Nervous about telling work...

[FourCandelabras]

I’m currently 5 weeks pregnant with dc2, very much wanted, and planned, but I’m starting to feel really uncomfortable about telling my work.

I’ve only worked there since September, and in fact only eligible for smp as not worked there quite long enough for omp. It’s not the money that’s worrying me, more the reaction when I tell them. I know family is more important than work but especially with all the things in the news in the last week or so about attitude towards pregnancy in the workplace I’m feeling really nervous.

I’m a teacher and good Mat covers are few and far between, and end of October will be really awkward timing for them. It’s a good workplace and great kids and I just feel guilty I guess.

I know it’s a bit late to be thinking about all of this, but it’s really getting in the way of feeling excited and positive about this pregnancy... Any thoughts/ advice/ reassurance would be very welcome!

Schools can be tricky places. My friend in a Catholic school had a very positive reaction in a similar situation as they said ‘a child is always a blessing’ but in my School teachers often have negative reactions. I would personally just be very factual about it and even lie and say you are surprised by delighted. You should not have to do the last bit but if it makes you feel better than do.

Surprised but delighted, that’s a good suggestion, thanks. Shouldn’t be necessary but probably is. I guess you can’t control other people’s reactions.

I'm a teacher and due in October too... why do you think it's a bad time? I was under the impression that this was fairly ideal as you can be off for the majority of the year?? I've told my line manager who is pleased with the timing as it won't affect exam classes..?

From what I understand, the problem is they need to find someone to start after October half term, rather than, say, a September or January start which is normally easier for recruitment. And if you’re due summer term there’s loads of people with gained time to cover internally. Most teachers I’ve worked with don’t take anything near a full year Mat leave for financial reasons, so less time to cover.

Maybe it’s just my school but finding good cover for core subjects is a real struggle at the best of times.

In my case that is a concern, but I suppose it’s more the feeling that I haven’t worked there long enough for my pregnancy to be particularly congratulated!

I understand your worries but in the nicest possible way, bollocks to them. Dont let worrying about your cover etc make you feel guilty about telling them, you work to live not live to work and your family is far more important. You'll always get someone at work who moans about you being pregnant aswell as people who are genuinely happy for you. Plus you could have started the job pregnant and theres nothing they could have done.
Forget about who will cover you, best time of year etc, your baby is your priority and the rest isn't your concern.

I'm not a teacher and don't work in education so can't help with that perspective but in terms of the length of time you've been there, I started my job in August and by mid-October I was like 6 weeks pregnant and horrendous HG popped up so I had to immediately tell work after self-certifying for a week, and then I was signed off on a few different sick notes with the HG for 10 weeks then returned to work but only doing afternoons for 4 weeks and then full-time but with my hours moved to come in later and stay later as still being sick in the mornings. I still come in half an hour to an hour later each day. SO, the point of that ramble was that I get it's not ideal when it's a new job. But they just have to suck it up really! Tbf my work have been really good with me apart from not allowing me to work from home at all and I've never had any negative comments (at least not to my face!).

You might be finishing up in September though so they'll probably just write off the whole year. Its just another staffing complication, there's always loads. Shame about your enhanced pay though, if you moved within an LA, you may be entitled to it?

Seriously- don't worry about it!! It's not hugely common to start mat leave bang on Sept or Jan anyway! Schools deal with this all the time - it's just part of being an employer! Most teachers I know take time off from whenever their due date is (or a few weeks before) until June, then return for a few weeks. So as im due in October they'll just get someone in for the whole year on maternity cover and I'll just help out, make schemes of work, maybe take on a couple of classes from colleagues in the short term, for the month or so that I'm actually in. Then the same when I return in June for a few weeks. It's actually pretty ideal - I'm chuffed to be due in October as financially it's brilliant! And my line manager is pleased it's clear-cut enough just to employ someone for a whole year (and with september start, which is easier for recruitment than Jan start). I really think you're over-thinking it! Women have babies at all times over the year! :)

Oh and I'm Secondary English by the way... but I don't think my school are at all worried about mat cover. Besides, that's not really my problem or responsibility anyway! If your Management team have any sort of experience they'll have gone through this time and time again!