Any pregnant teachers out there?

[exciteddotcom]

Hi there,
Was just wondering how everyone copes with feeling rubbish in class (having to run to the loo etc).

Just discovered I'm pregnant and want to sleep all the time - not looking forward to going back to school tomorrow particularly!

I guess with any job it is exhausting being pregnant, but just ater some advice from people who have been there.

Thanks!

Are you in Primary or Secondary? I was primary school deputy head when I was pregnant, and found the first 3 months very hard (although luckily I never had morning sickness).

I confided in my headteacher when I was about 7 weeks pregnant as I was finding it really hard going with tiredness etc. He was very supportive.

I also made the decision to tell my teaching assistant and she then covered the class if I needed to nip to the loo or sit down more than usual.

Once I got past 12 weeks I didn't have any problems - in fact, I seemed to have loads of energy and continued to work as normal until my maternity leave at about 35 weeks pregnant.

It really is up to you whether you choose to tell anyone, but I certainly found it easier to manage at school once I'd done so.

I am! (a teacher that is!)

I'm 24 weeks pregnant with id twins and found weeks 8 - 13 the toughest so far. I think I suffered from slight antenatal depression in hindsight.

The first thing I did was tell my TA so she kind of understood how I was feeling and was prepared to take over the class when I needed to run to the loo (I didn't tell the Head until I was 10 weeks). I would say use the children as much as you can e.g. carrying things; putting stuff away; peer marking/assessment etc. It all depends on the age group you teach.

I'm in an infant school so the furniture is a big problem as the chairs and tables are sooooo small and low down. So I now have a computer chair which I wizz around on - a God send!

Also make sure you leave school fairly early when you can. I take my work home with me so I can have a cat nap and then work in my own comfortable surroundings.

I'm really bad at drinking enough so I have a large bottle of water with me and try to finish it every day.

Hope this helps. It is tough but I found that by 13 weeks (even though I was still vomiting every morning until 18 weeks - something to do with expecting twins) I had my energy back and since around 18 weeks feel more healthy than I ever have done (I guess it's the blooming stage everyone talks about!) plus I have long strong nails which is a definite first for me! xxx

I got through it with great difficulty I have to say! I told the teacher in the class next door, who is a good friend anyway, so that if I had to run out I could just signal her to tell her. Apart from that, go to bed as soon as you get home from work if possible!

Haha! Thanks everyone. Unfortunately I don't have a TA (I am primary) so dashing out maybe a problem, I think i'll take your lead there Sarah and tell the teacher next door.
I found it hard to find time to go to the loo at school before so it'll be a nightmare now!
I think I will have to tell HT asap, otherwise I'll get some scornful looks for leaving at 4 each day!

I think those of us in secondary have a slightly different experience to any of those in primary. I'm a secondary school teacher and fortunately for me I found out I was pregnant at 5 weeks the week we broke up for the summer holidays. This meant that from week 6 to 12 (mega morning sickness time) I was off school for the summer. So perhaps I didn't have the most relaxing summer but I was able to sleep 12 hours a day and throw up half an hour after every meal and then again at about 2:30pm each day without the worry of kids around.

My morning sickness and fatigue did not lift until about 16 weeks though and although I told my HoD (who is in the class next door) it was difficult to get a break when needed. I found the best way to cope was to keep the windows open constantly (teenagers smell at the best of times) and just be ready to leave the room when you feel you need to. I also kept a packet of digestive biscuits in my desk draw and often eating half of one of those would settle my stomach for a short while. I also second the advice of leaving school asap and taking your work home with you. I found that I needed a 2 hour nap once I got home and then could do some work.

On the bright side, from 16 weeks it has been easier. I still nap for an hour but no longer feel sick. Fortunately my kids being older they noticed I was pregnant at about 18 weeks and now volunteer to make my life easier.

