Any other teachers here? How are you doing?

[Tattoo]

I teach year four at a small independent school.
I'm definitely finding it harder in this pregnancy. My first pregnancy was really easy and straightforward, I had no complications and worked until 36 weeks. She was born ten days late, so I wished I'd stayed at work a bit longer! I was still teaching PE and doing play ground duty right until the end.
This time I'm already struggling. I have SPD, which makes everything much harder! I don't have to teach PE now, as we have a specialist teacher for that, and I've had to drop my playtime and lunchtime duties. It definitely doesn't help that the heating and electricity at work has been broken since we came back after Christmas, and won't be fixed until half term (in two weeks time). So it's freezing in my classroom! The lowest temperature I've observed was just 4degrees! This time I'm planning to work until 39 weeks...We'll see!

So, how are all the other pregnant teachers getting on in third tri?

 

[auraobie]

My second too, this pregnancy has been so much harder this time. I start mt mat leave today at 34 weeks due to severe spud but I have been off sick for 3 weeks due to pregnancy related mental health and anxiety...work was the straw that broke the camel's back and I just wasn't coping. I hope u make it to 39 weeks! It'd be lovely to have those extra weeks of with baby x

 

[Kzd2014]

I'm a high school teacher in a public school and it's HARD. Teaching 5 courses of English puts a toll on my body - so much grading, so much being "on" all day (you guys know how that goes), and I have had a lot of anemia issues, so being dizzy and sick has definitely made me anxious. I'm so ready for maternity leave!!

 

[PrincessBree]

I work doing one to one teaching and SEN referrals I am 20(ish) weeks and have spd and I am really struggling. As I move around school I often feel as if someone has taken a sledge hammer to my private parts . I feel least pain when I am off my feet as moving is just excruciating. I plan on listening to my body and working until it is no longer reasonably possible. I have heard that spd can (sometimes) cause long term damage and since we only get one pelvis I really wanna take care of this one lol . I don't think hobbling around does it any good!My motto is listen to your body!

 

[flou]

I teach science in a secondary school and I am finding it extremely difficult being on my feet all the time. I try to sit down as much as possible but if the class are doing practical work I have to move around the class. I am finding the long hours I do very tiring. I was tired when I wasn't pregnant but it is starting to get to me now. I am giving up work when I hit 37 weeks and I can't wait!

 

[Cattia]

Another teacher here! I have got a temporary promotion to a management position until I go on maternity leave. There is a LOT of work involved but I have to say it's way easier to manage than teaching as I'm sitting down a lot more and can manage my own time. It also means I get paid maternity at a higher rate so really I can't grumble! I'm planning to work until 38 weeks which I did with my other two. The only but that got really difficult for me was the drive in. It's a 40 minute commute and I did find that by the time I'd sat in the car ask that time I was pretty uncomfortable. Hoping to hang in there this time as I want to go back after October half term and money is tight!

PS: I'm pretty sure a working temperature of 4 degrees can't be legal - how do the students cope??

 

[Tattoo]

Another teacher here! I have got a temporary promotion to a management position until I go on maternity leave. There is a LOT of work involved but I have to say it's way easier to manage than teaching as I'm sitting down a lot more and can manage my own time. It also means I get paid maternity at a higher rate so really I can't grumble! I'm planning to work until 38 weeks which I did with my other two. The only but that got really difficult for me was the drive in. It's a 40 minute commute and I did find that by the time I'd sat in the car ask that time I was pretty uncomfortable. Hoping to hang in there this time as I want to go back after October half term and money is tight!

PS: I'm pretty sure a working temperature of 4 degrees can't be legal - how do the students cope??

It's not legal. The NUT confirmed that the minimum for adults is 16 degrees, and for children it's 18! But, since we're a private school, we have no LEA to sort it out. The children have to wear their coats most of the time. We had parents evening tonight, and the headteacher had to go out at lunchtime to buy windup lamps for us all, in case the power cut out after dark! I do sometimes question if it's real life, or is someone playing a very elaborate practical joke on me?

I'm fortunate at the moment, as I have a student teacher placed in my class. She's on her final placement, so doing the majority of the teaching. It means I can spend most of the time sitting on my butt, observing her teaching, or working with children. And, if it gets too cold, I can escape to the building which still has heating and power for a bit! Also makes it a lot easier to nip to the loo!

 

[rapunzel87]

Secondary school sci teacher here! I had no choice but to start mat leave as of today. First semester officially ended today and technically I can't just start a new semester and leave within the first month :/ However, I do have some house and baby projects left to do This way I won't go nuts with nothing to do!

Oh and I am 34 weeks

 

[Tattoo]

It's half term! Yay!
The heating at work still isn't fixed and we spent the last week without any electricity, either. The work is supposed to be starting tomorrow, and it'll all be fixed during the week off, but I'm not convinced! Trying to get the children to do their assessments in the dark, while all wearing their coats was somewhat ridiculous.

I had a meeting with the headteacher on Thursday, and I'm feeling really positive about my leave and my return to work afterwards. My leave will be covered by a teacher who was a student placed at our school last year. This is a huge relief, because I already know her well and she knows the school. She will have completed two terms of her NQT Induction, so she can finish it off with us. I've offered to write four sample reports (high ability, middle ability, less able, and SEN) for the cover teacher to work from for the rest, and the headteacher has accepted that. I did think I might get landed writing the whole lot!
I go back for five weeks after half term, then we've got three weeks of Easter holiday. I'm planning to go in on the Inset day afterwards, too. So technically I'll be "working" up until 39 weeks! When's everyone else starting their leave?

