The Question:

Teacher is pregnant! Hooray! But she is concerned about how to prepare her students. Has anyone been there, done this?

The Answers:

Christina Collinsworth

My suite mate is pregnant and she told her kids a few months ago when she started to show. One thing that has helped them so far is she is very up front when she has doctors appointments to let them know its all okay and shes going so the doctor can check the baby. Her kids are always worried about the baby being okay. My students are very concerned too. I even had a child that drew a picture for her of her with the baby in her tummy.. He actually drew a small baby inside her belly. It was cute.

But I would talk to the parents and see how much info they are okay with her sharing and then just share with them what is appropriate.. even pictures and make them apart of the process as much as is appropriate so when the time comes, they are excited and not worried. Also if you know who is taking over while you are gone, have them come in and read a story and meet the kids ahead of time so they are comfortable.

Elizabeth Brown

Get ready for the most important student you’ll ever have! Congratulations.

Barbara Reid 

There’s a cute book called “My Teacher is Having a Baby” by Eve Bunting. I used it with my class. It’s a sweet and simple book.

Carolene Brooke 

Maybe you could show the kids National Geographic videos each month, so they know what your baby looks like.

You could incorporate it into your Life Cycles unit. Mammal (human), amphibian, reptile and insect.

Kelly Wilner Callahan

I told the parents first so they could be prepared for all the questions! I just told the kids that I had a baby growing in my belly and that in a few months the baby would come out and I would need to stay at home for a while to take care of it. Then, if the kids had any questions, I told them to ask their parents!!!

Erin Herward Thurston 

My younger son has an April birthday so I suffered through the joys of morning sickness early in the school year. That was hard. Once I told the children and family that I was expecting, everyone was very excited.

We actually told the parents first in a letter and then I talked with the kids the next morning. So most of the kids already knew from their parents. Our plan had been for my long term sub to be in with me for a week before the baby arrived, but he ended up coming 10 days early so that didn’t happen. But it all worked out in the end.

My other piece of advice is to take it easy – teaching Kindergarten is physically demanding, especially when you are pregnant. Try to get some extra help from assistants or volunteers the last couple months and rest after school. Congratulations and good luck. It’s really joyous to share with your students – they will rub your belly a lot because it is right at their level 🙂

 Missy Gannon Kacy

I’m with Barbara. I’ve had 4 children, and I read “My Teacher is Having a Baby” every time when I started showing. It’s a great story and it’s really funny because I always expected them to automatically guess why I read the story…and usually only a couple of kids got it! I really liked how it opened the discussion of me leaving to be a mommy, and when they would see me again.

With Spring babies, I came back after 12 weeks off, and they had a countdown. I would also send notes and pictures to them occasionally. When I had a June baby, and school ended while on leave, we set up a family picnic so that I could see them all again, they could meet my baby, and we could all have some very fun closure.

I also wanted to mention, that for anyone who has the book, start having your friends sign it when you loan it out for THEIR pregnancies. I love to go back and read the names and dates, and share the memories of so many special babies!

Julie Houlton Stiltner 

Congrats! We didn’t want to know the sex of the baby so I had the kids graph… Boy or girl! It stayed up in the room then the sub reviewed the results to see who was right after my son was born! Also, send in a picture of you and your baby to assure the kids that everything is ok! Enjoy it, it goes too fast! Mine are 16 and 13! ;*)

Kimberly Parrish

I’ve had to do it twice in the same year!! lol. I had my daughter in august so the kids knew I’d be out and I’m expecting my 2nd in july! Since I get really sick I told them, so they could be prepared when I make a mad dash for the bathroom!

Holly Bertram 

With all three of my kids, I taught the kids how to play the game telephone- where you whisper it to the person next to you and it keeps going around to last person saying it out loud. I told the kids we were practicing everyday until we get really good at it and then I have special message. It was awesome because you could see individual reactions of kids one at a time.

Amber Monson Schaefer 

I am also pregnant right now. In fact, just got back from a trip to the ER because of a pregnancy migraine. An ambulance trip in the middle of the school day is not what I wanted when I woke up this morning!

This is my fourth baby and fourth maternity leave. My advice is to plan early and thoroughly. You never know with those little munchkins when something might go wrong. Pay attention to your body and if something is wrong, get it checked out. Stay in contact with your school nurse (she can be a real life saver!). And don’t tell your kids unless absolutely neccessary. 9 months is a LONG time when you are 5. I told my kids at 5 months and I think I could have waited another month. Now, everytime I am gone to care for one of my other kids, they think I’ve had the baby. And when I come back the next day, they ask me if I’ve had the baby.

My favorite comment so far is, “My mom says your belly is going to get a LOT bigger than that!” All in all, remember that that little one inside you is most important. Take care of yourself. Good luck!

Jana Stilley Forgach 

My daughter’s kinder teacher used a string to measure her belly every Friday during calendar time. (Great lesson for comparing…) It has been 3 years and my daughter still talks about it.

Colleen Russell Guertin 

I have the book “Our Teacher Is Having A Baby” – I haven’t read it to them yet. The kids know I’m having a baby but they’re don’t know it means I’ll be leaving them for the last part of the school year. I’m due at the end of May, so I’ll be out for the remainder of the year. It will be nice to explain to them that I am going to check up on the baby rather than just a “doctor’s appointment” – they always think I’m sick!

Pamela Batten

My students, especially the girls but some boys too, were always worried that there was something wrong with the baby! After every appointment they wanted to know how the baby was doing. Very cute.

Aimee Wright 

I just shared with my class too! Our whole school is excited as my husband also teaches at the same school. I read Kevin Heinke’s Chrysanthemum and then told them that they knew someone who had a baby in their tummy too. Should be an easy transition for them as I’m not due until July. So fun to share the news!

Heather Wheeler-Craig 

I showed ultra sound picks and we made a graph of if the kids thought I would have a girl or a boy.

Michelle Roscoe Spatafora 

The Eve Bunting book needs to be looked over before you read it to your class… it is too much, especially for for some students who speak other languages.

Alia Harland 

My Teacher is Having a Baby, by Eve Bunting. Relate it to their own lives of a mom having a family, and a job. 🙂 We made a boy/girl graph, brainstormed names, etc. Congrats! Write down all the funny comments!

Melissa K. Harris Armann 

I taught Title I at the time I was pregnant. The kindergarten classroom teachers had each child make me a page in a book that gave me advice on how to take care of a baby. It was fabulous! Then the students gave me a shower and presented the book and a few other small gifts for the baby. The baby visited them in the fall when they came back to 1st grade.

Deepi Mann 

Friday is my last day before maternity leave and my long term sub has been able to volunteer many times, which will hopefully make the transition easier. We’ve also been counting down the days and they seem excited. On Friday I plan on giving each kid a certificate that says “Mrs Mann will miss _______ about you” as a closure activity.

Amy Coyle Kane 

I used the Eve Bunting book too. It is simple and cute. Wait until you start showing a little otherwise it seems impossibly long for everyone.

Charyse Hill 

I came back from Christmas break and told my students that Santa brought me a crib, a stroller and a carseat for Christmas (actually gifts from my parents and grandparents) then had them guess why…they caught on quickly!

Christy Kelley Raines 

Two of my three babies came early so I left unexpectedly. My assistant was able to take pictures at the hospital for one baby and at my home for the other to show my class that everything turned out fine!

Take good care of yourself. Your students will be fine, and you will not want to have any regrets that you didn’t do everything to insure a healthy baby!