Life as a Postpartum Substitute Teacher: What It’s Really Like

Congrats, you just had a whole new little human being! Now time to spring back into action in the classroom, right?

Most American women return to the workforce anywhere from 6 to 12 weeks postpartum, and I guess in that regard, I’m no different.

What is unique is that my profession of choice to return to (can we call it a profession?) is substitute teaching. In this tell-all blog post, I’ll reveal the truth about juggling stay-at-home momming (with a toddler and newborn!) while also substitute teaching. I’ll unmask the raw experiences, with all its glories and downfalls and reheated cups of coffee.

Subbing with a Baby: How I Manage an Unpredictable Schedule

I’m sure you’ve heard of, if not experienced firsthard, a newborn’s day/night confusion.

Those little humans need to adjust to the appropriate daylight or nighttime hours after spending so long in their dark, cozy dens of gestation.

This day/night confusion, as well as general feeding patterns, sleeping styles and personal preferences can flip a new parent’s schedule totally upside down.

In intense times like these, I don’t suggest returning to work– especially substitute teaching. Can you really show up to the classroom as your best self if you’re not getting some of your own basic needs met?

I waited until my little guy was eleven weeks old and we had solidified a generally predictable schedule.

We got into a groove, and I finally felt my capacity to take more on grow just a bit.

I re-uploaded the SubAlert app and started filtering through the burst of job notifications. I was selective. I was looking for certain schools and grade levels and dates, but I did manage to snag a few jobs that were a good fit.

The scheduling flexibility is one of my favorite aspects of substitute teaching, and that is especially the case postpartum, when I don’t have the capacity to take too much side work on. I don’t just take any job that comes my way. With two kids to line up childcare for, I just can’t be a substitute teaching fanatic. And that’s okay. That’s the job.

Caring for my children takes priority, and when they grow and my capacity grows, I can sign up for more jobs if needed.

But it’s nice to take advantage of the extremely flexible schedule of substitute teaching. I answer to no one (except to a very cute baby demanding milk!).

Pumping at School: Tips for Nursing Mamas Returning to Substitute Teaching

Pumping was one of my biggest hurdles returning to the classroom postpartum, but that doesn’t mean it was impossible.

This time around, I lugged my Medela Pump in Style to each assignment. This faithful machine is not a portable pump. It requires plugging it into a wall socket and comes with a tangle of long tubes and a few other pump parts.

The thing weighed heavily in my sub bag, jutting out at awkward angles like I was toting around a little sack of Santa’s Christmas presents.

Except these were no presents– inside were vital tools for my baby’s nourishment.

If you need to pump and have a portable pump you like, try bringing one of those along.

I’ve used this trusty Medela for a couple years now. Though this machine was clunky and awkward to bundle up and tote around, it did the job.

If you’re nursing, too, and need to pump on the job, here are my recommendations for making it a smooth session:

1. Practice with the pump you’ll bring to the workplace at home

I can only imagine the horrors of not practicing before go-time.

Maybe the pump doesn’t fit, or you don’t know how to use it properly, or you’re missing crucial pieces of equipment. For everyone’s sake: Take some time to get to know the pump before taking her on this back-to-work journey.

My next suggestion– and this is very important for avoiding any last-minute freakouts– is:

2. Prepare the pump and pump parts in advance

I would say prep these items the night before the assignment. But if you need to use the pump in the morning, make sure you allow yourself plenty of time to use it and wash the necessary parts and pack them into the belongings you’ll take subbing.

Trust me– it’s way better to have each and every piece accounted for than scrambling to find a duckbill valve at the moment you should be backing out of the driveway in order to get to school on time.

Don’t put yourself through that stress, mama. Assemble the necessary pieces. Make a list, check it twice, and make it a priority to be prepared for this important task.

3. Pick substitute job assignments that afford some privacy if you desire

Since I need to pump on my breaks, picking up aide positions was off the table.

I sought out only classroom teacher positions in which the teacher had his or her own room. No sharing a room with other teachers, and no PE. (Because PE teachers usually don’t get a room.)

I like privacy when pumping. Plus, I’m never quite sure how pumping makes others feel. I can’t necessarily blame them for feeling uncomfortable. Though breastfeeding is one of the most natural things in the world, plugging a little humming briefcase into a socket behind the smart board to milk myself during a 23-minute lunch break is… less than ideal. I’d rather do that alone.

4. Plan for safe milk storage

If you plan on saving the milk you pump (yes, we like to do that) then you need to plan ahead for its successful storage.