 

[Christina86]

I'm not a teacher but I am a social work intern within the school district where I live. I will say it is exhausting! I go to all 3 of our high schools, 1 middle school and 2 elementary schools. Doing a lot of 1-1 and groups. The constant go-go-go is draining. I get home and take a nap almost every day (and most of the time I don't mean to I just sit down and fall asleep).

 

[flou]

Thank god its half term! I had killer week last week, with a parents evening which led to a 12 hour day. I am back for one week after half term and then I go on maternity leave and I will be exactly 37 weeks at that point. My replacement will be in straight after half term so she is going to take most of my lessons so I can complete all my marking and paperwork before I go.

 

[Cattia]

My DH is away for the week so I have my two kids on my own all week, I almost think that being at work would be more relaxing! I am really enjoying my new job which is a middle management position with far less teaching. I don't miss the teaching at all, which surprises me as I really thought I would. It's only temporary until I come back after mat leave. I have three weeks after half term and I finish on March 13th, which is the day I turn 38 weeks. So far I am not finding things too bad. I'm a little more tired than normal but nothing major and physically I am doing fine apart from the odd dizzy spell as my BP is quite low.
As I have given up some of my teaching already, they have got my mat cover in early, so I have been able to do a phased handover of most of my classes, which has been great and leaves me feeling much more confident about leaving them.
How long are you all taking off? I am hoping to go back after October half term. Ideally I would like to be off until December but I doubt finances will permit it.

 

[Tattoo]

I'm having a full year this time, so I'll go back after the Easter holiday in 2016. I only took six months of leave with my eldest daughter and it really wasn't enough. She was born quite late, so I ended up going back to work before she was even five months old. I was still EBF, so had to express at lunchtime. It was totally exhausting, so there's no way I'm doing that again!
I'm hoping to go back with a job share next year. I mentioned it to the boss in my meeting last week, and she seemed surprised but happy to consider it. There are three other members of staff who would be keen for a job share, so it's definitely workable.

 

[Cattia]

I'm having a full year this time, so I'll go back after the Easter holiday in 2016. I only took six months of leave with my eldest daughter and it really wasn't enough. She was born quite late, so I ended up going back to work before she was even five months old. I was still EBF, so had to express at lunchtime. It was totally exhausting, so there's no way I'm doing that again!
I'm hoping to go back with a job share next year. I mentioned it to the boss in my meeting last week, and she seemed surprised but happy to consider it. There are three other members of staff who would be keen for a job share, so it's definitely workable.

That sounds perfect! I also expressed twice a day after going back with my older two. I really didn't enjoy it but since I am the main breadwinnder there isn't a lot of option We are applying for a household loan so if we get approved for the amount we want, there is a chance I might be able to stay off until Christmas. My DS starts school in September so I would love to have the whole of the first term off to get him settled and be able to do all the drop offs and pick ups. I'd love a job share, but I don't think it's going to happen.

 

[amy8686]

I teach music and I am SO thankful that my job was cut to half time a couple of years ago! 4 hours are manageable right now. On the rare occasion that I have to work a full day, it totally wipes me out.

I've been sitting a lot (I'm also thankful that I teach high school now, because I recall not having as many chances to sit when teaching littler ones). The hardest things are the lack of bathroom breaks and a couple of dizzy spells that I've had while students are with me.

I'm not looking forward to pumping milk at work, but here in the US we have zero paid maternity leave, so I'll be going back in the Fall when baby is about 5 1/2 months old. If I had to teach full time, I think we'd try to make do on one income for longer, but half days seem reasonable I hope!

Have you all been getting funny comments and questions from your students? The most common things for me have been kids requesting that I name the baby after them and girls asking (with wide fearful eyes) if I'm scared about labor.

 

[Tattoo]

I've had a few weird comments from the children.
When I finally revealed that I was pregnant a boy in my class came out with "My sister said you were having a baby, but I said you were just fat!"
I've also had a girl tell me that her mother doesn't think it's fair on the pupils for teachers to have children of their own, and that they should give up their jobs when they become pregnant. That's private school for you!

 

[Cattia]

I've had a few weird comments from the children.
When I finally revealed that I was pregnant a boy in my class came out with "My sister said you were having a baby, but I said you were just fat!"
I've also had a girl tell me that her mother doesn't think it's fair on the pupils for teachers to have children of their own, and that they should give up their jobs when they become pregnant. That's private school for you!

Yep, just give up your job and get your super rich husband to pay for you to become a lady that lunches. Don't know why we didn't all think of it earlier!

 

[Tattoo]

I've had a few weird comments from the children.
When I finally revealed that I was pregnant a boy in my class came out with "My sister said you were having a baby, but I said you were just fat!"
I've also had a girl tell me that her mother doesn't think it's fair on the pupils for teachers to have children of their own, and that they should give up their jobs when they become pregnant. That's private school for you!

Yep, just give up your job and get your super rich husband to pay for you to become a lady that lunches. Don't know why we didn't all think of it earlier!

Haha! I've heard it all! When I was 36 weeks pregnant with my first a parent made an official complaint about me because I didn't tie his son's shoelaces!

What's everyone doing for World Book Day next month? I'm dressing up as Chummy from Call the Midwife!