Teacher working away from home - do I stay or go?

[newtothis88]

Hi,
So I'm newly pregnant - around 6 weeks and very excited! However I have been feeling very sick this week so far. I work away from home so get up at 4am on a Monday to travel 2.5 hours and live by myself until Friday when I travel home. I am torn whether to hand in my notice and move home or to tough it out until I can start taking maternity in roughly 6 months.

Pros of staying -
My class are lovely and so is my school - I have some amazing colleagues!
I would get good maternity pay.
I have a steady income.
If I handed in my notice I would leave at Christmas, by which point I would be past 12 weeks and might be feeling great again.

Cons -
I feel rubbishy and quite low this week.
If I don't hand my notice in before October 31st then I can't leave until Easter time.
I have been recommended that if I want the birth in Shropshire I should have all my appointments there so struggling to try and fit them in during holidays or late on a Friday.
Really really tired driving the 2.5 hr journey.

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated! My OH is supportive either way and thinks it should be my call.
Xx

It's a really tough one. The only thing that you haven't considered is what would you do/how would you feel if you gave up your job and the worst happened? I ask because with my last pregnancy I went for my scan to be told I'd miscarried. It was the worst time of my life. I can only imagine how awful it would have been if I'd given my job up too. Ultimately, only you can make the decision. Good luck!

I know it's normal for teachers to leave at the end of a term but if you mean go on mat leave, you can go anytime from week 29 and can't be forced to work around term dates?

Are you planning on giving up work so resigning rather than take leave?

Personally I would be tempted to stick it out - if you are unwell in the early days, you can be signed off if needed, and you can take mat leave from end of March....

Plus - try to get appointments for Friday pm or Monday am if you can or worst case first or last thing on other days....and talk to your boss - you are entitled to time off for ante Batak appointments ....

Thank you for answering! That's a really good point and I hadn't thought about it... I'm planning on leaving at the end of the year anyway so I'm not sure how I'd feel.

Stick it out.

I'm 19 weeks pregnant and feel absolutely fine, no different to before I was pregnant to be honest! I'm not even particularly more tired than usual.

Did feel rough earlier on though.

I

I worked away from home mon-Thur for the first 28 weeks or so of my pregnancy. It wasn't ideal, especially the 5 hour journey each way and, like you say, trying to fit appointments around my schedule (my doctor doesn't work fridays so that was out!) but I'm glad I did it. Honestly after the first 12-13 weeks it really made no difference.

Congratulations!

don't give up a good job because you're pregnant! sorry but that's nuts! (Unless youre married to a billionaire!). you will feel better in a few weeks and if you don't then go sick until you do.

Stick with it...the maternity pay will come in handy. Just go off at 29 weeks. And they have to give you time for your appointments so hard luck on them.

If feeling very sick see gp and get some drugs. I was the same Very sick 4/8w but didn't know any diff (never been preg) so carried on

Reading threads on here posters said see a doc. I did and and he said I was suffering from hg and put me on cyczline - took a while to kick in but a lot. Water now at 16w

I wouldn't give up your job yet. Could you travel down sunday evening for a few weeks

Could you travel down Sunday evening till you feel better in mornings?

The sickness is horrible to begin with but it will go and you will soon almost forget what it was like and get your energy levels back again but I appreciate it must be tempting to leave now if you're planning on going anyway.

If you can't see your gp for help straight away try anti sickness wrist bands- I got some from super drug as I was suffering but didn't want to take tablets and they really helped.

Congratulations!