Pregnancy, teaching, covid

[M2B91]

Hi all,
First of all I just want to applause all the pregnant women out there that are doing so well and have made me think this was going to be easy.
I for one am massively struggling- exhaustion, nausea, some days contact sickness, aches, pains, headaches, bowel problems, you name it, I’ve got all the symptoms! I’m 12 weeks pregnant and my hormones are all over the place. I work as a primary school teacher with a really difficult year 1 class who are massively behind due to covid. Not only are they behind academically but they are not independent one bit and need constant refocusing which is exhausting! I’ve ended up having days off here and there because it’s just getting way too much for me and I feel really bad!
Now we have many children in class who have tested positive for covid and numerous family members of children who have covid but are still sending there children in (I get this is the new guidelines but it’s scary!).
Anyway we didn’t take covid into account when doing my risk assessment and I have not had my booster due to feeling so unwell after my first and second jab.
Our office lady has just given birth and was not allowed any contact with children the whole way through her pregnancy - our head told all staff to under no circumstance send any child to the office so that we could safeguard said pregnant lady.
However I’m now concerned that I am not being safeguarded and am putting myself at risk on top of feeling like crap everyday anyway!
I know every pregnant women is having to work in difficult situations at the moment and I completely empathise with you and and just wondered if you had any advice for me?
In an ideal world I’d work from home until cases drop but my head isn’t going to suggest this for inclusion reasons.
Sorry for the long message and thank you to anyone who responds

Have you asked the Head for another risk assessment? Can you get your booster now?

I don't mean to be harsh but I'm not sure what else can be done? You're in exactly the same position as many other teachers, and a far better one than those of us who worked in primaries unvaccinated earlier in the pandemic. The only allowance I had made was not cleaning the toilets when that was having to be done several times a day. If you are genuinely too exhausted/nauseous to work you need to call on sick. I hope your pregnancy gets easier (or your class! Our Y1 are hard work too).

I'd get your booster ASAP, and then ask for another risk assessment.

That said I can't see them allowing you to work from home this early on in your pregnancy. The risk to vaccinated pregnant women is low, especially in your first and second trimester.

If you're really struggling with other pregnancy related issues, then make sure you talk to your midwife and doctor.

You have no idea about your office lady’s medical records.

She could have been a very high risk pregnancy and had underlying health conditions.

I spoke to my community midwife about getting the booster and she suggested I wait until week 14 as I had a fever after both 1sr and 2nd dose which could be dangerous in your 1st trimester.
My partner, mum and sister have all been telling my not to get the booster too as they are saying we don’t know the long term effects or could an e on an unborn child. I know we are told it’s safe but I’m in agreement that we don’t know the effects and after feeling so rough after vaccination 1 and 2 it’s making me really anxious.
My head did suggest we do another risk assessment but she will ask me what I think needs to be on there and I can’t logistically think what would work. The 5 year old children are unable to distance themselves from me. I am on my own with a class of 30 for most of the school day and if I wore a mask I worry I would really struggle to be understood. Do you have any suggestions what we could put into the risk assessment that would make me feel more at ease? I was thinking maybe we would need evidence of a negative lateral flow before the children came to school each day but that would be an u fair pressure to put on all my parents

If you feel your class are making things more difficult then maybe you could suggest switching to an older class? Or asking for more in class support?

I know these things probably aren't possible. But I imagine your head will be a lot more understanding if you suggest a few different solutions. And I'm all honesty I can't see working from home being an option unless you have other underline conditions.

Yes I don’t know if our office lady had additional medical problems. It was just explained to members of staff that the reason she was being safeguarded was pregnancy but could have also been other issues.
I do understand others have had it or currently have it hard/harder too. Was just explaining I’m struggling and now also worried about covid. I wasn’t previously worried about covid as I also thought I was safe in my 1st trimester but my community midwife told me otherwise and with multiple cases in class I don’t want to be too laid back and regret it.
I’ve always worked really hard, loved my job and put a lot of hard work into it. I’ve been a teacher for 7 years with hardly any time off. I just want to put my health and my baby first at the moment. I feel guilty and I’m not my usual self worrying about every little thing. Really I was just looking for advice from other people working in schools that were pregnant to see what there risk assessment was. My friends who are pregnant all work from home now but there job allows them to do that.
I didn’t mean to offend anyone if I did

