I just wondered what your thoughts were on this.......

Today I finally got my risk assessment done at work. Only because I wrote a snotty email to my line manager who's been supposed to do it since I told them when I was only 5 weeks pregnant!!! I also copied one of the deputy heads in too - she rang me within minutes being all arsey and booked to do it over lunchtime today.

My main area's of risk without boring you are from heat in my office - its like a bloody oven and everyone comments. It's unbearable in summer and windows open and fans make no difference. The sun shines in all day and its mainly windows so has a green house effect. I've complained to no avail for 3years but now they have to listen.....ha!

The other area put simply is stress. I usually have 2 other people to help me through my busiest time (I am responsible for exams in a large hig school with up to 400 kids doing exams in any one sitting) and due to one leaving and the other recovering from a hysterectomy. As exams run up until lunchtime and then start over the lunch break, I dont get a break. Any issues come to me as the buck stops with me. So I cant be unavailable over lunch and even though I'm entitled to a break its those kids future so I feel like I cant just down tools. I know my boss ( the deputy ) really appreciates that I dont and he always tells me to go home early whenever I can/want to.

When we were doing the risk assessment the line manager basically said that stress is part of the job when you're preganant or not - yes I can accept that. But what I cant accept was that in her summary she said that stress isnt going to do me or my baby and REAL harm. I just need to learn how to deal with it.

So - of you have got this far and not lost the will to live - what do you think??? Not necessarily about my situation but about this question....

Quote:

Can stress do your baby any REAL harm???

I dont really care about what it does to me - as she said, its just part of my job. But like smoking, my baby doesnt choose to be out under stress.......

I've been through so much stress with my OH during this pregnancy that I'm skeptical on whether it actually effects the baby. I wouldn't want to chance it though!

HI.

I'm a maths teacher in a sixth form and secondary school and can understand the exam pressure...i'm feeling it big time. I can understand you not wanting to let kids in the school down either...I'm holding revision classes almost everyt u day after school.

I've read that your feelings pass on to baby. So if you're happy, relaxed so is baby and is you're stressed then baby feels that too. Just make sure when you get home you put your feet up all evening x

no they say that stress doesnt effect the baby

Well stress can cause high blood pressure, so i would say yes if you want to argue the point with them. It's never easy to deal with stress, but i think when you are pregnant, and with all the extra hormones racing around it's particularly difficult.

I'm not really looking to argue a point.....if I feel stressed or at risk I'll give it to them anyway!!!

I'm more interested in your opinions on the issue.....

x

I've heard that major stress can harm your baby (the kind of stress the comes from a death in the family etc.) but everyday stress does not. But I will say that early in my pregnancy I worked at an extremely stressful job, only managed to stay there two weeks before I quit because of bad MS (and the stress) within a few days of me quitting my MS got better (didn't go away but it wasn't all day everyday any longer).

Thats interesting Vickie.

Thanks!

x

Anything that can cause physical changes in you, can of course affect the baby. If you handle stress well with no side effects, it is not an issue. On the other hand, if you get severe headaches, or your blood pressure goes up, then bingo - your affecting the baby. I think this is especially the case in people who tend to internalize things.

Mmm, everybody has their different opinions on it, it's difficult to say, really. I'd assume that ALOT of stress could affect your baby, because when you get filled with stress you get upset and if you get upset your baby feels it too ? Not too great with the advice sorry!