Calling all teachers!

imrachellea · September 2015

I'm wondering if anyone else is in the same boat I am. I'm struggling with how to tell my students I'm pregnant. I know I don't "need" to tell them, but I'd really rather just have them all know at once then have them starting asking questions and me getting bigger and them side eyeing me. They're 6th graders, so they are aware of life (some more than others) so I know I can't hide it forever. At 13 weeks its getting INCREASINGLY hard to hide it too. With my DD, it was May when I told my students so I knew them well and had relationships with them. Being this early in the school year, I haven't formed those same relationships with my students so I'm finding telling them really difficult. I had wanted to wear a skeleton baby tshirt on a Friday this October to share the news, but I can't find one in a price range I'm comfortable paying (all the decent ones are $30+...for a tshirt). So I'm curious if anyone else came up with any creative ways to tell students?

FWIW, last time I shared the same pregnancy announcement I put on Facebook on the projector for my students. It was my dog with a sign that said "The family I love and protect is growing by one heartbeat, EDD". And with those students, because they knew me so well by that point in the year, they WERE talking, and I WAS getting side eyed...another reason I want to avoid that this time around.

erind228 · September 2015

I teach high school, but I basically just came out and told them. I had to leave early one day for an ultrasound, so that class was already wondering why I left. After I got the good report I figured I'd tell my students. I'm really not creative, so I basically said: " I've got some news to share with you, I'm expecting a baby in April." I wish I was more creative, but alas I'm not. I will say I was glad I told. I didn't feel like I had to suck in the bloat anymore. Haha.

imrachellea · September 2015

@erind228 That's exactly why I want to tell them! I have several cute fitted maternity tops with the ruching but I feel like I can't wear them until I've told my students! So its the same loose tops over and over...and even those are making it hard to hide anymore! I seriously almost just told my last class, because I have several girls in that class that have been insisting on hugging me and I told them I couldn't hug them anymore because I'm afraid they'll feel my blump. So I just told them some of my male students have started hugging me so to avoid any of that uncomfortableness we are now fist bumping...lol.

briterfly84 · September 2015

I teach Special Ed 3-5 graders, so my situation is probably way different than most. Some students understand more than others, but I have already told them. There is a lot of physical aspects to my job (wheelchairs), and lot's of bathrooming assistance is needed. I had a long convo with one of my students the other day about why I couldn't help him in the RR anymore because it made me sick. That was a fun one! HAHAHA! But I just figured it would be easier to explain that there was a baby growing in my belly and we need to help keep it safe. It's also a great excuse when they get too loud because I tell them they might be hurting the baby's ears (bring on the judgement for fibbing about that to my students, I dare ya) and they get quiet really quick!! But it also will take me quite some time to help a few of my students with Autism adjust to having a sub in the room, so setting up a schedule to start introducing them to that sub was necessary.

imrachellea · September 2015

@briterfly84 No judging on the using baby to get them quiet thing...I did it religiously when I was pregnant with DD!

[Deleted User] · September 2015

yeah i dunno when i'll tell... prob when it's a bit more obv... and i have the whole school of middle schoolers - so telling it 22 times would be a huge pain in the ass. I do the news (we do live video from the library every morning) with another teacher and we chat about it, so it's only a matter of time before those kids get it. I think I'll just not hide it and let the rumor mill start. plus a lot of teachers are young in my building and there's another due in Feb and she teaches next door to my sister sooo i'm sure someone will let the cat out for me! kinda how i prefer it! i'm not a touchy feel type gal!

brie_and_almonds · September 2015

I teach 8th grade, and don't have any creative or fun ideas for how to tell the kids. I'm definitely getting the side-eye and whispers, but I was waiting for my NT today to tell anyone (including my principal).

I did have a girl come tell me that people were saying I am pregnant, and I just replied "That's not good" and she dropped it. I've been asked enough times by students when I wasn't pregnant that it didn't really seem like that big of a deal (ahh the joys of carrying belly weight).

K&Elizabeth · September 2015

briterfly84 said:
I teach Special Ed 3-5 graders, so my situation is probably way different than most. Some students understand more than others, but I have already told them. There is a lot of physical aspects to my job (wheelchairs), and lot's of bathrooming assistance is needed. I had a long convo with one of my students the other day about why I couldn't help him in the RR anymore because it made me sick. That was a fun one! HAHAHA! But I just figured it would be easier to explain that there was a baby growing in my belly and we need to help keep it safe. It's also a great excuse when they get too loud because I tell them they might be hurting the baby's ears (bring on the judgement for fibbing about that to my students, I dare ya) and they get quiet really quick!! But it also will take me quite some time to help a few of my students with Autism adjust to having a sub in the room, so setting up a schedule to start introducing them to that sub was necessary.

