*Teachers*

blessedandhopeful

What part of the year do you think would be best to *aim* for, when having a baby? I know plans don't always work out how you wish, but say they did, what part of the year would be most convenient for you (as a teacher)?

I would think getting pregnant in June or July and having a baby in March or April would be best, because in addition to maternity leave you would have the upcoming summer with your baby. Granted, you would go back to work for a little while, but that would be good to get everything tied up at the end of the semester, right? Oh, you could also go through the 1st trimester while you don't have to work.

Thoughts?

erbear

I always said that I didn't want to miss the beginning of the school year. I think it would be too hard to essentially teach a year with someone else's rules and routines in place, because it's not fair to change them on the kids when I come in.

I had Kate in February and was off until September because the school allowed me to not come back for the last 3 weeks of school as it would have been disruptive. However, this 6 months off was too long for me. Next time, I'm aiming for a December/early January baby so I can be off until after spring break, come back for 2 months, then have the summer off when baby is 5-7 months rather than 3-5!

stressshan

I had Alyssa in Feb and went back after spring break.  It wasn't bad because I had only 9 weeks until I was off for the summer.  A Lot of my friends had a baby in April and took the rest of the year off and loved it.

We are trying again right now and if I got pregnant now I would be due the end of September, while that isn't great timing I will take anything at this point.  I will be able to start the year then take 12 weeks and go back in Jan.

So really you can make any time work but probably March/April is the best. 

McLovinfromHawaii

I had my DD in June.  I had from June until December off with her.  Loved it!

Dcubed

DS was born in Oct and I went back in Jan after winter break.  It worked out well since I didn't have to use days during Thanksgiving break and Winter break.  DD was born in July and I missed the beginning of the school year but I am a counselor now so I actually missed our busy time so as it was not fun for my co workers who had to do my work it was great for me missing our busy time )  If I am pregnant now (scared to take the test) baby would be born Sept so I would be there for the busy beginning and leave when it got slow, but oh well.  All that to say as a teacher I liked the Oct time for DS - worked out since I got my kids into my routine, my rules, and set them up for me leaving, then I came back at semester to start off fresh.

CMDR513

Off from Winter Break to end of March. I had two weeks before Spring Break then 9 weeks left of school.

Next time, I'd shoot for late Spring baby. 

cmh06

I had DD in March and didn't go back until August.  It was so nice being with DD for the 1st 5 months of her life. 

StrawberryAlarmClock

Depending on how much you can save up, approx 6wks or more before the end of the year.  I have it time out that I have spring break, then maternity leave, them I'm taking FMLA, then summer vacation.  Score!

Jelliebean1982

Best case scenario for us would be to get pregnant after school is out for summer.  I had terrible m/s with DD.  I'd hate to deal with that and teaching. 

jays_bride

I got pregnant with DD in late June/early July and had her 2 weeks early in mid-March. Given that I had 12 weeks FMLA available, I didn't have to go back until DD was 5 months old. This one is due at the beginning of May (got pregnant mid-August) and I will get 3.5-4 months off.

I purposely plan them this way and was fortunate enough to have it work out (1 cycle with DD, 2nd with this one). I highly recommend it. Also, DD wasn't so small when she had to start daycare and has never had more than a common cold.

I also liked that I wasn't super pregnant in the heat of the summer or completely ungainly in slippery winter.

BabyBurns

I completely agree with you! We will be ttc #2 this June/July in order to have a spring baby. I would love to be on leave towards the end of the year, but then come back for a couple weeks to finish with my students (plus it really prepares you for what work will be like with a baby...you won't be off for 6 months and have the shock in September!)

But also, having a winter baby, the weather will be much nicer and you can get out of the house more. With DD I was stuck inside during those newborn weeks (and there were times I really could've used the fresh air!!)

I also like the idea of going thru the 1st tri without worry of m/s at work (I didn't have any with DD, but surely I can't be that lucky twice!!)

twirler324

I had DD in June and missed the last 10 days of school- didn't go back until December 1.  It was great to be off almost 6 months with her, but was a difficult transition.  We then had a nanny for December and started daycare in January so she had her flu shot upon going to daycare.  I didn't mind not starting the year out on my own because it was my aide that covered my maternity leave, so she knew exactly how I run the classroom (I'm a special ed teacher).  Good luck!

melly918

I'm a counselor and had my baby in September so I basically started my maternity leave after the summer program ended in mid-August.  I did prefer to have the baby in the spring but it didn't happen that way, obviously! I was lucky enough to have enough sick pay saved up to be able to take the rest of the year off and just returned to work a week ago. If I could do it again, I would...but I am not going to have enough sick time accrued to use the next time, so I would definitely, definitely try for a spring baby! 

Shellyburger

I had DS at the beginning of February and took 12 weeks off work and got a free week with spring break.  I had to go back for 5 weeks at the end of the year and then got summer, dh stayed home with him.  It worked out well for us.  Ideally I would love to have a March/April baby and take the rest of the year off and have summer too.

ae1112

I got pregnant in July and had DD in April.  I got a fabulous long term sub and decided to take the rest of the school year off.  It was worth the financial sacrifice!  I got lucky it worked out this way.  I tried for years to get pregnant on my own and we got pregnant on the 1st IUI.    If I had to pick being out the start or end, I would choose the end.  Establishing your routines & building relationships with the students is really important to me. 

MuckDiva

Our job is to plan for everything but I know we can't plan for this.

DH and I wanted a May baby so I could go on leave after break and just be gone for the summer but I didn't get pregnant until later on.  July was a good time to have DD because it gave me a few weeks after the school year to prep for her arrival.  I did not go back until mid-Oct and it was nice to have the extra time but hard to come back at such a strange time. 

Starting last March I had planned for this school year but then they changed my position so my poor sub had to (and wanted to!) plan everything from scratch.  I am now starting over like it was my first year which is hard but what can you do.

DH and I are not 100% sure when to try for another baby but I'd like a May baby again.  I guess time will tell.  I want to wait until DD is 2.