Pregnant and teaching...tips?

[littlebid]

I’m 5 weeks pregnant with my second and have started this weekend to feel a little nauseous and tired. With my first pregnancy, I had a comfy desk job, sat close to the loos and worked from home a day a week (I know, I know, but really, I don’t regret retraining at all, honest!). I’m starting to worry about the logistics of this first trimester with a full teaching timetable. Any clever tips to help me survive?

Thanks in advance!

[Bobbiepin]

Have an afternoon nap, work smart, try to get ahead on your planning so you can spread the marking out. Get things that you need for the morning ready before you go to bed without fail so you can sleep as lobg as possible in the morning. I also told a close colleague and HR early on and they looked after me well. It was trust well placed as I ended up having awful morning sickness. I teach older students so everyone once in a while I would "fill up my water bottle" or "get something from the printer" when I had to vomit.

[CarolineMumsnet]

Hi there OP. Just to let you know that we're happy to move this one to The Staffroom - we will be pinging it over there shortly.

[Changerofname987654321]

Do you teach primary or secondary? I have a fantastic ITT student take over some of classes and I found my secondary school students were understanding that I was sitting down and teaching from the front. They were also helpful with resources etc.

[mummymathsteacher]

Also pregnant and a teacher. If you're primary and you have a TA, confide quickly! They can cover for the multitude of reasons you need to escape to the loos. Definitely have snacks/drinks in your desk too. I basically lived on extra atrong mints for the first trimester.

Mark as much as you can at work and go to bed earlier. Nothing worse than doing bedtime for DC1 and then having to sit down and work again.

Also, long scarves and longer tops helped hide my bump from the kids for ages.

[littlebid]

Thanks Caroline!

Secondary MFL and sadly no trainee this year; that would have been ideal. I think my kids will be brilliant once they know, this next half term worries me more. I appreciate all the advice!

[Munxx]

You know what? Secondary kids are awesome when it comes to things like this (once they know of course!) for my first trimester I used a lot of clips (BBC Teach is fab for this) or let them be the teacher, peer marking, that sort of thing, plan powerpoints/lessons at home which can be interactive on their part.

Once you get bigger they do start to realise, and they are generally sympathetic and protective of you. Get them to come to you rather than walk to them if you see what I mean.

If you are having a hideous day then poster making, films and tests can be utilised ;)

Congratulations :)

[Munxx]

I also hid digestive biscuits in my desk draw and munched when they were not looking. Thinking on it, I made the most of my hungriest time of day and tried not to worry about eating at other times. With my first it was lunchtime so I had huge baguettes and crisps, cake and so on. With my second it was breakfast (late breakfast) so I delivered my daughter to nursery, bought two huge croissants on the way to school and ate them before first period.

Make the most of your frees and do let your head/deputy head know as a risk assessment will need to be done. Once your HOD knows life can be easier as classes can be swapped, support found if needs be.

[CoffeeBreakIn5]

Be really clear about what you need from SLT, ensure they do a risk assessment on you. Bizarrely I found myself in trouble during my second pregnancy for not being a ‘presence’ in the classroom which affected standards (apparently). I was furious; I had to sit down a lot because of my hips and back, I was also anaemic which made me really dizzy and breathless. They were disgusting about it all whilst maintaining the pretence that they cared, they absolutely did not. Oh, I was also told off for eating in the classroom.

Go and see your line manager ASAP and communicate with them regularly especially when things change. Keep records and make sure you look after your health. I realise that my situation was unusual (I hope!) but I felt so terrible about it all that I didn’t return after mat leave.