I teach special Ed as well, k-5th grade. Some of my students are at about a 2nd grade level where some are about 8 months. The wheelchairs and toileting are already becoming a little more challenging haha. I plan on telling them when we return from fall break. I'm not sure how much they'll understand, but I know a few kiddos are going to need a while to adjust to it. I'm hoping my sub can to the class for a few days before I leave to get them more acclimated.

briterfly84 · September 2015

@imrachellea I just didn't want to start a whole spin-off reminiscent of a previous thread about lying to DH. :-)

@kyleec89 I am blessed to know my sub personally, and she is the only one who ever subs for mine and the k-2-class, so the kids are familiar, but for her to be here long-term, even though *HOPEFULLY* it's only about 3 weeks, will be a bigger adjustment. I am also lucky to have 2 paras who are amazing, so that will help with the change too.

Meggs2559 · September 2015

I played hang man, but I also teach 1st grade!

They may still enjoy it though!

jdl330 · September 2015

My principal prefers us to wait until we know who is taking our place during maternity leave. We all joke, "well you know you can't tell anyone until just about your due date!" Lol

jdey22 · September 2015

I teach 3rd grade and a few kids asked about my fat belly as they called it. I have a small frame and they could tell something was different from seeing me last year. I also announced it at back to school night to all my parents and let them tell their children themselves.

Sincera4 · September 2015

I teach at 2 schools PK-5, music. My last pregnancy I was at five schools. I didn't really tell anyone except for the principles until they asked

. I'm usually one to not want to draw attention to myself so I didn't want to make a big deal about it. Some of the teachers and students were upset at me because I didn't tell them so I'm not sure what to do this year. Lol.

NachosAndPeaches · September 2015

I currently only teach Sunday school. I never told my students and loved doing it that way. It felt very attention-y to get their attention and tell them something about myself. They just figured it out. I had publicly announced my pregnancy at 15 weeks so some of their parents who followed me on Instagram would see, or they would overhear another teacher ask me about it, etc etc. Word just sort of got around. I'll be doing it the same way this time.

kiwichica77 · September 2015

I teach high school juniors and seniors. I think I'm going to put up bell work as usual and then have the next page on my flip chart have my ultrasound. I think some of them are already onto me because they called me "sassy" today and I haven't had many outfit compliments since I got doughy. My only concern is that it will divert us from class for a while because they'll undoubtedly tell me how they may have suspected.

In other news, I am so glad we have a little thread here. Being a teacher and being pregnant can be tricky since we can't run to the bathroom when we are feeling sick. Happy almost Friday!!

momofmanyinthemitten · September 2015

If you still want to do the skeleton shirt, they have iron on skeletons on etsy. I think I paid $10-15 and used a shirt I already had.

imrachellea · October 2015

I actually had considered the iron-on. I contacted a shop that had one I wanted about how well the design would stretch with a spandex-y top and she told me it had some stretch but not a lot. I'm debating about still doing it...my bump isn't THAT big yet that it still might work.

pinottoparenthood · October 2015

kiwichica77 said:

I teach high school juniors and seniors. I think I'm going to put up bell work as usual and then have the next page on my flip chart have my ultrasound. I think some of them are already onto me because they called me "sassy" today and I haven't had many outfit compliments since I got doughy. My only concern is that it will divert us from class for a while because they'll undoubtedly tell me how they may have suspected. In other news, I am so glad we have a little thread here. Being a teacher and being pregnant can be tricky since we can't run to the bathroom when we are feeling sick. Happy almost Friday!!

Please don't be offended but I just find it really strange to show an ultrasound picture to your students. Is it just me? I wouldn't do it.

I also teach high school. I have my NT scan on Tuesday and I will tell my principal and other administrators as long as everything looks good... and then I will just tell my students up front.

pfafflin714 · October 2015

I also teach 6th grade and I'm surprised they haven't said anything to me. I actually had all these kids two years ago when they were 4th graders, so we are very familiar with one another. The last two weeks I had to leave the room and grab a trash can on my way out and they still didn't say anything!

