Question for Teachers TTC

babymtz15

My DH and I are currently TTC. I start my student teaching in January, graduate in May and hope (fingers crossed) I get a job starting in the fall. If we conceive this cycle I would be due at the end of July. If I don't then that pushes future due dates into late August then September ect. If you are/were in a similar situation would you put TTC on hold for a few months so your due date is not RIGHT at the beginning of school? I'm thinking my odds of getting a job would be pretty slim if I need to take maternity leave right away. Do you agree? WWYD??? 

kayway85

Which is more important to you presently? I stopped working to have children, but I'm also 29 and have worked in my chosen profession since the age if 22. I wanted to achieve some professional goals before I had children, but that was my personal choice. Ultimately, only you can make that call. Good luck!

carolinagirl67

I understand the reasoning but you can't really plan when to get pregnant. If you decide not to start trying until after you are out of the safe window of being due around the time school would start, do that. But you can't really plan it. It can take a healthy couple up to a year to conceive.

RaeLynn81012

I was originally hoping for an end of the school year EDD but obviously that didn't work out. I'm not sure what I would do in your position because you are just starting out with your career but at this point, I will take any date. If this is important to you, keep HIO! You can't predict the future. Best of luck!

Jags8

I would rather have a job secured first.

garnetandgoldgrace

RaeLynn81012 said:

I was originally hoping for an end of the school year EDD but obviously that didn't work out. I'm not sure what I would do in your position because you are just starting out with your career but at this point, I will take any date. If this is important to you, keep HIO! You can't predict the future. Best of luck!

This!!

I think we all have an "ideal" time but unfortunately it doesn't work out like that for everyone. 

I have thought about how challenging it will be to not see my students until a couple months into the school year and how that might fuck up my program a little bit. But... it's a baby. And I'll take that. 

RaeLynn81012

@garnetandgoldgrace‌ what kind of program do you teach?

Gizmo36

One thing to keep in mind is that you aren't necessarily protected under FMLA unless you've worked for 1250 hours in the 12 months prior to taking leave.  

And since you wouldn't have more than one year's worth of sick days built up, you'd be taking most of that time unpaid.  

MissesFroom

What @garnetandgoldgrace said!

I always think about how missing the beginning of the year would be difficult, but I have been TTC#1 since June in hopes that I would be successful towards the end of the school yeae (but that hasn't happened yet). At this point I would take a baby over anything. Would it stink missing the first months of school? Absolutely. Would I rather have a baby? Absolutely!

Ultimately it is what you and DH think is best for your family and situation!! GL!

mosdub

Personally, I decided to wait until I had at least a year under my belt, mostly because the 1st year is hard enough without also trying to juggle being pregnant and planning for a long term sub.  When I first started TTC I talked to H and we decided we would try to get pregnant so that my EDD would be in the summer or toward the end of the school year...LOLZ.  

Turns out getting pregnant isn't as simple as timing - it's partly just dumb luck.  At this point I'll take what I can get.  Having an EDD in September would make for an awkward start to the school year, but it happens.  

Ultimately it is up to you, but I personally would put it on hold until I got a job/felt confident enough in my job to consider maternity leave.  

MrsC0617

I wanted to have my baby over Christmas break. I'm not even pregnant yet. I wish I can say it's easy to plan but it's not... Just HIO and hope for the best.

Remylove1011

I'd say decide what's important right now. Do you need to get more time at your job under your belt and how would the job be changed by having a baby at some point in next school year. When we started trying I thought I'd get a fall baby. It's fall now and still no BFP. It's impossible to plan or know how quickly it will happen for you. It can take could take up to 12 months. Are you wiling to skip months to avoid due dates in the wrong time?

catwine

I understand wanting to plan your baby's birth according to what is convenient for you, but realistically, it's pretty unlikely it will happen when you want.  I didn't think I'd still be trying for a baby 8 cycles later and while my EDD for this cycle would be really inconvenient for me I'd be happy with a baby born at any time of the year.

paigeed

It's impossible to plan every detail out. You never know when you will be able to concieve. That being said, I would personally wait to start TTC until after the first year of teaching.

The first year is pretty crazy and quite a learning curve. I can't imagine missing the first part of my first year. The beginning of the year is when you set the tone for behavior management for the entire year. That's not something I would want to miss my first year teaching.

Ultimately we can't make the decision for you. You need to sort out your priorities and go with what works for you and your family.

pmcd886

PPs have given good advice. Only you and your SO know what is best for your situation. I had DS1 in the month of May, three weeks after graduating, and started my first year teaching in August. Then, at the end of October I found I was pregnant again. So during my first year, I had a baby at home and gave birth to another baby. Was it difficult at times? You bet, but I wouldn't trade my boys for anything! Sometimes life with just throw you something unexpected no matter how much planning you did. Good luck!

Scatterbug

Statistically most of the time sex doesn't equal pregnancy. Go figure!

It's up to you. You could get extremely lucky (unlucky?) and get pregnant straight away. It could take you 12 months plus.

Good luck whichever you are hoping for.

babymtz15

Thank you to everyone!! I really appreciate your input. I know ultimately this is our decision and we will do what is best for our family. It has been almost 5 months of trying and I was very naive in the beginning thinking it would happen right away. Money is not a huge issue, so I may even wait a year to start teaching and continue TTC - or I'll be able to get through my whole first year teaching still TTC because like most of you pointed out - who knows when it will even happen. 

Again thanks for the input!