Am also a teacher - two weeks from due date so on Mat leave (at long bloody last)... I had a nightmare in the first three months, am secondary, had morning sickness and no TA. I was sick in my bin on a few occasions (quite unpleasant) and took a day off when I got to the stage I couldn't cope. That helped, as I slept all day as I do think tiredness exacerbates it. But tell Head - they are leglly obligated to do a risk assessment looking at all these things including not doing lots of late working etc.
HTH

I'm a secondary teacher, 28weeks with my first pregnancy and was SO lucky to have the real icky bit over the summer hols. I was never actually sick, but spent the whole summer hols on the sofa exhausted & constantly on the verge of vomming!

Fortunately I didn't feel sick in september (11 weeks) but I was still knackered until at least 18 weeks.

SarahScot's advice about working at home is great. I would get home as soon as I could, sleep till DH got home at about 7, have dinner, squeeze in any work I could before going to bed at 8 or 9.

I'm now supposed to be working through my backlog of btec marking I accumulated during that time. (just existing was my focus for most of last term).

Telling people asap was really helpful. My dept are the best in the world and they've been so great.

Another lady in the dept had terrible ms all the way through her pg (she's incredible, I'd have died!), I think the best thing you can do is let people know so that they can keep an eye on your kids if you have to dash.

It might help to see if you can swap rooms too, I'm at the arse end of the school and if I'd been sick it would be a loooong way to run to the loos!

The NUT have a great document on their website detailing guidance for employers for pregnant teachers. It says things like they should provide somewhere for you to lie down to rest at break/lunch, take account for needing to wee more, giving up break duties, etc.

And they shouldn't be giving you scornful looks for leaving at 4 anyway - there's that small (though much laughed at) matter of the work/life balance! We've all got to do the work anyway, some of us just prefer to do it on the sofa! But that's another story for another time!

Right, I must check my planning for tomorrow and crack on up btec mountain. 10 more weeks till maternity leave (not that I'm counting down

ooh, X-posts!

1Catherine1 how far along are you (I should be able to work it out really!)?

And can we keep this thread? I do like to moan about the job (despite loving it so much!)

I'm in secondary - I'm only 8+2 so haven't felt too bad at work yet, mostly because I haven't been to work for ages! (We had a week off for snow which was when I got my BFP, then I got flu so took the last two days of term off). Luckily I haven't had any MS at all but I am tired, hungry and need to wee a lot.

I'm not telling officially just yet but I have told one friend at work who is also my union rep, so she will be a help to me and someone to whinge to for the next few weeks. I am nervous about telling work as I will be the fourth pregnant teacher on the staff and the second in my deptartment! I'm due in August so will probably take the whole of 2011-2012 off which should make covering me a bit easier hopefully.

I'm a primary teacher. I'm 16 weeks with my 2nd DC. It's fine this time as I'monly doing three days a week, but I really struggled with my first pregnancy. By the end I had to make arrangements with a TA from another class to come in and give me a 'toilet break' every afternoon (difficult class and room fairly isolated from others, so no way I could just leave them!). I'd agree with what others say about working from home, using peer marking as much as possible if appropriate for the age group. Basically try to make cuts in your work load wherever you can, very hard in practice I know.

29 weeks +1. So only a week ahead of you. We both did the clever thing and suffered through the summer although we both now have to fight out the last trimester working...

Would love to keep this thread! Am 21 weeks with my third, have taught primary part time since having my first son. I told my head at 5 weeks as have history of miscarriage and was worried about having to leave school with bleeding to be checked out, as happened a few times in last pregnancy. She was great, straightaway took me off break duty- worry about children barging into me etc sorted out so that I could go to the loo. Also I asked not to go on London trip, and head supported me on another.

Despite all this, I was signed off for 2 weeks with severe morning sickness, which I felt very guilty about but needed it.

