tell my daughter that story one day.

I gave birth to my daughter just after midnight. It was a surreal experience. I had done all the courses but I don’t think anything can prepare you for the real thing. We took her home one day later on a stormy Wellington night, and it was so nice to snuggle up together while the rain lashed the windows outside.

For the first four weeks of our daughter’s life, my partner and I were in a blissful bubble. He had four weeks’ leave and we went on little outings most days, spending the rest of the time staring adoringly at her wee face. My partner’s return to work came as a shock to the system: things like taking a shower and cooking suddenly became a lot trickier without an extra pair of hands to take care of bubs. 

In the past month or two, I’ve started to dip my toes back into Nisa in preparation for returning full-time in January, when my partner takes over primary care of the baby. My intention for 2023? Use insights I’ve had from being away from the business to make it even better, and stay positive about balancing work and family, reminding myself what a privilege it is to love both.