Teaching While Pregnant for High School Teachers
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Teaching is a tough job, but teaching while pregnant can be even more challenging! Before pregnancy, I thought it might add a few more challenges, but that overall it wouldn’t be that much different. Boy, was I wrong! Here are a few things I learned that helped me when I was teaching high school while I was pregnant.
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Food and Water
HAVE SNACKS. I had terrible nausea my first trimester and would go from not being able to eat anything to being SUPER hungry at the drop of a hat. I tried to catch those being able to eat windows as best as I could, and sometimes that meant snacking in class. My favorites were oyster crackers, cheese sticks, and the chocolate covered granola bars that are basically candy bars. Don’t beat yourself up too much about nutrition, just eat as best as you are able to. It’ll be okay!
I say have water, but honestly, water also made me sick the first few months. It was awful. Do your best to stay hydrated, but juice and flavored water are good alternatives if you can’t handle plain water. I carried a bottle like this everywhere and usually had one of these mixed in it.
Take Breaks
I’m a teacher. I get it. I know that the first reaction when someone telling to you take breaks is to laugh. The tough truth is that you need to listen to your body and its needs. That may mean running down the hall to the bathroom between every class period, and that’s okay. It may mean using a stool in your classroom to perch on – that’s also okay. Take breaks and rest more than you think you need to.
Get Clothes that Fit
For a long time I tried to just wear loose tunics and dresses like this one (which I LOVE – I mean, it has pockets!), but honestly it was SUCH a relief when I bought a few things that were designed for maternity. It can feel like you don’t want to make the investment for things you’ll only wear for a short time, but I wore those things every week until I had that baby. It was worth it to feel put together, and they fit more comfortably too! This brand had my absolute favorites and they stretched with me all the way to the delivery room!
The other thing that absolutely saved me while pregnant were bras from True & Co. They are incredibly soft and didn’t irritate my sensitive skin. Total lifesaver! They do have excellent sales every now and then, but honestly I don’t mind if I miss the sale or don’t want to wait, because I live in these, even after pregnancy. If you’re interested, you can use this link to get $15 off your order.
Have Sub Plans Ready
Obviously you know you have maternity leave coming up, but one thing I forgot when I was teaching while pregnant was the appointments! You will have so many appointments that are planned, but you also never know if you’ll need to go in for an extra check-up. Have some sub plans ready to go and make sure your sub binder is set because you might have to be out on short notice.
Along with your sub plans, make sure you prep for some low-energy days for yourself. You will have days where you just can’t. That’s okay. ¡Corre en CÃrculos! and Gallery Walks are two of my favorites to get kids engaged and moving without a whole lot from you. If you’re 1:1, Señor Wooly, TeachVid, Edpuzzle, and Gimkit are excellent options!
Give Yourself Grace
Most importantly, give yourself grace. Make sure you take some time for yourself and understand that you can’t do everything you did before, and that’s okay. You don’t have to! Your body needs you to rest, and your baby needs you to be healthy.
Emotions Are Loud. Let Them Be.
There’s something about pregnancy that turns the emotional volume way up. You could be teaching a perfectly normal class one second and then feel like you’re going to cry because someone said thank you or brought you a coffee. It’s real. It’s normal. And it doesn’t make you weak or dramatic. You’re growing a human while managing a classroom. That’s pretty much superhero territory. If you need a moment, take it. If something feels like too much, give yourself space to step back. There’s no gold star for powering through when your body is clearly waving the white flag.
Set Boundaries Like You Mean It
Pregnancy is the perfect time to put your foot down and protect your energy like it is your full-time job. Say no to extra duties that are not essential. Skip the guilt. You are not being rude or difficult. You are being smart. Teaching is demanding on the best of days, and when you are pregnant, you simply do not have the same bandwidth. That’s not being lazy. That’s being real. Draw the line where you need to and stick to it. The people who matter will understand. And the people who don’t? They were never really in your corner anyway.
You’ve Got This
You’ve got this. Teaching while pregnant is no small feat. You’re managing lesson plans, teenage energy, and a growing baby all at once. Some days you’ll feel like a superhero, and other days you’ll just feel like taking a nap under your desk. Both are completely valid. The important thing is knowing that showing up, even when it’s hard, is already something to be proud of.
If you take one thing from all this, let it be this. Teaching while pregnant is about survival, flexibility, and grace. Let go of perfection. Listen to your body. Set boundaries that protect your energy. You are not falling behind, you are doing something remarkable. Keep showing up, keep taking care of you, and don’t forget you’re allowed to rest.
