Pregnant teachers - how long did you work?

[BumpOct2014]

Just wondered how long other teachers worked before going on maternity leave and which age group you work with?

Im 35 weeks tomorrow and i work with a large Year 1 class (just moved down from four years in year 2).
I had originally planned to work until 38+4 which is the end of week 7 in an 8 week term.
However, I had a really hard week last week and am beginning to wonder if I will make it.
I don't really want to finish work early if I can help it as I want the time afterwards. I can't afford to stay off once I'm down to just maternity pay, so I'll probably be back to work by mid/end February, when hubby plans to take a month off.

I'm having terrible back/hip problems for which I've seen a physio. She recommended a proper chair (which means me leaning over little tables which hurts me) and then she suggested kneeling on cushions on floor next to tables (which resulted in terrible pins and needles/threat of cramps) so I've given up and am back to sitting on tiny kids chairs.

Sorry, I'm feeling rather miserable at the thought of going back to work tomorrow, but that's probably as much to do with the twilight training session booked tomorrow night until 615pm.

So, any tips on how to survive the next four weeks (assuming baby doesn't arrive early!)

I was lucky. Both of mine were due shortly after the summer holidays so I had all summer, went back for one week and them went on leave. In effect, my 'leave' really started at the start of the hols when I was 30/31 weeks.

I teach secondary - first time I worked until 36 weeks, no problem as my mat leave started two weeks before I finished and so I ended up doing a lot of admin stuff rather than teaching at the end.

Second time, new school, much harder work I worked until 35 weeks, was on my feet all day every day and had my baby two hours after leaving work for mat leave by emcs!!!

If you think you can get enough rest keep going, but if you need to rest would your school help you with that at all? Eg cover one extra session a week (not sure how it works at primary!!!) or help with planning/assessment somehow so that you can get home and feet up earlier?

I wish
I think it's been harder because I had the six weeks off and then had to go back to work at 32 weeks when I felt like I should be winding down towards maternity leave.
Doesn't help that head is convinced we're going to get the ofsted call

I'm only 22 weeks and I'm knackered (year 4). It's worked out pretty well for me as Christmas starts when I hit 35 weeks, and I won't be going back after at 37 weeks.

If you're struggling to cope, then finish. It's not going to get easier for you. Look after yourself.

I thought My school would be more helpful but they've just taken my TA off me the only two afternoons I have her AND my head has planned in two parents evenings on my last week so parents can meet with me and my maternity cover so potentially 29 sets of parents over two nights

Friends at work keep telling me to leave things and go home but that's easier said than done when you have planning/marking/setting up to do for next day/week.

Sorry, on a real down tonight. Posting on here because I don't want to complain to my work friends and family don't really get how tiring/time xo aiming teaching can be.

And I do know of someone who had a bit of a preggo meltdown when ofsted came. She ended up being given special dispensation and was exempt from being observed...

I did it at 6 weeks pregnant, 3 days after moving house. It was shit. I survived but if I'd had the option to bail two weeks early I suspect I'd have grabbed it with both hands! Good luck.

*time consuming

I was 38+1 with 30 reception. I found that I was tired but not much changed in the way I felt from about 35 weeks. Everyone is different though so you just have to do what feels right for you!

Oh god, that parents evening sounds awful. Can you suggest that it's more of a meet and greet with tea and biscuits? Any parents with specific enquiries could make 1 to 1 appts for the other night. I get that would make it a bit easier.

My place is pretty flexible, I'm going to suggest I do parents evenings over three late afternoons and one evening rather than just two or I'll keel over.

Try the reasonable adjustments angle. You want to work but need some help and possibly to be doing admin instead. You can take sick leave this week if necessary but. Careful because next week they can start your mat leave if you take sick.

I would also insist on rest if you are being expected to work long days/ evenings.

Ask for a new risk assessment if you think they are going to be intransigent.

