Teaching and pregnancy

[Lenny1987]

I have just found out I am pregnant with my first baby. I need to book into see a midwife but our doctor only offers Wednesday morning between 9 and 12. I teach in a secondary school and have no free periods then. They said the appointment is at least an hour so will involve 2 lessons worth of cover. Just wondered what everybody said to their headmasters without telling them you are pregnant? I have never had a sick day or time off for a doctor's appointment- it is expected that you go in your own time unless hospital and thus they can see the letter?

I told them I was pregnant...

I wanted the time off, I wasn’t prepared to lie and my school require proof of any in school appointments so i couldn’t have made something up anyway.

In all 3 of my pregnancies my head knew before our parents.

I told the school very quickly and they are required to give you time off for appointments. In our school we have risk assessments for pregnant staff due to challenging behaviour and also because it is important that pregnant staff know if children in school have specific illnesses. Maybe not as relevant in a secondary school but still worth considering.

Ok, thank you. Just didn't feel right telling people so early on.

I would be inclined to put “out patients appointment” on the request form to distinguish it from the GP type. I have never been asked to produce a letter that sounds like they are very suspicious of their staff! You certainly don’t have to tell them you’re pg until you want to.

You don't have to tell them it's antenatal but I did as I felt it was easier than getting quizzed about why I had made a docs appointment in a session I was teaching.