Pregnant teacher (coronavirus)

[FebruaryJuly]

Hi, I am 5 weeks pregnant and am a teacher. My headteacher doesn't know that I am pregnant yet. Ideally I'd want to wait until my first scan.

Given the current circumstances:

1. When should I tell my head that I am pregnant? (I'm early days now so don't feel comfortable yet)

1. When I do tell the head, what type of risk assessments should they consider and what precautions should be being taken in school?

I teach Reception so it impossible to social distance and they often need very close support like getting changed for PE, helping if they have fallen over or had an accident in the toilets.

Are you in a union? You might be better contacting them to ask.

Congrats!

Congratulations! I’m not noticing much being put in place for pregnant colleagues over and above what is in place for the rest of us, but I’m in secondary so we are 2m distances from students most of the time and with masks most of the time so it’s much safer anyway. I definitely second asking your union, or quietly asking another pregnant primary school teacher.

To be honest you knew the risk of Corona when choosing to get pregnant so you shouldn't get special treatment in that respect (and in any case it is becoming increasingly clear that pregnancy in itself does not increase risk). Therefore I would suggest telling your head teacher at the same point as you would have done in normal times and not expecting anything that wouldn't usually be done for pregnant teachers.

I an 27 weeks pregnant and teacher. My risk assessment basically said I had to sanitize things more thoroughly and keep a distance from other staff. Govt advice just now is that kids aren't a danger to us... my head has said he thinks I should go on mat leave about 6 weeks before my due date.

With my previous pregnancies I had to say at 12 weeks as needed a scan, although one scan fell in a school holiday so I said at 16 weeks.

In reception here, children do not get changed for PE now if it is a PE day they are in their shorts/joggers all day. Would that help?

Sorry should add am not currently pregnant!

Though I am an ECV teacher and my risk assessment is only worth putting in the recycling bin!

@StatisticalSense RUDE! I am in no way asking for special treatment Hahahaha!

Yes I knew about corona virus when I chose to get pregnant, however we have been trying to conceive baby number 2 for longer than corona virus has been around and finally got there so there is no way I would have ever stopped trying because of coronavirus. Like I say, I'm not asking for special treatment, just wondering what other schools have in place for pregnant staff given the guidelines. Just because I knowingly chose to get pregnant at this time and there's no hard evidence that supports pregnant people being more affected, doesn't mean I'm not going to want to be more weary and sure of my surroundings now that I am carrying an unborn life.

There is evidence of being pregnant causing your body to react differently to normal if you catch the virus. At no more risk of catching it than anybody else though, just how your body reacts to it.

Thank you for your input.

@Cloudburstagain the head is very keen on everything being like normal a part from extra sanitising and cleaning. They made a specific point that children must be getting changed for PE in school and changed back into their school clothes after it. When I suggested children coming in in their PE kit on PE days, they said that we just need to sanitise our own hands in between helping each child (meaning sanitising our own hands about 50 times in the space of 20 minutes if each child needs help more than once) if that is possible! Haha.

Thank you everyone, my school seem to be acting very differently to all other schools in terms of how things should be in school and it just worries me that all staff members are much more at risk. x

Congratulations :) Lovely news given you’ve been trying so long.

I found out I was pregnant the week before lockdown. I chose to tell my employer immediately which really wasn’t my choice but RCOG guidance does say to consider working from home if you can at any trimester (certainly more so in third trimester.) I’m not a teacher but my pregnant friends who are have had very mixed reactions and seems to depend on the individual school and their own feelings rather than any standardised risk assessment process. Some have been wfh throughout and others are still in daily despite being at the end of their third trimester.

Good luck!

@Foreverbaffled thank you for your response - it was really helpful! I agree with schools choosing for themselves. I am quite nervous to tell my headteacher as well I am only going to be a burden on their plans for the year but me and my baby comes first!

I’m a secondary teacher and found out I was pregnant in the first week of lockdown. I chose to wait until around 13 weeks to tell them as at the time the guidelines only affected people in their third trimester. I told them at that point as I was starting to show and was obviously in work teacher key worker children. I was given the option of working full time at home but at the time, with the smaller groups and me being at the lower risk end of pregnancy I chose to continue to go to work.
I full intended to work in school until I was 37 weeks (half term) but I developed a higher risk pregnancy and so from this week at 33 weeks, the doctor said I had to either be signed off or work from home as they couldn’t justify the risks to baby of working around so many pupils a day with so little protection. So I’m now working at home supporting the online provision. I feel incredibly guilty and hate the thought of abandoning my classes a few weeks early but I’ve come to the realisation that I have to put baby first! I’m lucky that my school has been really supportive and we already found someone to cover my lessons😁

Personally, I would tell them as soon as you feel comfortable doing so as the situation is ever changing and most reasonable schools will want to do a risk assessment to try to find ways of keeping you safer. I had a risk assessment from the first day back that they reviewed weekly until the doctor made his decision.

