To pull out of this school trip (teacher)?

[dybb]

School trip to mainland Europe in December. I am one of 4 staff accompanying about 25 14-15 year olds. It is always a struggle to find female staff members to go on these kind of trips.

Trip is 5 days, quite full-on with travel and activities for staff and students. Lots of walking and city transport. 2 hour flights both ways.

I will be 36 weeks pregnant the day we are due to fly back. Technically the airline allows travel up to the end of the 36th week with a Drs note. No complications so far but I’m only 16w at this point and aware that could change.

AIBU to pull out of the trip?

YABU - go
YANBU - don’t go

Should have thought about all of this before committing to it .

My school advises against any residentials in the third trimester. I think pulling out now would be understandable.

Don't go.

I wouldn't fly at 36 weeks and committing now to a trip when you have no idea how you'll feel is irresponsible. Tell the school to find someone else.

Do not go. School trips are exhausting at the best of times ! And I had both of mine 3 weeks early so you could give birth on the trip. No one wants that 😊

By 36 weeks you will be tired, achey and in need of decent sleep. It is not right for a heavily pregnant woman to be on call 24/7 to attend to young teenagers’ needs for days on end in a foreign country. Frankly, I’m surprised your employer is expecting you to do this.

It’s possible op was signed up well in advance. At my school, as soon as a trip finishes it is assumed you will go on the same trip next year and are asked to sign up. Changes of staffing on trips happens all the time. Also, this trip is in December. OP is giving very fair notice.

God no. Who knows what state you'll be in at 36 weeks. Is it your first?

No I wouldn’t go at 36 weeks pregnant. You may not even be allowed to go, any complications or risks may mean you’re not signed off to fly. I wasn’t allowed to fly from 28 weeks.

Surely you wouldn't, quite rightly, get through a risk assessment?

Nah I wouldn't go. You have quite regular midwife appointments at that stage too so you might miss one... And there's always the potential you'll need extra input at 36 weeks (growth scans, monitoring etc,) be easier if you pull out now for them to replace you than if left til nearer the time...

Blimey-no! Was this all arranged before you found out you were pregnant. I would have spoken to your head about this before the end of term!

Bloody hell, no!

Pull out. Personally you don't need the extra risks and professionally, there doesn't appear to have been a risk assessment based on your being pregnant.

https://www.hse.gov.uk/mothers/employer/risk-assessment.htm

I was not aware that I was pregnant when trip was planned and I agreed to go.

School does not know I am pregnant yet. We broke up for summer before my first scan and I was not comfortable sharing before then.

I will tell school as soon as we go back in September but obviously want to let trip leader know ASAP if I am pulling out.

I wouldn’t even go on a relaxing beach holiday at 36 weeks never mind an active school trip with teenagers.

you need to pull out.

Absolutely not. Do school know about your pregnancy yet? I would be shocked if they didn’t automatically insist on replacing you for their own risk assessment. Airline rules aside, from the school’s point of view you would be too high risk of pulling out closer to the time, or even worse, something happening during the trip, and leaving them short staffed. I’m SLT and wouldn’t let you go.

I am surprised they find it so hard to staff - usually there are a queue of people for such trips, exhausting though they are it’s great fun. However that’s not your problem. Pull out, it’s not even borderline, going would be a terrible idea for you and for them.

Absolutely not
We had a two night residential ...90 minutes away by coach and a pregnant member of staff was not asked to go and it was her year group .
She was 30 weeks

Ah saw your update. I don’t think it will be a difficult conversation. Just tell the trip leader and headteacher as soon as you get back in September - don’t say “I think I need to drop out” tell them you are pregnant and obviously cannot go.

and congratulations!

I would never consider this. I wouldn't even go on a day school trip at 35 weeks. Given you hadn't even had your first scan before the summer school also have no grounds to be annoyed.

Enjoy your pregnancy 😊

No don’t go
Everyone should understand why you drop out
better to do it now
By 36 weeks you could even be home with a tiny baby 4 weeks early is possible!!!
Good luck with your pregnancy

You’re bonkers. I was signed off unexpectedly at 32 weeks. You just can’t do this.

Thank you all — message received, I was clearly overthinking!

I will of course inform school as soon as we go back and I will email the trip leader today to let them know.

Currently 35 weeks pregnant (healthy pregnancy- 3rd baby) and as much as I know all pregnancies are different; I am utterly exhausted and would not be able to fulfil the duties expected on a school day trip, let alone a residential trip.
Even if your pregnancy is straightforward and you feel great I think you would massively struggle

I don’t think you need to worry, at 36 weeks I very much doubt you’d pass the risk assessment. They won’t expect you to go as soon as they find out you’re pregnant.

I wouldn’t. I gave birth to DD at 36+1 and had an easy pregnancy til that point! DS was born at 37 weeks. Some people have early babies!