Teachers - when/if did you tell your students your were pregnant

[GoingToInfinity]

Hi folks,

I'm 20 weeks pregnant, and have got my scan tomorrow - very excited
I'm wondering when and if to tell my students about my pregnancy. I teach in a middle school so ages 9-13. I'm sure they'll realise soon as I definitely have a bump, although being overweight, they probably just think I've been over indulging!
I'm suffering with PGP so think it would be easier if they knew sooner rather than later, so they can be more understanding of me being sat at my desk for chunks of the lesson when I need a rest.
I would love to hear if and when other people have spoken to their students.

I teach secondary so told sixth formers after my scan- theyd already guessed but were too scared to ask. I havent told the younger years but its fairly obvious at this point. Id just feel a bit weird announcing it to them- doubt theyre really that bothered!

Not particularly relevant but wanted to share anyway :

I remember being vv excited as a 13 yo that my geography teacher was expecting a baby.

One of my year 7 boys recently came up to me all excited, was I aware that [HoD] was about to have a baby? Erm yes, something about her eight-month-pregnant belly had given me a clue . So I'd say they'd love to hear, and don't be surprised if they had no idea

I'm going to try and put it off as long as I can. Just don't like the idea of discussing it at work - with students or staff, to be fair!

Hi OP, I also teach secondary. I only told my exam groups that I was pregnant around 29 weeks purely because they were asking if I'd have them again the following year and I obviously wasn't. As soon as a few of the older ones know, the news will spread pretty quickly.

The younger ones will not have a clue

Interesting question. I wouldn't mention it in order to avoid the "Have you had sex, Miss?" discussion. They might not even notice!

Reminds me of one of my dc telling me very excitedly that the reception teacher was leaving because she was having a baby. It had been her last day at work. Dc was very surprised that I knew already - as opposed to all of the kids the parents had noticed the enormous bump...

Not a teacher but a friend of mine who is had a couple of stories that might make you laugh/cringe in solidarity!

She got awful morning sickness and got caught by some of her pupils vomiting into a hedge outside the school. Had to put up with them singing, "miss is a skank," for the next couple of days

Then when she was having the baby, one of her 16 year old pupils was in the bed next to her on the ward......

So you're doing better than her!! Congratulations, hope the scan goes well and you get a good look at the little one.

I wouldn't over think it - as a secondary teacher, I don't think students would be observant enough to notice you sitting when you would usually be standing! I'd wait until the news reaches them first through whatever means just to avoid awkward conversations.

I waited until it was clearly obvious (which actually wasn't that long, I showed early) and a sixth former on results day bounded over excitedly to tell me her results, looked down, and just shouted OHMYGODYOUREPREGNANT.

Mine knew at 22 weeks when I returned from a prolonged HG absence I think several were just a bit relieved I wasn't dying...

Not really helpful to you.. I think I'd tell the sixth form after 20 weeks and then just not deny if anyone younger asks.

First time I told them after the 20 week scan, second time not until I was at least 6 months. None of them had noticed. How much contact do you have with parents? I'd have thought they were more likely to notice.

I'm thinking of this now - I teach Primary and it's only early days for me but I have quite a nosy class. I think I'll tell mine at 20 weeks if they haven't guessed before then. At least they'll have me until the end of the year, then back for a term before mat leave!

I was about 6 mths gone and had started to show rather than just look as if I had put a few pounds on.

The kids themselves asked.

Obviously the school knew, but as others have said, me having a baby is fairly irrelevant to my students so I chose not to say much at all.

I told my class at about 15 weeks. I had an SEN child and child with MH issues that could be quite physically aggressive so needed to let them all know. Quite a few had guessed already anyway as I started to show very early on!

