pregnancy advice for a teacher??

[mrsspeckyfoureyes]

Hi,

I'm 6 weeks pregnant and I teach reception children full time. I've been ok so far, had to take 2 days off last week due to the pregnancy causing me crippling IBS. I'm off again today because I was up most of the night not being but feeling very sick. Up until now I've felt sick mostly only on the day time and have been able to cope fine. But last night was horrible, i couldn't shake the feeling and as a result am exhausted. I took the hard decision to call in sick because I know I won't be able to stay awake past midday. My head knows I'm pregnant and my TA which is good. I just feel so guilty having today but I know if I have today I can get through the last 2 days then it's half term. How do you all cope? Any other teachers in a similar situation? I just feel so guilty but I don't know what else I could have done.

[Joskar]

It will probably get easier. Don't fret about not being in. If you can't you can't. I was very fortunate that there was a loo opposite my classroom so I was able to go and throw up in there. As long as your boss knows it's fine.

Congratulations!

[Whiskers10439]

Don't beat yourself up about calling in sick. It's the same as any illness at work, if you feel too bad to be at work then you're better at home. I felt terrible throughout the 1st tri, but was only actually throwing up about once a day, so usually managed to avoid being sick at work. Try to avoid an empty stomach - so I'd keep a stash of cake bars (or whatever carby food you can bear) in your stock cupboard! Great that TA knows so you can slip out to the loo if needed. Congratulations and good luck! X

[Nevlet]

Do not feel guilty! I am just over 10 weeks and a secondary maths teacher so understand the stress about calling in sick. I told my head of department straight away this term and have kept a constant supply of snacks that I currently fancy in the cupboard in my classroom as that really helps the sickness.

To try and stop me worrying I worked out when I would be 12 weeks (and therefore its out in the open and hopefully we feel better!) and compared that against school holidays. That way i know if I could make it to half term next week the worst was hopefully out the way. Random but it has helped... Congratulations

[Whosthemummy16]

Oh no hope you are feeling better soon
In my first stages of pregnancy I was able to eat through it as much as I didn't want to eat it really did help. I have gained over two stone now I'm at the end of my pregnancy though
Is your head being supportive ?
Besides it's probably better you being covered at work than you leaving the classroom every 10 minutes to use the loo and feeling rotten trying to teach !

[TwllBach]

Primary school teacher here too, nursery though, not reception. I understand how you feel, I told my TA as soon as I returned to school after summer holidays when I was around 7 weeks pregnant and he made sure I could run to the loo/sit down/take a break when I needed. Told my head at 9 weeks because I turned up everyday looking like death.

I managed first trimester with no days off but am on my third day off this week now at 29 weeks due to exhaustion and a preeclampsia scare. I made sure to keep my head well informed and I did provide work, but all in all she's been very supportive.

If you can't go in because you feel ill, then you can't go in.

[LaurieLemons]

Don't feel guilty, if you felt this bad for some other reason you wouldn't hesitate to call in sick would you? I had awful sickness but thankfully I wasn't working at the time - if I was I would have had a lot of time off. I hope you feel better soon, and don't hesitate to visit the doctors if you don't!

[mrsspeckyfoureyes]

Thank you all so much for your messages and support! Eating some things has helped but it changes from day to day at the moment what I want! I'e just got up and managed to get myself downstairs to eat 2 packets of crisps! How healthy!! But I do feel better for it. Think I will have to keep a stash of all sorts by my bed for nighttime sickness!

[mangocoveredlamb]

Don't feel guilty.

Just from a practical point of view have you told school you are pregnant? Make sure that they are recording your sickness as pregnancy related as it then doesn't count for performance management and won't be sent on to a new school in the future!

[MrBensMrs]

Be kind to yourself and don't feel guilty, it's bloody hard work functioning as normal and growing a new person. Hope it passes soon and good plan re the snacks to hand, I am 5 + 4 and had a wave of sickness this morning staved off by some toast but I am keeping cereal bars and crisps at work and at home to shovel in! X

[mrsspeckyfoureyes]

Hi mangocoveredlamb - I told my head this week and she knows I'm off because of it but the rest of the school think I've lost my voice - I actually really almost did completely lose my voice yesterday! Terrible cough and sore throat etc. I really don't want to tell everyone until after the first scan - I feel already like too many people know as it is. I just worry if God forbid something goes wrong I don't want to tell the world about that too.

[Pregasaurusrex]

Hiya,
I'm in primary and currently 19 weeks. I've had two days sickness one for kidney infection and one for puking ( literally non stop!). It's so difficult not to feel guilty, and I still feel awful most days. Unfortunately, most heads would rather you were in front of the class at 50% then shelling out for supply. So I feel your pain! I'm trying to say "no" to extras like clubs and tutoring etc. I have no advice for you, just maybe count down the days until maternity leave? That's my strategy!

[mangocoveredlamb]

Glad you've told your Head Mrs!
I had a bit of a fight on my hands during my last pregnancy because my sickness (5weeks due to HG) had been recorded wrong so just wanted to flag it with you. Def no beed to tell anyone else!
Good luck and hope you feel better soon!

[MsFiremanSam]

I'm a secondary teacher and 5+5 weeks pregnant. It is really, really hard! I'm covering the HoD role for my colleague on mat leave and have several exam classes. I feel awful at the moment but haven't told my Head yet.

[Wait4nothing]

I'm a year 2 teacher and had a pretty crappy 1st and 2nd trimester (throwing up at least daily from 7 weeks to 22 weeks). I ate a bag of crisps for breakfast for about 2 months - they kept the sickness at bay (though everyone thought I was strange). I only actually threw up at school about 3 times - normally first thing and around tea time. I had 2 days off in total and just plodded on during the hard days - not nice feeling crappy during an unannounced observation though! I did have a stash of snacks in the cupboard just incase.

[socktastic]

I've done a lot of sitting at school... Plonking myself next to 'that' group and telling the children to come to me rather than the other way round!
It gets better though I promise. I'm now able to walk around the class for 5 mins at a time and even organise art activities!!

[BumpPower]

To give a positive school story! My school were really supportive, it was tough and I had to learn to say no to things, ask to sit down during the 11th nativity rehearsal, get up and go to the loo when the head's meeting overran etc. I'm currently 35weeks and have been on crutches with bad hips since Christmas so school has had me "working from home!!!". I couldn't teach on crutches but rather than insisting I go sick (which Doc would have been happy to do) they have had me doing a few hours planning, resource making etc for maternity cover each day and then coming in with a memory stick twice a week to meet with her. Not massively relevant but thought it might need helpful to know not all schools are awkward! Mine reminded me that even when I couldn't run around after the kids I had useful skills!