I plan on telling them around Halloween if they don't call me out before then. I have a kangaroo onesie with a baby Joey. I plan on just pinning a note that says the due date.

loveymay · October 2015

I'm not a teacher, but my husband teaches high school. I never thought about female teachers having to tell their students. I live in a small town, and once we publicly announced to family/Facebook, it got out pretty quick and his students found out through word of mouth. I think your idea ofthe skeleton shirt iscute, or maybe some cute pumpkin or Halloween decoration? Good luck!

RachieTK · October 2015

I played hangman with my kids last time (4th grade) and this time, I think I'm going to tell them on a Monday morning when we do "weekend update" and share about our weekends- I'll tell them that over the weekend, my son found out he's going to be a big brother. I hope to wait until November though. I'm scheduled for a c section on April 26, so I have some time. I'll probably tell the kids right before Thanksgiving.

AmeliaB1906 · October 2015

I teach K-5 music at one school, with 450 students. I've been struggling with how to let them all know, and when. I'm planning on telling my coworkers next week, around 14 weeks, since that's when we're planning on going public and they'll find out anyway, but I don't want my students to know yet. Hoping to keep it a secret from them until I really start showing, mostly to avoid belly touching and a zillion questions.

I just got my long-term sub set up and I'm planning to work till spring break then take my 12 weeks off through the end of the school year. Pretty happy with how the timing worked out!

danac715 · October 2015

I have friend who gave her kids a coded message. The kids had to crack the code, and they were very excited when they did. I think I will be stealing her idea!!! This is 3rd grade, BTW.

NachosAndPeaches · October 2015

I think it's really attention whore ish to do anything special for your students. With all due respect, they are your students, not your friends. They can share in your excitement with a simple "I'm pregnant". If a teacher had done that at my high school we would have been gossiping about her for a long time.

Sra0810G · October 2015

I teach 1st grade and told them yesterday, I will be 14 weeks tomorrow. I just told them on the way out to the bus. They were so excited and now I don't have to answer 20 questions. I put it in my newsletter too. We have conferences in a few weeks and I didn't want my 15 min with each family being taking up my news. Thought I would let the dust settle now.

JulienneNicole · October 2015

@imrachellea groupon has a bunch of Halloween pregnancy shirts for 19.99 right now. But I think they are only there for 2 more days. May want to check them out!

nic428 · October 2015

I work with special needs in high school... I won't be telling them let them figure it out in like March lol, but I also coach high school cheerleading I'll wait until word travels around the team... I know one girl knows already because she is family so it's only a matter of time before the rest know

Painter52110 · October 2015

Hey... I teach middle school art and only told one group of 8th graders. They weren't my favorite group but they are the ones that get my blood pressure up so I explained that rules were changing and that it needed to happen due to their behavior and the fact that I wasn't going to let it affect my health or that of my baby's. By the end of September the gossip queens spread the news of my pregnancy throughout the whole school. I wasn't planning on telling them cause well it's not really any of their business but I am glad that it came out. The older kids are helping me out more and making my life easier by moving stuff for me, Hope it works out for you.

scorpionqween · October 2015

I teach Pre-School and haven't really thought of a way to explain to my 4 year olds about my pregnancy.... Any Ideas

Rifej1229 · October 2015

I'm in the same boat with 25 classes of 5th and 6th graders. I don't want to have to have that conversation 25 times, but I also don't want to be asked, "are you pregnant?" 400 times. I can't even color my hair without hearing, "did you dye your hair?" everyday, multiple times a day, for a week!

beautyinmotion · October 2015

I teach Pre-K. I'm going to send home a letter to the parents allowing the parents to break the news to them. That way the parents can address how the baby got there (wink wink) lol!

imrachellea · October 2015

Well, I just told my first of 6 classes. While they were drawing a diagram of a model from one of our labs, I just told them I had been keeping a secret from them all year and that I was 3 months pregnant. It was pretty uneventful. One student asked if I knew yet if it was a boy or girl, another said his teacher last year had a baby. Then they moved on to finish the assignment. Hopefully it goes as well in the other classes. WAY different than when I told my students with DD who started shouting things like "we knew it because you stopped drinking coffee" or "we knew it because you were throwing up between every class" (I wasn't...). Sometimes I wish students were as aware of their schoolwork as they are of their teacher's personal lives!

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