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Original poster

How many weeks pregnant did you teach until?

60 replies

hmyh23 · 17/09/2017 19:06

Just wondered! Those of you who have had babies, how long did you work for? Early days for me still but thinking ahead!

OP posts:
EllaHen · 17/09/2017 19:09

Both times I stopped when I got to the holiday before birth. First time was 37 weeks. I would have happily worked on. Second time was about 33 weeks (summer) and counted the hours until I stopped.

MaisyPops · 17/09/2017 19:11

We're TTC and i've wondered this.

Loads of my colleagues seemed to work up to 37 weeks.

RandomDent · 17/09/2017 19:13

32 both times. First time it was the nearest half term, I knew I was delivering a bit early. Second time I was close to going off sick by 28 weeks because I was on my knees.

pinotgrigio1 · 17/09/2017 19:13

I worked until 37 weeks, but was part time for the last half term.

Shadowboy · 17/09/2017 19:17

38 eeeks for the first because she arrived a day before I was due to start maternity leave! 37 weeks for the second because I was paranoid she'd come early (she came 4 days late)

FlorestanAndEusebius · 17/09/2017 19:39

Congrats OP!
With DD1 I did a boarding duty at 36+4. Worked until 37 weeks. She was born at 38 weeks.
DD2 finished at 32 weeks as it was summer holidays but I was really struggling!

HailLapin · 17/09/2017 19:43

I'm support staff so slightly different , but I stopped at 35 weeks.

The point where I was struggling to put my socks on in the morning and I had immense back pain by midday.

memenow · 17/09/2017 19:48

I'm trying to get to 37 weeks, 31 now and starting to find it tough. Exhausted by the time I get home each evening and sore feet/hips standing all day.

Original poster
hmyh23 · 17/09/2017 20:00

Thanks everyone, I have 37 weeks in my head as a goal, but if it gets unbearable I'll go earlier. Teaching is just so draining it's not like you could ever go in and have a nice quiet day!

OP posts:
SweepTheHalls · 17/09/2017 20:01

39, 38, 39 ☺️

missmapp · 17/09/2017 20:09

37 weeks with ds1, ds2 was a September baby so I got to finish in July at about 35 weeks .

kittymamma · 17/09/2017 20:10

39 with first, 36 with the second but only because I couldn't face returning after Christmas, he came at 37 +5 anyway, 3 days before school started again.

Yellowheart · 17/09/2017 20:14

Dd1 36 (she came at 36+2)

Ds 33 as he was late august born (came early in six weeks holidays)

KittyVonCatsington · 17/09/2017 20:14

37 weeks on the dot!

Hendersonsisnotrelish · 17/09/2017 20:16

I finished at 38 weeks but the last 2 weeks were the first 2 weeks of term in September so wasn' given a timetable. Baby came at 41 weeks

BackforGood · 17/09/2017 20:20

Think it depends on the time of year they are born.
It is easier to work up o 37 weeks if baby due early Oct and you've had 6 weeks off before the last 3, but not so easy if you're due at Christmas and have worked a 15 week term.
Also which age group. I think physicaly harder in early years than secondary, once you get big Smile

Original poster
hmyh23 · 17/09/2017 21:18

This is why a September baby is such a dream for teachers, one of my colleagues has managed it 3 times!

OP posts:
MiaowTheCat · 18/09/2017 09:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LeaderoftheAteam · 18/09/2017 10:10

38+3, two weeks after returning from Easter holidays, so I'd had a break which made it much more bearable. Not sure if I'd have been able to cope without the break for so long. It was my second pregnancy though.

TwatteryFlowers · 18/09/2017 10:28

I'm a supply teacher so I had a bit more flexibility re. time off etc. With my first I finished a long-term post at 32 weeks and started maternity leave. With my 2nd I was doing day-to-day supply teaching and finished at the end of the summer term, at something like 35 weeks. I would have happily gone longer because I wasn't as tired as I was 1st time and there were no signs of labour starting (in the end I was induced at 42 weeks).

Mmmburp · 18/09/2017 10:48

36 weeks. I was totally shattered (moved classrooms for nearly every lesson and sometimes buildings). I couldn't keep up.

Mmmburp · 18/09/2017 10:49

Meant to add, you've got to do what's right for you - but I'd really try avoid going through labour exhausted.

castasp · 18/09/2017 10:59

2 days before my due date, but all the Y11 and y13 had left, so low teaching load. She ended up being 5 days late, so I had exactly a week off between finishing work and giving birth.

I did have a full half-term off in early pregnancy though due to HG.

ppleasebob · 18/09/2017 11:02

As a TA, 35 weeks but officially 36 (had Oct half term).

As a teacher, I officially started my maternity 4th Sept this year at 36 weeks but due to summer holidays it worked out at 30! I probably could've started a bit later but would've been lost without a class for a few weeks.

My PPA cover teacher worked up until 39 weeks! But then she was part time at 2 days.

Definitely listen to your body and how you're feeling.

sdaisy26 · 19/09/2017 19:22

37 weeks first time. Originally aimed for 39 but I'd just had enough.

Second time stopped at half term when I was 35 weeks, so mat leave started officially 36 weeks. I dragged myself to the end of that one, had awful sickness the whole way through and also in a very difficult class environment (barricaded in room by student at 30 weeks pg for e.g.).