Thank you @nanabow. That wouldn’t be an option but is a good idea. I did suggest more support in class that would make it easier to socially distance and just help me throughout the day whilst feeling so sick but unfortunately we don’t have enough staff for that to happen.
I honestly feel like the biggest moaner right now and am worried my head will think I’m jumping on the covid bandwagon now as she knows I’ve been struggling and finding my class hard.
I just have many concerns and this is now one of them.
Seems like the only option is to get on with things and if I’m having a particularly bad day with sickness to take time off. I just didn’t know any other pregnant teachers and what they had on their risk assessment regarding covid as I’m at a loose end and cases are just rising

@UpDownRound ‘I had it hard so you should have it hard too’

The ‘advice’ you have been given on this thread is shocking @M2B91 - I ended up reading lots about this as I am now in my second trimester. I also got in touch with my union and sought their advice.

Your workplace are legally obligated to have completed a risk assessment taking Covid into account. It is also the responsibility of your work place to mitigate the risk from Covid as much as possible. This could mean a number of things. If they can’t mitigate the risk adequately they have to adapt your role/offer you wfh or you can be signed off on full pay.

I would advise that you ask for a new risk assessment to be completed ASAP, taking covid into account. Your risk assessment should be a working document and should be updated/checked monthly. You could also get in touch with your union and your midwife and ask for their advice.

You should also ask to see the schools risk assessment with regards to Covid whole school- they should have a section on pregnant employees on there and school policy. Most schools current policy is that, if unable to socially distance, pregnant women should be working from home from 28 weeks onwards.

The union advice is currently;
NEU;
Pregnant women of any gestation should not be required to continue working if this is not supported by the risk assessment that employers are legally required to undertake.
Although it is an individual decision, vaccination is the best way to protect from the known risks of Covid-19 in pregnancy for both women and babies, including severe illness and pre-term birth (Having a vaccination does not, however, remove the requirement for employers to carry out a risk assessment for pregnant employees).
Pregnant women who are unvaccinated, or not fully vaccinated, are at greatest risk. Employers are urged to consider how to maximise the potential for homeworking for this category and should allow paid time off for staff to receive vaccinations and boosters where necessary.
The joint union position is that, although it is not a Government requirement, until more is known about the effects of the Omicron variant, it would be prudent for settings to permit pregnant women, of whatever gestation, and vaccination status to work from home. For some staff that may mean agreeing to a temporary re-deployment to other duties that can be undertaken from home. Where this is not feasible, or a pregnant employee chooses to be in the workplace rather than working from home the risk assessment should take account of the factors set out in point 2 above.

NASUWT;
‘In respect to women who are pregnant and in their third trimester (more than 28 weeks’ pregnant), advice and guidance produced by the UK Government expects all employers to take a ‘more precautionary approach’, particularly as there is evidence which suggests a link between the symptoms of Covid-19 and complications in and around the time of birth, including premature birth, pre-eclampsia, the need for an emergency caesarean, and stillbirth.

Those who are pregnant and in the third trimester should therefore still take care to minimise contact with others from outside their household and should only return to the workplace if it has been demonstrated that it is safe to do so.

Whilst advice from the Department for Education (DfE) advises that pregnant teachers who are clinically vulnerable can follow the same guidance as everyone else, there is an expectation that schools adopt the ‘more precautionary approach’ referenced above as part of any risk assessment for those who are pregnant and in the third trimester.

This includes consideration of how best to redeploy teachers who are pregnant and in the third trimester, including adapting duties and looking at how to maximise the potential for working flexibly from home/homeworking.

These links may also help;
neu.org.uk/advice/high-risk-groups

www.nasuwt.org.uk/advice/health-safety/coronavirus-guidance/full-reopening-of-schools/full-reopening-of-schools-england/pregnancy-maternity-covid-19-pandemic-england/pregnant-teachers-third-trimester-covid-england.html

pregnantthenscrewed.com/covid-19/write-to-your-employer-risks-for-pregnant-women/

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/pregnant-people.html

www.google.com/amp/s/www.unison.org.uk/about/what-we-do/fairness-equality/women/key-issues/pregnant-workers-covid-19/%3Famp

www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-services/guidelines/coronavirus-pregnancy/

You are right to put the health and the health of your baby first- don’t be gaslighted until doing otherwise.

