I did it! (long)

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I did it! (long)
By Renee

Hi Elizabeth!
I can tell you from first hand experience what it is like to have a baby your first year of teaching. It is hard, but you can do it if you have to. My husband and I had been married for three years when
I got pregnant during my student teaching year. We were planning to try after I completed my first year teaching, but someone had a different plan . I was teaching 8th grade in a middle school and I had my son in October. I had August and September to get aclimated(sp?) to my new school without a baby at home. That was good because I could stay as late as I wanted, etc.
The hard part for

me was not being pregnant. I felt good (by the time school started) because I was already mid-pregnancy (now finishing student teaching with horrible morning sickness was another issue altogether). My students and faculty were very supportive. Having older kids it wasn't as physically taxing as having my 3rd graders now. Teaching is actually a good profession when you're pregnant because you can stand and walk when you want to and sit (on a stool or something) when you need to.

I'm not going to lie or sugar coat and tell you it was easy after I had my son. I was exhausted, had to come back to work when he was five weeks old (due to 3 weeks of bed rest before he was born because of elevated BP). My eight weeks of maternity leave wasn't nearly enought and I didn't get paid anything for it because I was new to the district and couldn't have disability benefits (preexisting condition). I came back for a week then had to have my gallbladder removed and was out for another three days. This probably won't happen to you! I didn't really know what I was doing at work (like any first year)and was feeling my way through that while also feeling my way through being a new (and nervous)parent. I was actually pretty stressed and it was very hard to get through. I made it, but I wouldn't do it by choice. Would I change anything now about my two year old sweet heart? No ! But, my ultimate plan for the second one is to get pregnant about July so I can have the baby beginning or mid April and be off for the rest of the year! Now that would be excellent! Will my plan work this time? Who knows, but in the end it's all worth it ! Good luck!