36 weeks with DS (beginning of December and went back for one week in July to get paid over the 6 week holidays).
35 weeks with DC2 although that will be as February half term is starting so in effect Maternity will begin at 36 weeks. Going back after October half term the following academic year.
My HT is making life hard for us all. We're going into an OFSTED year and she's become somewhat of a Stalin - VERY picky, VERY precise with her wishes and God nobody else's ideas or suggestions will do - it's her way or it's the highway!!

I am a secondary teacher. Finishing at 37 weeks exactly. Cab't comequick enough as I am exhausted.

PS sorry for typos

37 weeks first time and 38 and a bit weeks the second time. Both were easy pregnancies. If you're ready to go though, admit it, ask if you can do the next 2/3 weeks as a handover? Call in sick for the worst days/parents evenings and don't worry about it xxx

When I had a parents evening late in pregnancy they covered my classes the next morning to give me a chance to rest - you could ask for that?

Thanks guys
You are making me feel better. Sometimes feel like a failure because I'm struggling at the moment

SuffolkNWhat I like it!
My attitude seems to be heading that way at the moment!

Elletorrito I would try that but there is no one to cover me as all TAs are either supporting chn or covering PPA.
May try the rest before long days/evenings, see if I get anywhere with it. I'm just worried I might get pressurized into going on maternity leave early.
I know I have to look after myself and baby and would go off work if I needed to but I would ideally like to work as long as possible.

junkfoodaddict that's what our head will become more and more as term goes on, so I sympathise!

39 weeks with DS1, and SLT thought that an observation that week would be a good idea! I did it entirely from my chair! 38 weeks with no. 2, but it was tough.

It is up to the ht to sort out cover not you. Tell her you want to do it but you need help, you might be pleasantly surprised. If you don't ask you don't get. Good luck

I have been very lucky, my maternity cover started at the beginning of the term, so I have been doing admin/management stuff (that I can sit down for!) since we came back. I have 3 weeks left, taking me up to 36+5. I am exhausted just doing admin work though. I definitely found it a very tough adjustment doing back to work after 6 weeks off.

Fortunately, my head has been pretty wonderful and has been encouraging me to work from home at least one day a week.

I take my hat off to everyone that is managing to keep teaching full time, so late in their pregnancies. I am fit for nothing my lunchtime on the rare days when I have covered classes for staff that have been absent.

Is this your first? Not sure how helpful it is but claim childcare vouchers as soon as possible. They do not come out of your money once you are on maternity leave. It might mean you can have slightly longer off. Try to get through as long as you can, I know it's tough but it will be worth it.

I teach key stage one and had baby last year. Left at 37 weeks and had planned induction at 38 weeks.

Went back after summer holiday for five weeks and shared the class with my replacement. She was an nqt so I took the lead and still had a heavy workload.

Managed fine until the end but I never got huge (was very closely monitored as type one diabetic).

Had a lovely six days before baby then even lovelier six months of mat leave!

Enjoy your lovely baby. No matter what you decide to do, you'll total forget all about school as soon as you hold your baby!

Teach secondary, went to 36 weeks with dc1 but only because I was due at the end of January and saw no point going back after Christmas. Returned for three weeks before summer hols.

Went till 38 weeks with dc2, left on the Friday, sorted the nursery out over the weekend and into labour Monday morning! No rest with that one.

I felt fine at the end apart from a sore back but the first 16 weeks were hell. Felt sick as a dog and had super-heightened sense of smell. Not a good combo in the classroom.

I just finished on Friday at 39 weeks. I had a big class of year 3/4 to set up from the beginning of this term, and it's pretty much been exhausting. I'm deputy head and my head just got on his high horse about me insisting I went back for a week or so (even though his wife did exactly the same), so made me teach instead of having 3 weeks on admin. He was even away for a week of it, meaning I had to do his job too.

I struggled a lot last week, but my replacement started and the head was at a conference, so I absented myself into the office - even then it was hard going. I got home at 7pm on Friday and had a whole night of strong BH and period pains - I was convinced I'd given myself a whole 2 hours of mat leave. Things have calmed down now, so going to rest up big time, I want a week!

I couldn't have stopped in July (30 weeks) like he wanted me to, but had I had a choice, I'd have stopped at around 36 weeks when things started getting physically quite difficult.