*into doing otherwise

Hi,
I’m secondary so quite different although some of the SEN students I work with don’t understand distancing. Its also so difficult to teach from the front, to support and help.
Two things;

1. My risk assessment was the most pointless thing ever. Due to age, having covid, being in 1st trimester, I’ve only had one jag (on doctors advice!). Literally all they put on my risk assessment is that I may need to self isolate if I’m a close contact. Nothing about trying to minimise exposure. Personally I’m trying to keep to the front of the class and only interacting closely if absolutely necessary. Windows open to aid ventilation. When I have a TA I’m using them to go in amongst kids and allowing kids up to stand at ‘the line’ while I talk over a problem with them. Could you try/ask for something similar?

My school is adamant that current guidelines are pregnant staff do not need to isolate at all - even 3rd trimester!

1. With regards to feeling sick. I’m 15+3 and it’s not budging so have requested a meeting with occupational health to discuss. I’m struggling to eat without feeling sick. Could you do the same? They might be able to put some stuff in place to support.

Either way, don’t feel guilty. It’s the kind of job where normally you’d be giving it 110% and also if I’m honest I’d probably be off more if I wasn’t worried about my classrs progress without me present. You and baby are the most important!

Hope some of that is useful…!

I had put into mine that I would have a ta with me ag all time in case I needed to disappear and be sick and so the ta could do the close contact, I worked from home from 19 weeks on the advice of my hospital consultant. There was some guidance knocking around last year about distancing in younger years and protecting staff, I’ll see if I can find the title for you :)

Thank you so much @weredone.
My chest tightened after reading some of the responses on here. I was worried I had offended people or came across badly.
Your response is so helpful and will really help with my risk assessment on my return to work.
I usually am one to follow advice I’ve been given - I jumped at getting my 1st jab, was apprehensive with my 2nd after feeling poorly from my 1st and now carrying my baby, I’m really struggling to make a decision about the booster.
I honestly thought if cases reached my class I would have been safeguarded more. I also thought I was only high risk from 28 weeks but without my booster I’m not sure I am.
I had a miscarriage last year so I’m anxious throughout this pregnancy anyway. I don’t want to put pressure on my place of work and understand this isn’t ideal for them. Hopefully once the new risk assessment is in place I’ll feel more at ease.

With regards to the difficult class, hopefully as the year goes on they get easier. I also really hope my second trimester starts to get easier. Fingers crossed!

Wow! Some unhelpful comments on this thread. Agree with @Weredone comments.

I am working from home now at 26 weeks, we had planned from 28 weeks but due to some personal health issues we've brought it forward two weeks.

Remember, we worked through all the outbreak in 2020, my pregnant colleagues were instantly put on home working (and openly say they didn't do much to be honest), my class weren't even in school and I was given someone's class who was shielding. Worked all through that. Now yes there are vaccinations, but certainly in my area the covid rates are so much higher now than they were. We do not know the long term affects of omicron or other variants on our pregnancy and our baby. It's also bloody hard, my class are so difficult and I've found it hard to cope. This is not a desk job (and before I get grief for that I worked in desk jobs for 12 years before teaching and had 3 babies in that time)
Teaching and being pregnant are hard enough but during the shit that is happening now it's awful!!!

As @Weredone said, the union advice is that you should be working from home. I would go armed with that. If they won't budge, I would honestly go off sick. We're lucky to have good sick pay.

Thank you so much @Fredthefish and @MamaTutu2. That advice is really helpful. I will enquire about a meeting with occupational health. Did you do that through your GP or midwife?
I would also love to see the guidance on working with younger children please. Really appreciate it

Hi, I teach in a school for children with complex needs. There is a Covid section in my risk assessment so would definitely ask about this. It's different where I work but despite the lack of ability to distance from the pupils, I do feel safer than I would in mainstream school because we have lots of procedures in place for Covid in terms of PPE, cleaning etc and despite it 'coming in' a couple of times - there's never been any spread within the school. I would definitely speak to your union re concerns.

My pregnancy is considered very high risk due to previously unexplained Stillbirth at full term. People need to decide for themselves but I did see this article at the weekend which struck a cord with me:

www.science.org/content/article/covid-19-starkly-increases-pregnancy-complications-including-stillbirths-among

I had the booster when I was around 20 weeks and feel relieved to have it but absolutely appreciate that people need to do what is right for them.

