I’m about to be 15 weeks and I attended a benefits meeting with my district the other day! I’m so overwhelmed! Missing a day of school is one of the worse things that happens as a teacher. My classroom is honestly like my second home! My 8th graders even ask me everyday how me and baby are doing because they see that sometimes I’m exhausted. I’m super nervous about having a long term substitute and it’s blowing my mind how I feel as though maternity leave seems like a punishment when in all actuality my baby is a huge blessing! We only get six weeks to miss work unless you have days stacked up (which I don’t because one of my students gave me the flu!) and in addition my pay gets docked 60%! I’m just overwhelmed and with dealing with everything I deal with now i am not sure how to handle it all! Any advice?