Now back, my head has redone my timetable for next term partly due to some other issues with aggressive student. So I am currently between 2 classes and have one morning leadership time as am on slt. A rather longwinded way of saying that despite teaching being quite an inflexible profession in that you can't just choose to work from home, or sleep at lunchtime (imagine!), there is plenty that can be done to make
your pregnant life easier... I didn't need much in first pregnancy, but due to previous history, and having 2 small boys I guess, this time has been harder and I have needed more support. Only other point is that when I have not been pregnant, I have worked double hard to make up for all this!!

I'm a primary teacher and worked up until my waters broke and I went into labour (fortunately, this happened after school at home :) ). It wasn't comfortable but I told teacher next door and could run out whenever needed. I went home straight away after school and got work done there on my sofa instead of at work - I still did just as much work just not in the building after school hours. Anyone that gave a "look" I learned to ignore and not give a shit. I do the same now with a young DS who I want to get home to. I leave immediately whenever possible, and when he's in bed at 7, I work and work until it's done :)
You have to learn to shrug off anyone who "disapproves" and make sure you get to bed early during pregnancy :)
Congratulations!

1Catherine1 I think it might be a reflection on how much I was anticipating the summer holidays

coastgirl I know what you feel like with the guilt factor - In our dept there's 2 of us pg, with one on mat leave and one who suffered a mc last year (awful time). As well as another lady outside the department pg. I've not been at the school long (long enough to qualify for mat pay), and felt so stupid/guilty. I was really anxious over the summer. It really looks like I've planned this. Honestly I haven't!

Feeling better about it now though, and can't wait to meet the little wriggler. And since the maternity pay is so rubbish I'll be finishing my mat leave just before the summer hols start, and back full time from september. So will have to work double hard then!

(in other news: I've just put the tv onto Living (yep, avoiding marking) to find "pissed and pregnant" - )

I know this is awfully clinical, but we tried to time our due to date to coincide with the new term (due Sept 11- if everything goes ok)So will hopefully leave at end of this schoold year.

Just read that NUT doc petalouda, how likely is it that a HT will take away break duties and let you miss 'non-essential' meetings? Anyone else had a Head that is that generous?

1Catherine1 -my year 5s are also smelly, so now were heading towards warmer weather those windows will be open all the time!

Yes, let's keep this thread, so good to be able to chat to people in a similar situation! (And I love a good moan too!)

excited Ha! Good question - I haven't felt the need to ask just yet (although I went through a phase of forgetting what day it was, & therefore duty for a couple of weeks) - I've got 1 break duty a week outside, and it's really nice to get outside!

I just read the section about risk assessments: "As soon as you have notified your employer in writing of your pregnancy, your employer is required under the terms of the Management Regulations to assess the specific risks to your condition arising out of your work and take appropriate steps to eliminate them."

I'm a science teacher - I work with proper noxious stuff sometimes.

Risk assessment? What risk assessment?!

It's gone in the 'in case they make me redundant' bank (and I check CLEAPPS carefully)

Another secondary teacher here :)

I am 22+5 and back to work tomorrow. I am on supply, so managed the exceedingly knackered moments when it was all quiet before Oct half term. I could not believe how grateful i was to not have any work!! It has worked out well, cos this means i don't have duties to do and generally just do the day to day stuff (although i do tend to stay after work a bit later to do stuff).

I have been in my current placement since Nov, but didn't have my 20 week scan until we had broken up for Christmas so chose not to say anything - guess that will be first on the 'to do' list tomorrow!I have 'popped' a bit and am a bit slower so maybe they will notice anyway

We are also dealing with terminally ill DFIL and don't really know what's happening there, so i hope that none of the ones that tend to act up, do so.

I am primary. I used to shut the classroom door at lunchtime and lie down with my feet up for half an hour! With second pregnancy worked up to 39 weeks.
Congratulations.

Hiya, i'm a primary teacher and have just found out i'm preganant too (only 5 weeks). Been really relaxing this week and i'm not really looking forward to going back tomorrow either. Some good advice on this thread though.

oh yes, horopu. I used to put my head down and sleep on my desk while the children were at lunch, too. My HT knew about it and was fine with it. I always set my alarm just in case - only did this until about 16 weeks when the extreme fatigue and nausea and loss of appetite ended.