Thank you so much @Ems2021!! I really appreciate your support. I can’t tel you how good it feels to talk to people that understand. The initial comments I received had me sinking deeper into my black hole!
My sister is also a teacher and was pregnant in 2020. She had her baby in august and worked from home having to do hardly any work from March. I know we we were all terribly scared back then but she is so grateful that she was safeguarded in that way and is constantly worrying about me!
Teaching really is so hard - mentally and physically I would be drained each day from putting in 100% to all my classes pre pregnancy. Now I just don’t have it in me.
I will push for a reasonable risk assessment from my head and if I feel I am still not being safeguarded maybe the only option is to work from home.
I do worry that I have many things I am complaining about - a hard 1st trimester, the difficult class and now covid. To me it is all my reality right now. That’s causing me undue stress: To everyone who that has been so understanding and given some great advice and support I can’t thank you enough xxx

Probably the single most protective thing you can do to safeguard yourself and your baby is to get your booster as soon as possible.

There is no plausible mechanism by which the vaccines approved for use in pregnancy could have long-term adverse effects for a developing pregnancy, other than the potential for concerns about fevers in the early weeks (which can be avoided in your case due to the timing, and mitigated against by using paracetamol).

The RCOG has plenty of information on their website about the risks if COVID in pregnancy and the evidence about the vaccines.

In terms of risk assessment, you might want to think about things like -

• face masks - good quality FFP masks reduce spread, you can also get ones with clear panels so people can see your mouth when you talk, could you have a rule where children coming up to talk to you need to wear one if possible while talking with you?
• visors and barriers - you could wear a face visor (less effective than a mask but better than nothing), you could put a clear barrier up around your desk?
• ventilation - do your classroom windows open, and/or do you have air filters in your classroom?
• additional duties - if there are duties which would be too high risk and the risks can't be mitigated, then could you and your colleagues redistribute some duties so that you're still doing a fair share of duties but in safer roles?
• contingency plans for if there's a COVID outbreak in your class or elsewhere in the school?

What about asking for a medical grade air purifier that helps remove viruses from the air? It would help mitigate against the risk.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend and I did try to put a nice, sympathetic comment in my message! It is not about who has had it harder, just that we are 2 years into the pandemic nearly and throughout that time many teachers have been in the OP's situation and not been granted many changes to their working conditions - I was more trying to manage expectations than anything else. I know many teachers who explicitly asked to WFH and who were told no - it is very difficult in a small primary to fund that. At 12 weeks, I'm genuinely not sure what changes can helpfully be made. I'm not sure why recounting my experience as a pregnant teacher has been quoted as so unhelpful. As I said, I do hope things get better for you OP.

I'm pregnant and a nurse, current guidelines at my trust (and I believe are the same in others) are to work until 3rd trimester (including with covid patients) and then non-patient facing for third trimester.

Risk from and of catching Covid seems to not be increased prior to this, according to research.

@sunshine423 and @Scirocco.
Thank you. I appreciate the advice. I am in two minds about my booster and know the general advice is to get it. My argument is how do we know about long term effects of the vaccination on a developing baby when there is no pregnant person who has received the vaccinations who now has a child old enough to see if it has impacted them in any way? Have any studies been conducting to test this? I know there are many healthy babies with mums who had the booster but couldn’t there be an unknown impact that hasn’t been identified yet or not? I’m not a medical professional obviously but this does worry me and I remember reading up about a sickness drug that was given to many expectant mothers that caused all sorts of birth defects because it wasn’t tested properly. So many friends, family
Members have said they wouldn’t take the risk and get it whilst pregnant and it scares me. Especially because I did feel poorly before but it could just be a case of taking paracetamol to prevent the fever again.
I guess I was just hoping I could avoid covid altogether by keeping safe but I’m starting to think that’s impossible with my job and maybe it would be better to take the risk with the booster.

The advice on the risk assessment is helpful, thank you.
Do you know how many cases constitute a covid outbreak? There are already numerous cases in my class?
We have good ventilation, with all windows and back door open and carbon dioxide monitors. I will also try my utmost hardest to keep the children at a distance. I just have some really high need pupils who require me to get close.
I think I should definitely ask for more support in class again.

Thank you @HeyBlaby!
Wow you are working with covid patients whilst pregnant!? As a nurse, you being expected to do that does make me feel more at ease.
Like I said, I originally didn’t feel that concerned about covid this early on in pregnancy and over the last week have developed this fear.
I was driving on Sunday and an advert came on the radio specifically targeted at pregnant women and covid explaining we were high risk the whole way through pregnancy (I thought this was a sign telling me I was being too relaxed) I also thought that the omicron variant was mild compared to other variants and I was safe this early on in pregnancy. However, that advert and discussion with my community midwife made me really worry.
I will definitely put a risk assessment in place to try and keep myself as safe as possible, rethink the booster and also try not to cause myself too much stress about possibly catching the virus.