Pregnant teachers

Aww babe! I feel you pain, I felt like such a burden too. But I am a art teacher and had older kids so it wasn't as hard, I mean I could leave half way through the term and it didnt really effect them.

HUGS

BTW what school are you teaching at?

Kate - what cute little babies - congratulations!

You know it's just so nice to know I'm not the only one feeling this way!!

KateW I've pmed you.

The thing with duty is that if I didn't do it, one of my colleagues would have to cover it... they're are also stressed out at the moment and do not need another duty on top of it! I would feel soooo bad and an even bigger burden.

Gosh faraway, going back at 31/32 weeks... far out, I would have finished early I think, you were very brave.

I think that things in teaching are less flexible than some other jobs? Probably cos the hours are so fixed (well sometimes I find myself going home at 3.30 lol if I'm knackered) and expectations can't really change. It's been a mission fitting in times to visit the midwife, but thankfully I can go at lunchtime now and get someone to watch my class for the 10 mins after lunch I'm late back.

Man, I just wrote a long post and lost it - so here's a shorter one...

Don't feel bad about leaving early etc, just do what needs doing and let the other stuff go - you need to focus on you and bubs.

I worked to the end of Term 3 (nearly 36 weeks) and that felt about right, don't think I could've managed much longer (and then wrote reports after that). I did the bare minimum but made sure I did the best for the kids at the same time, my syndicate understood and picked up the slack.

Ask people for help with duty and things that need doing - most people are more than willing - they should understand your situation, even if they;re stressed too.

Take sick leave - you should have plenty as a BT - even one day when you're just feeling in need of a break can work wonders. Especially if you've got reports to write.

Good luck!

I was a preschool teacher(I finished at 20 weeks) partly due to the stresses at my particular work place and partly that i just couldn't handle being supervisor fulltime when pregnant..and I have done a primary degree as well and I'm sure primary really would have done my head in..so no you aren't the only one feeling like that:(

I'm not a teacher, but I'm on my feet for 10 hours a day in a VERY busy retail store.
So I feel your struggles. Even though it's retail, I still have managerial duties and work to bring home with me. It's a pretty high pressure situation (telecommunications - I never realised how much peoples lives and livelihoods - literally - rely on their cell phones/internet access!!).

I'll be working up until 37 weeks, so it's going to be tough.
But my workmates are extremely understanding and make allowances.
I"m sure your workmates will, too. What if it was the other way around, I'm sure you'd do it

Talk to your principal..it can't hurt, I'm sure.
Good luck

Gosh thanks so much everyone for your support... I wrote a huge reply this morning and then my internet stopped working so I lost it all. Guttered.

Thankfully because I'm a BT I have one release day a week, it's soooo good having that - though of course things do take me a lot longer because I am a BT! But man I'm so lucky I do have that day to get on with stuff and have a bit of a rest.

I'll be 36 weeks too at the end of the year, Monster I'm glad you could do it cos I really want to make it til then.

The sick leave thing - I've already taken quite a few days off sick, and there was actually a bit of an issue about it. I probably should have communicated with the principal more about how I was feeling, but I thought it was obvious I was taking days off cos of the pregnancy. But she brought up the other day that she didn't know if she would be able to sign off my first year registration because of my issues with attendance! Eek!! See I'd been listening to my body and kept going during the week, and then when it was just too much (or in the first trimester it was morning sickness), I'd have a day at home to rest so I could be on top of my game for the rest of the week.

But I think thankfully the issue with sick days is sorted out now, a few hormonal tears later. I think perhaps because the principal sees me in the morning or at morning tea when I'm feeling my best, and of course putting on a happy face - not at lunchtime when I start to droop or at the end of the day when I'm struggling to keep my eyes open lol. But I think now she understands *fingers crossed* and hopefully there won't be any issues with registration. Hey, if there is, I'll just get the union to help me out lol.

But the point of that whole story is that I'm reluctant to take many more sick days now.

I think I may take the advise re: duty and talk to someone if I find it is getting too much. I just feel so bad and I don't like asking for stuff!! Especially when it means that other people have to pick up my slack.

Thankfully my kids are really good, I think now I'm *looking* more pregnant they're more aware of it, and they're really settled as a class lately. And gosh Charly I couldn't handle being on my feet 10 hours a day!! Thats a good thing with teaching - I can do alot of it sitting down, I have the kids sitting on the mat, which is really good.

So I don't mean to harp on being all negative - there really is alot of positive things and I do have a pretty good deal (with having a release day and stuff). I appreciate the "listening ear" and knowing that other people went through/are going through the same sort of thing. It makes it better when you know you're not the only one doesn't it!!

[QUOTE=arohanui]
Gosh faraway, going back at 31/32 weeks... far out, I would have finished early I think, you were very brave.
QUOTE]

Not brave just broke! We needed to save my maternity leave for when the baby actually came. Plus I had read that unless MW would sign you off as being unable to work that you can only take 6 weeks of mat. leave before baby comes (I ended up taking 5 as Kaleb came late).
I know how you feel about asking others to do duties. Luckily for me I had a couple of people offer so I did other things for them (baked cookies while I was going through a baking frenzy)
My principal was not very good about using school time for mw or scans (even though you're entitled to up to 10days in contract) and once or twice she arranged for my class to go to art when I wasn't there (CRT is provided with specialist art lessons)

Your timing is as perfect as mine with the money thing. We get paid thru until the 1st of Feb, then you get your 14 weeks from the government, then a 6 week maternity grant from the ministry. The 6 week one is paid in a lump sum and is full pay (which is very exciting).