To tell my boss I’m in very early pregnancy? (Self isolation?)

[Hoppyhops]

I’ve just found out (only on Sunday!) that I’m about 5/6 weeks pregnant with my first child so it’s very early days. I’m feeling quite anxious at the moment, after government’s advice for pregnant women to self isolate. I’m a secondary school teacher so am exposed to every bug and germ going, coming into close contact with about 150 kids a day.
In an ideal world, I wouldn’t have to say anything for a few weeks yet, keeping this to myself, but now I’m starting to wonder whether I should tell my boss. GP said it’s entirely up to me and I should follow government guidelines.
To add to my nerves, the National Education Union has posted a video tonight urging its vulnerable members to self isolate from next Monday at the very latest, pregnant women included.
Should I tell my boss? Should I be self isolating from next week? I’ve wanted this baby for so long and I just feel anxious.

Tell your school, I’m a secondary teacher too. Burgundy books means you should be off on full pay and it not be counted against you. If they won’t ask them to do a risk assessment - given the latest government advice they’d struggle to say you are safe and then have to allow you to change work place / take time off.

Can you tell HR so it goes down a confidential and formal route and doesn't become gossip? That's what I think I'd do.

I've never really understood the whole unwritten law of you cannot tell a soul you are pregnant until 12 weeks...

Of course, tell your boss/HR department and any close family/friends if you so wish.

Telling the rest of the word - wait until 12 weeks.

You should really tell your boss early anyway. I'm a teacher too and told my boss early on for both my pregnancies so they could carry out risk assessments. Schools can sometimes be unpredictable and you need to protect yourself and your baby.

Thanks everyone. I told my head of department this morning and she immediately sent me home. She said she’d go and find/tell the head for me, if that’s what I wanted, so I agreed. I’ll ring the head later to have a proper conversation with her too.
Now I’m only one of 2 on the cover list who’s Self Isolating... the bloody stigma of having a day off in teaching is that everyone will be gossiping about why, but at least I’m safely away and can still be productive at home.

I'm glad telling your boss went well. I'm also only 5-6 weeks and I felt I had to tell my boss on Monday. It was before the isolation advice but I was worried as I work for the NHS and there had been talk about possibly moving some of my team to cover crisis areas. I needed my boss to know so any move could be properly risk assessed ..... However yesterday I was told not to come into work today and now I'm just waiting for further information.

I'm really worried about miscarriage and didn't want to tell anyone yet but this is a very strange time. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy.

@quail15 Thanks and congratulations on your pregnancy! I totally get it, I feel like it’s so early and what if I lose it? But it’s not normal circumstances. Out of interest, have you been able to register at all with a midwife? I’ve notified my GP but was told this morning that they won’t be registering me with the midwife or arranging any appointments for at least 3 weeks, totally understandable of course. Seems like this isn’t going to be a ‘normal’ pregnancy experience so I just have to get used to that idea now.

Glad all went well. I wouldn’t worry worry about being off. At my dd’s School there were quite a few Teachers off yesterday mostly ones who have small children. Also out of s senior management team of 5 staff only 2 were in school.

Yes, tell them. I’m a teacher and my HOD told me to go home and stay there until told otherwise yesterday morning following Bojo’s Monday evening broadcast. She also said she expects the college will be closed by the end of the week anyway.

@Hoppyhops. Thank you.
I'm in Kent and I had to phone the midwife team directly to book my first appointment. The GPs don't really get involved.
I have my appointment booked for the 17th April but that could be changed.
I'm going to try and book an early private scan for next week for reassurance - if the clinics are still open. Fingers crossed for both of us that all goes well.

@Quail15 Good to know. I may try to do the same regarding a scan then, just fit some reassurance. Good luck to you.

Schools are to be closed now so your problem is solved. Congratulations!