Mine asked when I was about 16 weeks. I'd started to show quite early and had been running to the toilet quite often since the beginning!
One of year 10s just blurted it out one day and when I confirmed it they all said they'd thought I was for a bit but felt rude asking! They were actually a bit put out I hadn't announced to them!
After that news got around pretty fast.
I ended up having to tell my year 9 group as they are all boys and really boisterous. After nearly getting knocked over I had to tell them to be a little more aware of me....they still didn't guess!
They are super excited though, I even had some belly rubbing last week 😳 They are quite irritated that I'm not finding out the sex though. I genuinely didn't think kids would be bothered but they like to talk about it and ask questions (no weird ones yet!)

I told my six year olds at 22 weeks. I wanted to wait until I knew the sex so it would be more exciting for them. We are having a bit of a baby boom at the moment so a lot of them had an inkling 🙈 And lots of their parents had asked them as well as I had quite a big bump by that point. They are very loving and write lots of letters to the baby and try and rest their heads on the bump! I don't mind. I always say they are my big babies and my actual baby is my little baby!
Anecdotally I was going to tell them earlier but my headteacher said "don't tell them yet (20 weeks) anything can happen and then you'll have to explain to them" 😖

Applebite that really does sound like she had quite the experience!
Thanks for all your stories. I think I'll talk to my head to let her know I plan on telling them (she's known about bump for ages), and tell me tutor group within the next few weeks. Once they know, I'm sure it'll be round like the school by the end of the day knowing these kids!

Just before my 20 week scan some of the students asked so I told my year 7 form class the next day. When I was wassling gifts to my car in my last day one of year 11 boys asked why I was leaving and when I pointed to my bump he was confused.

I was going to wait until after the 20week scan but a girl in my form asked me at 18weeks and it soon spread around! Though some of the younger ones were surprised when I left at 36 weeks for mat leave..

I told my class (Y3) after my 20 week scan. I couldn't hide the bump any more :-) They were very excited and by the end of lunch time the whole school knew about it!

I told my lot the day after my 20 week scan. Some of my year 11s knew already! But most had no idea and were shocked! I got quite emotional telling them all.
I teach a year 7 class now and again so didn't tell them... they still haven't asked... I'm 35 weeks now!!

With my first baby I told my Y3 class at 16 weeks pregnant and they were so excited about the news and one of the girl's insisted on reading a story to my bump everyday until I went on maternity leave. This pregnancy I am only 8 weeks but I already look 5-6 months pregnant so I'm struggling to hide my bump until after the 12 week scan. I'm hoping no one notices until I'm ready to announce the pregnancy but I'm sure some of the parents will.

I was 30 weeks on Saturday and only told parents/pupils on the Thursday beforehand at 29+5. I teach primary.
I do have a small bump but most parents and children never noticed. I decided then would be a good time as I could let the parents know who would be covering the class during the final term.

Tbh I've not actually told many people, bar family and friends, as I don't see the point in the whole 'announcement' thing. If someone asks then I say, otherwise I'm a private person.

I pretty much told them for practicality.

I waited until I was 16 weeks. I only told my HoD, business manager and the HT when I was 13 weeks and asked them to keep quiet. I waited until I was starting to show and a day when I saw my 2 year 13 classes first so I could tell them in a calm way - I wanted them to hear from me before the rumours spread I was leaving before their exams and abandoning them! Telling them calmly I'd be there til the same day as their study leave started was reassuring for them. They were lovely about it. Some of the girls said they'd guessed anyway as noticed I didn't wear pencil skirts anymore if only they paid as much attention to watch I actually teach

I waited until mine guessed, which was at about 22 weeks. I teach secondary science so see a lot of different classes in a week. Some classes guessed really quickly, others took a long while - or were just too polite to ask. Other adults at my school guessed at around 14 weeks when I started to get a proper bump. Xx

I teach Year 1 and a couple guessed last week as my bump has just popped from nowhere, at 22weeks.

The questions were brilliant- how did baby get in? How will it come out? What happens if the baby comes in maths? Where in the class will the baby live, while I teach them?

Name suggestions were brilliant too-

Peter Parker
Miffy
Peppa
Hercules