Pregnant student - exams with SPD?!

[Hittingthebooks]

I am due to sit exams in a few weeks - several at 3 hours each. I'll be around 29 weeks when they finish. I haven't had a very good pregnancy so have found revision etc difficult. But the big problem is that I currently have very bad SPD that is making it hard to walk, sleep, stand, and especially sit for any length of time.

I am allowed breaks, but only 5 mins within the hour. I am also allowed a padded chair but I find any chair leaves me in pain at the moment. I am really starting to wonder how on earth I am going to get through them without ending up in excruciating agony (they are mainly on consecutive days). I could take strong painkillers (co-codamol) but I think they would just space me out and aren't great for the baby.

Has anyone been in a similar situation (unlikely I know)? Or even if not, what would you do in this situation?

Poor you! I feel for you. I've had lots of exams over the last 5 months and have found it really tough. The hardest time was when I had morning sickness. So far I haven't got SPD so should be ok for my next final lot of exams. If I were you I would see if you can sit them in a room on your own so you can walk around- they offer this at my Uni. It would also be good to chat to your GP/ midwife to discuss the effect of sitting for long periods.I hope you get something sorted and they go well. :)

Could you ask to sit on a ball or is that also agony?

Are there any sympathetic lecturers you could get on your side? I remember (back in the mists of prehistory when I was a university lecturer) pushing bloody hard in the examiners' meeting for a student to get an aegrotat for one of her papers (degree results averaged over the marks on the other papers) because she kept having to go out to throw up in that paper. (Done as a matter of feminist principle - was way before I had DS). I won - though these days I fear most educational establishments are run as box-ticking sausage factories (it was going that way by my final year in the job) so there may not be as much latitude these days.

I am meant to be taking exams this May but have really struggled as I get so tired and can hardly manage a couple of hours of work at a time. As I am taking next year off anyway, my tutors have sorted it so I just take my exams next May. Not ideal as I will have a 6 month old baby but much more manageable. Have you thought about postponement?

I did a 3h exam a few weeks ago (34 wks now). I was worried as I had started getting symptoms of SPD but hadn't asked for any special provision when I booked the exam a few months previously. It was fine - had an adjustable chair, tried to keep good posture and not hold myself in one position for too long. Took a break at half time to go to the loo and get some water - definitely needed to walk around for a bit by then, and then the last half was fine.

Don't think you really know how it's going to be until you're there. It sounds like you've informed the exam organisers so at least the invigilators will be aware that you might have problems. I think being in the exam mindset helps in a way as time passes faster, whereas when studying there is less pressure and you're more likely to be distracted (well I was anyway).

I think it's worth giving them a go, if you're struggling tell somebody and you may need to postpone some but at least you know you tried. If you put them off it will be more work to do with a lo and you might regret it.

Good luck x