Congratulations on your newest pending addition to your family!

It does suck that the downside of this job and being self employed is that taking time off work for 'any reason' has the risk that clients will seek service elsewhere and than not return

While I get that clients need to do what works for them and that is cool ... for me personally anyone who was not supportive/appreciative of my services enough to return to care after a maternity leave or medical leave or whatever is not someone I really want to honor with my service anyway ~ so look at it as a positive thing that someone more deserving of your energy is waiting to join your crew!