Newly pregnant and due in school next Friday

[Letmegetthisrightasawoman]

I am very, very early stages pregnant. With my first pregnancy, I waited until I'd had the 12-week scan before telling the head teacher and then other colleagues. However, I am due to go into work next Friday to look after keyworker and vulnerable children. I am planning on calling the GP next week and asking for advice. I really don't want to have to tell work before I tell my parents, especially as we have a large senior leadership team who will all be told immediately (going on how things went last time). I don't perceive the risks as being very high, as provisions are in place for distancing (they don't really work, but I could just be more meticulous myself) and my GP mentioned that there is very little COVID in our area anyway. But then I imagine the reaction of the head and our business manager if they find out I've been coming in whilst pregnant and without having been risk assessed. WWYD?

[TestOrNot]

Hi!
Interesting to have the chance to comment on your dilemma OP, after your helpful words to me earlier.

What I would do would depend on medical advice how I felt about working whilst pregnant and if I felt that my role did not place me at greater risk. You mentioned getting in trouble if SLT discovered you hadn’t been risk assessed. I would simply ignore that and get my medical advice from the GP about the safety of your work conditions. Then once the pregnancy was at the stage that you’re happy to tell them, then I’d tell them I’d only just discovered that I was pregnant.

The only benefit of the risk assessment surely is if they alter your role to one with lesser risk eg working from home. Is this what you would want? Your OP seems to indicate that you and your GP are ‘happy’ with the risk and that it’s more the bureaucracy that worries you. If I’ve understood your view correctly then I’d simply tell the HT that I found out about the pregnancy later than I actually did.

[Letmegetthisrightasawoman]

Hi I like your approach of ignoring SLT's sensitivities I can't imagine any questions being asked about when I found out, the HT was mainly interested in the practicalities of my mat leave last time You're right, I should just go on medical advice. Haven't actually spoken to the GP about this specifically yet, their comment was in relation to my DS. Will call them this week and see what they say.

[TestOrNot]

Exactly! They’re not going to demand to know how long you’ve known. And if they do enquire just says you found out very recently. Good luck!

[Letmegetthisrightasawoman]

Ironically I've just had a coronavirus test myself. I thought I was just feeling rough because I'm pregnant but I actually had a fever 🤦🏼‍♀️ fingers crossed we both get negative results!