Lecturing when heavily pregnant

[Dimblebimble]

Hi everyone,

I am currently 2 months pregnant and although I'm not telling anyone I'm starting to think about how this is going to impact my workload for the year ahead.

This is my teaching free semester (yay!), and I have one module in the spring semester and one in the summer semester as well as summer dissertation supervision.

I'm due 22nd may so obviously the summer module and dissertation supervision is out the window. Because Easter break is so late this year I think I can teach my entire 11 week module and possibly mark the assignments but not the exams unfortunately. I'd go on leave (either maternity leave or maybe annual leave, to give me more time after birth as I'm only taking 5-6 months for financial reasons) around 22nd April, a month before I'm due, possibly slightly later.

A couple of questions -

1. on a practical level, will I still be ok standing up for 2-3 hours at a time when heavily pregnant (around 7.5 months)? I get an achey lower back as it is! Or will that be totally fine?

1. Will they let me teach and mark up to 1 month before I'm due? Or will it be too risky in case I give birth early and they have to scrabble for cover?

1. If I'm under-teaching this year as a result of maternity leave will they give me extra teaching before I go? Don't really fancy the stress of new preps on top of everything else!

Sorry for the long winded post!

[BackforGood]

1. It depends - we are all different. On the whole though, you just make adjustments. When lecturing you could sit, or have one of those higher stools to perch on for some of the time. I taught little ones (and then dc with challenging behaviour) when I was pregnant, and you don't stay in one spot then, and was fine up until 8 months, but some people suffer with back pain and painful nerves more than others. With adults though, much easier for them to cope with you making adjustments
   
2. Yes, of course you can. Not risky. You don't tend to suddenly 'self combust' when you go into labour . Even if you were to deliver a month early, it isn't an 'instant' thing.
   
3. Can't help - a bit of an 'industry dependent' thing, but I can't imagine so.

[PickAChew]

It would be feasible to make sure you have a stool to sit on when you get too big to stand comfortably (if you're unlucky with ligaments, this can happen quite early)

[geekaMaxima]

1. It depends, but most women couldn't do it without some repercussions, whether it's fatigue, back pain, or swollen ankles! You might judge it to be a pretty minor inconvenience or completely debilitating - it's impossible to know at this stage. Plan for the worst just in case - can you deliver the class sitting or at least sitting for short periods?

1. It would be expected in most places to teach and mark as normal up to 7-8 months. A sensible HoD will have a backup plan in case you go on leave earlier - for instance, because baby arrives prematurely or because you might have pregnancy complications that means you're signed off work - but it should be all discussed with you in advance.

1. They really, really shouldn't. But some departments are shitty/disorganised enough to do this, yes. However, you can say no... You should have the same balance of research vs teaching/admin time in the months before you go on mat leave as your do any other year.

[ommmward]

1. I second the high stool suggestion. Talk to occupational health in your university about what adjustments need to be made (once you disclose that you are pregnant, OH should be in touch anyway to do a risk assessment of your current role and any adjustments needed). I also strongly strongly recommend that you take action now to maintain physical fitness and body awareness. It'll make birth and recovery much easier. Yoga, pilates, alexander Technique - anything that works on maintaining core strength and stability, with focus on the way your centre of gravity shifts on a daily basis as the foetus and placenta grow and grow... (Alexander Technique is absolutely fantastic in pregnancy)

1. They let me teach and mark up to my due date... totally normal! I'd recommend that you work as close to your due date as possible. Really grim going back to lecturing with a 3.5 month old baby (who was born two full weeks late, but you left work at 36 weeks pregnant...)

1. There will be money to replace you while you are on leave. Make sure they use it, not exploit you!

[GettinBy]

I used a high stool last year - uncomfortable, but I managed.

It's in their interests to assume you might have to stop early and arrange cover from half-way through your module - students can be prepared then, and you can always support the TAs covering for you from home. Your dept may be more sympathetic than you expect.

[user2222018]

There will be money to replace you while you are on leave. Make sure they use it, not exploit you!

Not true. Departments often don't get money to replace those on maternity leave.

But true that it is not the responsibility of the person going on leave.

[ommmward]

It's been my experience - sometimes it takes a firm conversation with budget holders higher up the food chain, but there is money in the system nominally attached to that maternity leave, at least there is in my institution

[user2222018]

Firm conversations don't unlock such funding in most institutions I've been involved with. But again this is not relevant to the person going on leave.

[Dimblebimble]

Thanks everyone for the replies. When I tell hr I could ask them what they advise. A stool should be possible but I do need to walk around sometimes when we do break out activities in my smaller class.

I'm just really worried they're going to overload me with loads of extra new teaching after Xmas to plug the gaps since someone will have to cover my summer module and dissertations. Guess there's not much I can do about it. Really don't want to tell them!

[LivLemler]

1. It depends entirely on how your pregnancy goes, and that can't be predicted. I taught until 37 weeks with no adjustments except one day at 36 weeks when I'd twisted my ankle and sat down. Other than that I was fine standing for four hours twice a week. I've always had issues with muscles and joints and never would have predicted that I'd have such an easy pregnancy.

A (fit and healthy) colleague was due at the same time and had a very tough time. She needed various adjustments early on and had to stop teaching quite quickly.

Neither of us would've predicted how things went, so I'd carry on as normal until you can't.

1. I imagine you'll be allowed and expected to teach and mark until you finish up. I went on leave at Easter and front loaded my teaching so I was done early. That way only my marking needed to be covered. I set out detailed sample solutions (mathematical subject).

Similarly, I'd recommend getting your materials prepared as early as possible. Easier on you if you're not feeling great later on and easier to pass on if necessary.

1. I wasn't expected to take on anything extra. In fact, we get a reduction in teaching on return. I'd suggest you get on top of anything similar (if you're in SWAN check the SWAN documentation) asap so it's sorted before you go on leave and you know what you're coming back to.

[user2222018]

I'm just really worried they're going to overload me with loads of extra new teaching after Xmas to plug the gaps since someone will have to cover my summer module and dissertations.

It's not legal to give you a >100% load, just because you will be away on maternity leave for the rest of the academic year. If this happens, talk to HR/unions/Athena SWAN team etc.

[Dimblebimble]

@user2222018 it's not that they'd give me a 100% workload, but that the teaching Id miss wouldn't be equal to the leave I'm taking.

I'd be taking 3.5 months of leave in this academic year (as the rest will run into next year. Going to take 6ish months overall. But my teaching consists of 2 modules, lots of summer dissertations, and preparation for a new module the following year. So if I can only do 1 module (- half the marking) and the new prep for next year I will be doing under half of my allocated teaching when I'm actually only on maternity leave for 25% of the year. Hope that makes sense...

So will they give me extra teaching/marking before I go because I'll be under my teaching allocation for the year?