Heinz - Tinytums

Working mum

'It was summer and it was really hot and I was getting quite big'
Alison, 33, was working as a classroom assistant when she got pregnant unexpectedly.

‘I’d been married for two years, but wasn’t really planning on getting pregnant.  Then out of the blue I found out I was and I didn’t know what to think.  But after I got over the initial shock I found that I was really excited.  But I work as a classroom assistant looking after a girl with learning disabilities and I had a real commitment to her.

‘The way it was timed I ended up working until I was really quite heavily pregnant.  Luckily I had a pretty good pregnancy, but it was summer and it was really hot and I was getting quite big.  And my work with Julia (that’s the girl I look after) is quite physical, which was actually a bit of a worry because she can be a bit violent sometimes.  But mostly I remember just getting really really fat ankles.  I’d put my feet up at the end of the day and I didn’t recognise them as mine.  It was such a relief when I gave up work, but Tom was born a few weeks early and I feel a bit like I missed out on enjoying my pregnancy.  If I was to do it again I’d definitely make sure I took the time out for myself.’