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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Any other teachers planning a pregnancy around the summer holidays?

33 replies

Eststarr · 02/09/2018 08:33

Hi all,
Was wondering if there were any other teachers planning on getting pregnant, but basing it around summer hols. I was thinking that I didn’t want my maternity leave to be when I’m already being paid off work!! I’m gonna try and aim to get pregnant about September.. so I can have summer holidays seperate from my maternity, anyone else doing the same?

OP posts:

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NapQueen · 02/09/2018 08:36

I know a teacher friend who had a due dat early Sept which was great as she put start of school year date as her starting mat leave and got all the 6weeks hols prior as her usual time.

pinkandorangeorchids · 02/09/2018 08:38

Ideally yes but obviously a lot of other factors come into play

ourkidmolly · 02/09/2018 08:40

Surely you would want to get pregnant at Christmas and then have the bag early September?

seven201 · 02/09/2018 08:41

I'm a teacher. I'd have loved a September baby but first dc took a long time to conceive so got a June baby. Been trying for dc2 for 8 months now. I don't particularly want a July or August baby, but am not going to stop trying for those months.

My friend had two October babies. She worked for a couple of weeks in September both times but wasn't given a class. She basically sat in an office and wrote schemes of work for her department. Amazing.

ourkidmolly · 02/09/2018 08:44

Bag? Baby!

Soontobe60 · 02/09/2018 08:49

We have a teacher returning from mat leave next week. She officially returned to work for the last week of term so has been back on full pay since then. She also did 5 KIT days over 3 weeks before she returned.
Bear in mind, if you do this and will only return part time, that part time pay will kick in immediately.

lorisparkle · 02/09/2018 08:53

I did it the other way round so ds1 was born in July and then when I went back I worked for two weeks full time, was paid full time in the summer holidays and then went back part time in September. It meant I had the extra time with ds1 once he was born and got paid.

physicskate · 02/09/2018 09:48

I tried doing that (a bit) but it took over two years to conceive. Just be aware that as much as we are used to planning down to the second, biology does often have other ideas.

Original poster

Eststarr · 02/09/2018 10:02

Haha you’re so right about teachers planning everything to be second! I know you’re right, it would be ideal to have full control!

OP posts:

Westworldmaeve · 02/09/2018 10:05

I started ttc on January 1st 2009. Still no baby. Be happy with what you get.

Mississippilessly · 02/09/2018 10:08

Yes i did. I am due on Tuesday so my mat leave begins today. I will go back for a day before next summer.

LucyLou19 · 02/09/2018 10:10

My friend worked right upto going in labour she’s a teacher,beginning of July she doesn’t start her maternity till Tuesday and her daughter is already 6 weeks old xx

Secretlifeofme · 02/09/2018 10:15

I agree with Westworldmaeve. I'm a teacher and started TTC in August 2016. At first I thought about when the baby's due date would be and tried to plan. Two years later I don't even look at when the due date would be because I have never managed to retain a pregnancy beyond 7 weeks. From my point of view, in this situation (unlike in the classroom) not planning anything is the best way forward to avoid disappointment.

AppleKatie · 02/09/2018 10:17

I think lots of teachers try this, but you have to accept that you are very lucky if it works out...

LittleKitty1985 · 02/09/2018 10:41

Yep, we started ttc in December for a September baby, partly for the reason you state, but mainly because as a teacher I see how much of an advantage September born babies have over their younger peers.

Unfortunately it took us 6 months to conceive so my son will now be born in March. Oh well, lol, we're just happy he's on his way! We actually spoke about pausing ttc for a few months to avoid a summer born baby, & I'm glad it didn't have to come to that!

RaymondHolt · 02/09/2018 10:48

LucyLou - Maternity pay in schools starts when the baby is born. Not after the holidays. I had an August baby and had to inform the school of the date so that it would trigger then.

Why would they start it 6 weeks later?

Ragh · 02/09/2018 11:04

Currently snuggled up with my 12 day old DS - maternity leave started on his due date and I'll be going back in July for one day. Much better than with DD who was due early February so I ended up working until 39 weeks and going back at Christmas - 10.5 months vs 13.5 off but similar pay. And no, we didn't plan this - was NTNP and conceived 2nd and 1st month!

Partridgeamongstthepigeons · 02/09/2018 12:01

I'm a teacher with a September baby. Got pregnant on Boxing Day.

LaPufalina · 02/09/2018 12:05

I'm expecting DC2 (due date 11/9), got pregnant around 20 December. DH is a teacher and it's been lovely having him around all summer as being massive with a toddler wouldn't have been much fun!

Loulabelle25 · 02/09/2018 12:05

I’ve managed to land a September due date - currently on the final countdown to baby’s arrival. Yes, it’s worked out out amazingly in terms of maternity leave and pay. Officially my leave starts to tomorrow but I’ve had the summer on my full pay.

However, so many people have told me how well I’ve planned it all and how lucky we were to get a September baby - it drives me a bit nuts. It took us a what felt like the longest year ever to conceive - a September due date was luck rather than design! You could fall pregnant in the first month, it could take years. Planning for a baby is not quite as simple as choosing the month you’d like it to arrive and working backwards.

NCPuffin · 02/09/2018 12:09

I'm a teacher and we decided to start trying after Christmas. Baby is due at the end of September We were incredibly lucky to conceive on the first cycle. We decided to start trying when we did as I knew I'd be offered a permanent contract from September, nothing to do with not wanting a summer baby or getting the six weeks paid for "free". The number of comments I've had about planning it well though... I agree with PP, best not to try and plan!

Ymamiss · 02/09/2018 12:13

We planned things well with ds and he came 2 weeks late, in October week. With this baby however, it took longer than planned and we are due in April. Not ideal but I just try to think of the summer hols as 1 month and a bit - not that long really in the grand scheme of things. Ah well!

Thetimehascometo · 02/09/2018 15:54

Our baby was due July (got pregnant a lot quicker than expected) however she had other plans and arrived in May. At the time we thought it was rubbish planning, but as DH is also a teacher having the full 6 weeks off with him (and previously his 2 weeks paternity) has been incredible. And I would totally do it again. It also means I will go back in the summer term and then only have a few weeks to get through until it’s the summer holiday and time to spend with DD again 😍

Monopo1y · 02/09/2018 16:36

This was my plan last year. Started tcc around Nov/Dec in the hope of a Sept due date but so thankful I didn't get hung up on it as it took 6 months. I am now due Dec and feel very lucky. It has actually worked very well for work. I am hoping to finish work at the start of Dec and go back just before the summer hols next year. Then I will get paid for the summer. I'd love a year off but I'm not sure Maternity pay will stretch. My advice would be not to worry about dates too much. When it happens you are grateful whatever.

GreenMeerkat · 02/09/2018 16:41

You can try to time it like that and if you are lucky it may well work out. But please bear in mind that TTC can sometimes take a LONG time, even with no fertility issues at all (took over a year to conceive my first, not pregnant with 3rd so no fertility issues).

Don't bank on getting the timing exactly right.

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