Congratulations 🥳

[quote FebruaryJuly]@Foreverbaffled thank you for your response - it was really helpful! I agree with schools choosing for themselves. I am quite nervous to tell my headteacher as well I am only going to be a burden on their plans for the year but me and my baby comes first! [/quote]
Didn’t see this before I posted my previous post. This is exactly how I felt. I hated the thought of creating extra work for people, especially when they are already working harder than ever. However, once I’d spoken to them I didn’t feel like that at all...in fact it was school rather than the medical professionals that made me realise that my baby is more important.

@FebruaryJuly I felt the same way. I work for the NHS and really thought I was letting my team down (although I have managed to contribute a huge amount from home fortunately) but they have totally looked after me and “our team baby” as they call it. I was encouraged by management to prioritise my baby which of course I have. Your health and wellbeing are very important too. I’d be inclined to tell them now but it’s such a personal choice.

To be honest, I told my head at 6 weeks when it all kick off, I wasnt allowed in. Then the guidance changed and was allowed in as risk to 1st nd second trimester pregnant women wasnt that great, now I'm 33 weeks and I'm in, god knows why as in june I was not to return in my third trimester. I though what with rising cases I'd be told to go off again but no, luckily I'm going on maternity leave in two weeks. Also to the poster who sid the hed suggested you take maternity leave early I'd get that I writing and send to your union as they cannot make you take maternity early if the feel its unfe which he clearly does saying that he should send you off on full pay.

Regardless of being pregnant, we have just found out that we still have to be taking our full classes on school trips, first one being next week!

Congratulations 😊

I found out I was 5 weeks pregnant the weekend before we started back in September. I told my head on the inset day due to Covid.

I teach year 1 so it has been really difficult to social distance as advised by my midwife. I have had a risk assessment and they are going to contact occupational health. I cannot be alone in the classroom so have a TA with me all day. Our children come to school in PE kit and I am not allowed to help with toileting. I have been told to stay at the front of the classroom and have had some yellow and black tape put on the floor as a 'barrier' so the children don't come too close to me. I can't hand out sheets, resources or go near the children to help them directly with their work. It's really hard as it goes against everything you do instinctively as a teacher but I try my best. Obviously this doesn't happen 100% of the time as I can't just stand back and ignore children who need help. My TA is finding it hard as she has had to take on a lot more responsibility in the classroom to 'shield' me.

I was offered to move to ks2 as they understand social distancing better but turned it down as it was covering and thought I was safer in a class of 30 than potentially mixing with 150 children or more a week.

Please let us know what your head teacher puts in place for you. I've been trying to find someone in a similar position but most seemed to be in the 3rd trimester.

Hi all and congratulations @FebruaryJuly.

I am also a primary teacher and 5 weeks pregnant after 2 years ttc. My partner and I are all over the moon. We are keeping it for ourselves for now but I told my head as soon as I knew. Our headteachers need to keep us safe and of course this is not a normal situation so hopefully they will put some extra measures in place.

All the best for everyone.

Firstly congratulations! I’m a nurse not a teacher. With both of my pregnancies I have had to tell my managers early at 6 weeks ( pre COVID) as I can’t take chemo pumps down. So understand how awkward it is especially as I’ve told work even before friends and family 🙈 Luckily I’ve always had decent managers. If I were you I would probably tell you headteacher (they should keep it confidential until you are happy for it to be public news) and hopefully they will be appreciative for having the news early so they can put any plans in place.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/people-at-higher-risk/pregnancy-and-coronavirus/

Also here’s a link to the NHS guidance on pregnancy and COVID hopefully it gives you some reassurance that pregnancy is only considered moderate risk as a precaution and no evidence so far that would suggest it is linked to worse outcomes. Remember to get your flu jab too ASAP if you haven’t had one already.

P.s. ignore Statisticalsense comment - I think they enjoy saying controversial stuff. They posted on another thread all part time nurses should be forced to work full time 🤨