Most teachers I’ve subbed for in this situation have mini fridges. When finished pumping, I cap my milk bottles and stick them in right next to those Diet Cokes.

But I’m also prepared in case there is no refrigeration.

I make sure to bring an insulated lunch box filled with ice packs. Even when I use a mini fridge, this ice pack lunch box keeps the milk cool for the drive home.

Find a way to safely store your milk.

5. Don’t sweat it if you get walked in on while pumping milk for your baby, a completely good and natural thing that is well within your rights to do in the workplace

This has happened to me– twice. Even subbing for classroom teachers and sitting there in the room by my self on break. Other teachers just like to walk through each other’s rooms unannounced, I guess.

If I’m managing to care for a baby, substitute teach, AND provide sustenance for the baby while on the job, I’m ecstatic with that. If people choose to walk in on that beautiful balancing act, then I won’t be sweating it too hard.

Preparing for My Sanity’s Sake: What I Bring in My Substitute Teacher Bag

To start, I bring everything I normally bring for substitute teaching, such as:

• staff badge
• chime or attention getter
• stickers, small incentives
• a well-packed lunch and emotional support drinks
• lanyard + whistle

(read more about my can’t-miss substitute bag packing list here!)

Then I add in my pumping-related items, such as:

• a good quality breast pump
• insulated lunch bag
• ice packs
• milk bottles with caps to seal milk when finished pumping

Pumping Items (I like my Medela Pump in Style!)

Portable or wearable breast pumps may work better for substitute teaching than what I brought. But my plug-in Medela pump still does the trick. I have the flanges properly sized to fit me, and it works well!

To store the milk, I simply screw a lid onto the bottle I pump into. (This means no more spills while walking out of class with my pumping equipment!) Here are the Medela milk storage bottles with caps that I like to use. Don’t forget some way to keep the liquid gold fresh and cold: Use a high-quality

insulated bag like this one to contain your pump parts and milk at the appropriate temperature.

Juggling Substitute Teaching with Newborn Life

When a baby is born, there are two new lives: the brand-new human and the newly made mom.

To return to work in this situation, (even a little, even part-time) I suggest being gentle with yourself and your little human that needs your care more than ever.

Be kind to yourself and release old expectations. You won’t be performing all of the tasks before baby came along, and that’s okay. That’s beautiful, even. This new special member deserves special attention.

So when it came to substitute teaching after a baby, I followed these gentle steps:

• Start returning to the classroom when both you and baby are ready (if you can afford to)
• Be gentle on your body by trying to get as much sleep as you can the night before a job (operative word here being try)
• Pack a nutritious, filling, and dare I say joyful lunch to fill both your belly and heart (especially if breastfeeding)
• Choose only the job assignments you feel comfortable with in this season
• Realize you can’t do it all, but do what you can by the best of your ability
• Optional: Stock a photo album on your phone with cute baby photos so you can admire your little guy/gal from afar during planning periods or lunchtime. Or brag on your little bud in the breakroom.

Postpartum is an especially intense season, and adding substitute teaching to the mix can add in more work and stress. Be careful not to sign up for too much or raise sky-high expectations on yourself.

If you’re used to being home and getting domestic tasks done, you’ll have less time to devote to these areas if substitute teaching. Find a way to accomodate this– plan for help. Maybe on substitute teaching days, your family can enjoy freezer meals or takeout food for dinner. Maybe that means postponing some of the chores to the next day. Be sure to give yourself wiggle room and account for the extra busyness working a day at school may bring.

Additional Pro Tip: Take a shower when returning from a day out substitute teaching. Wash away all those germs! (Give yourself time to do this with whichever childcare arrangement you have planned.)

Substitute Teaching Postpartum: It’s Hard, but Not Impossible

I realize that juggling being a postpartum substitute teacher and mom can be less than ideal.

Maybe you need the money, though. Maybe you need a job flexible enough to balance raising your children– I get that.

Being a mom and a substitute teacher can be dizzying. But remember where your priorities lie. Drop the unnecessary. Shift expectations. This is a unique time period in your family’s life in which extra calm and extra care is needed. Be kind to yourself.

Life may look different now. But maybe one day you’ll look back in awe as you remember how you were able to soothe a fussy baby to sleep one day and command a classroom the next.

If you find yourself needing to substitute teach after having a baby, I wish you all the best and know that someone else has traveled that rocky path before. I will repeat the line the nurses always said to me in the hospital after delivery: You’ve got this, mama!

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