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

Of course dont go, it would not be fair on you, the baby, the school, the students, the other staff or the parents. If I was going on a school trip and found out another member of staff would be participating at that stage of pregnancy I would pull out. no way I want that responsibility on top of everything else

You are insane for even considering going?!
I guess this must be your first and you have no idea what being 36 pregnant is like?

You still want to minimise disruption to your workplace so tell them asap that you are pregnant Hereford obviously can’t go. Why wait til September?

I wouldn’t even do a flight holiday for myself at 36 weeks let alone a work trip with 25 teenagers. Jesus.

I carried on travelling for work when pregnant and I really regret it now. It was very stressful and it has done me no favours at all

I had a fairly straightforward pregnancy but developed hip pain at that stage, I couldn’t have kept up with all the walking. Plus the risk of having to pull out last minute. What if you have reduced movements while there, you’d need to be checked over which wouldn’t be the easiest while abroad and might leave them short staffed.

Im sure school will understand!

No way.
You would be uncomfortable and also a complete liability.

I'm not sure that insurance would cover you on a trip at that stage of pregnancy anyway

What a shame @dybb didn't have a crystal ball when she agreed to accompany the trip, @Slobberchops1. I know that information wasn't given in the first post, but I don't think it was that hard to work it out.

You may not even get a fit to fly note off your GP which has to be done no earlier than 2 weeks before flying, and that would be very short notice to arrange for another member of staff to go, so even if you were determined to go, I would expect the Head to say you can’t!

School will absolutely not want you to go! Insurance alone would be a nightmare. They also need staff who are fully able to physically cope with the demands of a trip like that. It won’t be the first time this has happened (I am running a trip next year and have since found out that one of my staff members is pregnant!) so don’t worry about it at all

Can you imagine the fall out if you went into (slightly) early labour mid trip! Doesn't bear thinking about. No-one is going to mind you dropping out. As others have said, you would be potentially a massive liability.

You'd be mad to go. The stress of this would be too much at this stage of pregnancy.

I wouldn’t go!
I also don’t actually think your school will even let you go. I was 28 weeks for our year 6 residential and I wasn’t allowed to go for a variety of reasons- insurance, my own comfort and the fact I probably would’ve been pretty useless.
Im currently 38 weeks pregnant and think back to now I felt 2/3 weeks ago and there is no way I would’ve been in a fit state to go on a European school trip. They are exhausting enough as they are without being so heavily pregnant!

School won’t want you to go … hopefully in September, there will be some enthusiastic NQTs, or new hires, who will love to go.

Volunteering in good faith.
Not committing.

No teacher is obligated to do these trips.
We do it because we have a vocation.

Might be nice if people appreciated us giving up our time.

Do not go OP
Don't even think about it in third stage of pregnancy. Put you and your baby first.

I wasn't allowed to go on a school trip with Year 1s at 36 weeks nevermind abroad 😅 you'll probably find your employer will pull you out regardless.

Definitely pull out. Your school would be foolish to take you; the last thing they want is you pulling out at the last minute, or going into labour during the trip. 8% of babies are born before 36 weeks (see here).

That should be quite enough to make your case, even without considering whether you would be up to the demands of the trip.

I also think you need to tell the school that you are pregnant now. They will need to find cover staff and waiting another month to tell them makes the situation a bit tight to get things sorted. Teachers will be looking for new jobs now, not part way through September. They can advertise now and interview in September for a start after autumn half term.

Teacher here. Absolutely not. I’m surprised school has allowed it tbh. Tell them now and they can find someone else.

I wouldnt even want to go on holiday with my own kids at 36 weeks pregnant. Let alone a whole bunch of ones that arent mine

i doubt the school & trip leader would want you to go at 36 weeks, cause them more headaches you being there.

You would probably be travelling against doctors advice by that stage anyway. Congrats on the pregnancy. Hope it all goes swimmingly.

As above, I am pretty sure they will pull you out. My baby turned up at 38 weeks- there is never any guarantee you will go the full way! I also had girdle pain towards the end and shooting pains when walking. Just tell them as soon as you are comfortable to and let them know they will need to replace you.

I agree with the 99%

The probably wouldn't allow you do go.

This. The school won't let you go because of the risk assessment.