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01-15-2013 at 7:18 AM
Shel79
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Shel79 is not online. Last active: 05-18-2013, 7:18 AMNewbie

Teacher MoMs - how long did you work?

I tend to lurk more than post on these boards, but I'm about 28 weeks along with mono/di twin girls.  I'm a middle school and high school band director, and I was originally hoping to work at least until 34 weeks (that gets me through our next concert cycle).  Since coming back from winter break, though, I've been exhausted!!  I'm not sleeping well at night, moving around gets tougher all the time, and this isn't a job that I can really do sitting down. 

On the great side, my OB and MFM have both said that I'm doing great.  No PTL or cervical problems. . . so I feel like I really need to keep working until there is a medical need to stop.  I think that my doctors would write me a note out of work if I wanted it, but I kind of feel guilty for thinking about it when my pregnancy is going well! 

Any other teacher MoMs (or anyone else?) have any advice for me?  TIA!


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01-15-2013 at 7:34 AM
marchesa28
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marchesa28 is not online. Last active: 05-18-2013, 5:10 AMBronze

I was in the same boat as a high-school Spanish teacher (actually my first post here was asking advice about the same thing!) I planned to work until Christmas break, which would have put me at 34 weeks 5 days. I laugh at myself now.

It's very true that teaching is way more physically demanding than many jobs, and carrying twins is also more physically demanding than a singleton pregnancy. I was exhausted and plagued by dizzy spells and tons of BH contractions by 20 weeks, even though, like you, everything else looked fine (was carrying mono/di boys). After one really bad night where I almost went into L&D for all the contractions, I asked my OB to write me out of work at 24 weeks and he was happy to do it. Even though I look back and think it would have been nice to have worked longer, I know that my body was giving me definite signals that I needed to slow down. I ended up being put on modified bedrest at 32 weeks, even after I was done working, but I carried my boys until 35 wks 4 days, healthy as can be, but I'm convinced they would have come earlier if I had kept pushing myself.

Long story short: listen to your body. Only you know what is too much, and with twin pregnancies (esp. w/ mono/dis) things can change really quickly. You don't want to force an emergency to finally get some rest.

So ya, that's my experience/two cents. Good luck! 


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01-15-2013 at 7:52 AM
Reilly626
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Reilly626 is not online. Last active: 05-18-2013, 5:45 AMSilver
He wanted me out at 28 weeks and I didn't want to go out early and use my sick days- I was put out at 30 weeks with pre-e. listen to your body- I should have. I rested at home and kept them in for 36 w 1 d, pretty amazing with pre-e, no NICU and top apgar scores, one over 7 lbs the other 6 lbs. The best thing I did was rest beforehand and after they are here there is no rest!

Born 7/20/12 Boy/girl twins  
01-15-2013 at 9:20 AM
ks3pink
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ks3pink is not online. Last active: 05-18-2013, 7:25 AMSilver
I think I was 32 weeks when the school year ended and I stopped working with the twins.  I had no complications though and made it to my scheduled c/s at 38w1d.  GL!

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01-15-2013 at 9:23 AM
mamak0328
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My plan was to work until Christmas break, 34wks because I was having no complications at all. Then at 29 wks, during Thanksgiving break, I landed on bedrest for pre e. If I didn't end up on bedrest I would have still tried to stick it out till 34 wks. I don't know if I would have made it but I would have tried. 

It is hard even on bedrest so I can't imagine working.  Listen to your body and talk with your OB about how you are feeling. GL! 


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01-15-2013 at 9:31 AM
zombiemomm...
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I'm a middle school LA teacher and I worked until 36 weeks, but I was pretty desk-bound for the last couple months.

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01-15-2013 at 10:10 AM
katie599
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I teach first grade and worked until about 33 weeks.  My OBs were not very sympathetic and wanted me to keep working, but I was exhausted and having a really hard time being on my feet all day.  I had to cry and have a melt down at the OB's office for them to finally write me the note.

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01-15-2013 at 11:00 AM
brookith
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I was 33 weeks at the end of the school year. I was a pre-school teacher and by the end I was barely surviving each day because I was so uncomfortable. For the last 5 or 6 weeks I took every Wednesday off, which I really think helped me make it to the end of the school year. It was nice to work 2 days have a day off then work 2 more. 

Good luck! 


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01-15-2013 at 12:43 PM
emschott
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I taught until I delivered at 37 weeks 1 day. I rolled around in my chair a lot, even down the hallways. I spent all time not at school on the couch. For me, it was very doable though uncomfortable.

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01-15-2013 at 5:13 PM
rwenck
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I planned to work until the end of the school year last year which would have made me 36 weeks.  However, I went out on Valentine's day (18 weeks 6 days) due to cervical issues and was on bedrest until the end.  In there I also needed a cerclage at 22 weeks because I was already dilated to 4+ centimeters.  Like one of the PP's said, listen to your body.  I had a ton of pressure before I was put on bedrest but thought that was probably just normal for twins and I had no clue because I was also a first time mom and didn't know what to expect. 

After two years of TTC, our beautiful twins came to us through IVF with ICSI. God has certainly blessed us with two little miracles!  Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker BFP 12/5/2012 EDD 8/06/2013 = MMC 12/31/2012 dicovered 1/17/2013, Good bye sweet angel! Mommy and Daddy love you so much!!!!! 
01-15-2013 at 7:09 PM
besu-chan
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I'm also a music teacher so I get the concert concerns (I teach elementary general).

I worked until I was 34weeks. I made it through my last of 3 concerts in 2 weeks (this was Christmas season), came in the next day to strike the set from the musical, and knew that day was going to be my last. I think adrenaline got me through the concerts. I watch the videos now and I can't believe I was standing on stage being that huge (I did have a chair off stage and a student assigned to get it for me if I gave the signal, but I didn't use it). There was one more week of school left and I was hoping to have some nice, post-concert relaxing days with my kids before I left, but I just knew my body was done. I sat in the recliner at home until my c/s at 37w3d.

I will say too, though, that I told my principal up front that I could have to go out early and I made as many contingency plans as I could. I think listening to your body like pp have said is key. Still, I was fine working as long as I did! Hope things continue to go well for you.


TTC since January 2009
May 2011: injectables + IUI#2= BFP!
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my two beautiful daughters born 1/6/2012 at 37w3d!

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01-16-2013 at 7:00 PM
ColleenS62...
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The school year ended for me when I was 17w. My OB told me not to expect to start the next school year and I didn't.

Colleen & Matt 6/29/08
m/c 7/17/10
Dx: MFI- 3% morph
IUIs: Gonal-F + Ovidrel + b2b IUI= BFNs
IVF with ICSI= BFP! EDD 11/25/11
3/18- Beta #1 452! 3/20- Beta #2 1,026!! 3/27- First u/s- TWINS!
Our twin boys arrived at 36w5d due to IUGR and a growth discordance

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Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle. 
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