Hi all, I'm 35 weeks tomorrow and really looking forward to maternity leave in two weeks!

I teach secondary and it is a hard job at the best of times (despite being one of the most rewarding and addictive jobs out there). I've been very lucky to have a really supportive department who have sent me home because I was too ill to work but too guilty to stay home on several occasions now. They have always been a great dept. but have really pulled together to help me through.

excited - pregnant teachers at my school are automatically excused from duty, although we have to attend the ever-increasing number of meetings for various different things.

I agree with the general advice given above - I have managed to keep going mainly because I have cut out any non-essential work and by going home to rest as soon as possible after classes have ended.

My biggest worry now is that I can't forget about the classes that I will be leaving to an inexperienced NQT. I have express and high ability classes who I have worked VERY hard to ensure achieve high grades. Now I keep dreaming about how much I need to cram in to the last two weeks with them before I leave!

As I said earlier - this job is addictive! I'm just hoping that I will be able to forget about them once my maternity leave starts and be able to focus on my baby.

Hi, Im a secondary science teacher too - 28+2 now and dreading going back tomorrow. My technician is great and has kept an eye on any practicals to check they are safe!

To be honest having the 6 weeks holiday starting at week 6 was the best thing ever for me - sat on the sofa all day and ran to the loo every time I felt sick! Last term was tiring but I was ok as long as I could go home at 4 and sleep for an hour.

As soon as I hit 3rd trimester I have suddenly felt worse (aches and pains) so tomorrow could be interesting! I'm planning on working until week 39 but am seriously doubting how much I'll manage after half term!

My head has been fab and has asked me if I'm ok to do everything after normal school hours!

Hi all,

I am dreading going back to work on Weds, I am a full time cover supervisor in secondary and cover is absolutely MENTAL at the moment.

I only got my bfp on Dec 15th so luckily only had 4 days to get through before Christmas hols but am now returning at 7+4 and feel like absolute crap.

My MS does not seem to have any patterns or triggers simply just whenever/wherever. This is going to be extremely difficult going back to doing 5 lessons plus 2 registrations in different places and subject areas every hour arrrgh!

I am going to see how I feel in the first week and if I can't cope tell my boss (who is vice principal) straight away as I can't risk him putting me on PE and science for weeks on end (likely).

Timing wise our's couldn't be worse as I'm due in Aug so the paid bit of my mat leave will be in the summer holidays!! Such bad luck, ah never mind it'll be worth it eh.

First pg I just battled through - including having to leave in the middle of teaching a lesson to throw up a couple of times! I told no-one and pretended I was fine and it was horrendous. I started at a new school when I was 6 months pg, and luckily there was a loo right near my room as I had to go for a wee between, and sometimes halfway through, every lesson. Also, make time for a decent lunch.

Second pg has been harder as the ms has been more severe. I tried to carry on as normal but just got worse and worse, so in the end I had 3 days off and told my boss and our HR lady that I was pg. They were very good about it and very understanding. I would say, tell people at work if it gets so severe that it effects your job. They will probably be more understanding than you think :) I also figured that if the worst did happen and I lost the baby, I'd need time off so I'd have to tell work at that point anyway.
Good luck and I hope you start to feel better soon :)

I'm 10+3 and also a secondary science teacher - really not looking forward to going back tomorrow. I've spent most of the last 2 weeks on the sofa feeling rough as anything, but luckily haven't actually been sick.
Tinydiamond - I'm due first week of summer hols so even worse planning (or lack of!!) as the whole 6 weeks I'll be on maternity leave instead of full pay :(
dry crackers help me a lot but being in a science lab we're not allowed food or drink! so just have to hang in there 'til break time.
I guess telling the necessary people as soon as possible so they can help you out is the best way forward