Any other teachers feeling anxious about returning?
Show your support
@Rhian thank you so much. This is so helpful xxx
You’d be surprised at how little you think about it when you’re teaching in the moment 💚 I kept ginger nut biscuits in my drawer, and I told the other year 1 teacher that I was pregnant the day after I found out, I also had portable sickness bags just in case I really couldn’t fully leave the classroom (I had a balcony so could have been a bit discreet while I yak. Thankfully only times I threw up at school were the odd occasions when the children had lunch in the classroom, but their lunchtime supervisor was already there so I could run 😂 But I can understand the nerves, I’ll be 28 weeks pregnant and honestly not sure about how I feel with that 😂
When I go back in September, I'll be 35 weeks. I don't know how I'll cope without my mid-morning nap 😂 My plan was to start maternity at 37 weeks, but I am now regretting that.
@Rhian this is the problem 😂 do you think a nap counts as a reasonable measure to ask for in support of pregnancy? 😂
My students soon got use to me being sick in the bin outside the classroom 😂
You are entitled to a risk assessment. Let your line manager know you are pregnant but insist on confidentiality until you are far enough along that you are ready for the wider school community to know. I needed regular opportunities to eat to prevent my morning sickness and I had an agreement to use a nearer toilet which made a huge difference to me in early pregnancy. Look up ACAS xx
Thank you all so much xxx
Same as lots have mentioned above. I told my other two colleagues in the team very early on so they were aware. I also told my line manager who was very supportive of everything (had to go to an and e a few times for bleeding). I also kept ginger biscuits in my drawer!
Definitely keep snacks you can stomach, little and often. You don’t really think about it much when you’re busy. If you’re happy for one trusted member of SLT to know they can do a risk assessment and have a partner teacher/TA on call in case you need the toilet and/or to be sick to throw up
Thank you all so much xxxxxx
Tell somebody you trust, in a nearby classroom, so if you need to, you can run. Have rice cakes in your drawer to nibble on when the nausea starts to hit. Speak to head/line manager to see if something can be put in place - a colleague of mine would use the behaviour system to call for someone to cover her if she was going to be sick. I take lots of bottles of water and a frozen bottle of water - I can't stomach the water in my school, even the smell of it. Ginger tea/biscuits might help with the nausea too. Hope you find some things to help you.