<p>So I have been lurking here for a while and have been impressed by all the great advice everyone gives. Here's my situation/vent about things.</p>
<p>I'm a sophomore right now and 7.5 months pregnant. Basically this has made a few things very difficult and I am just looking for some advice on how to deal. I am in the business school at my college (majoring in accounting) and right now is the time to be applying and interviewing for internships. I have been selected for 2 interviews next week and the week after that. I am afraid that I will be judged because I am pregnant in school. I know it is illegal for them to ask/discriminate, but is it something I should address?</p>
<p>Next question is a little awkward...but hey that's what the Internet's for, right? I've gotten pretty big (75 pounds thanks to stress eating) so it is extremely difficult for me to find seats that I am able to get in and out of easily in class. To make matters worse, I'm always late to class since my walk has become more of a waddle which means I am stuck with the awkward seats. Any ideas on how to avoid this since I can't really start earlier since my classes are pretty much back to back with travel time tight in between them. I had a horrible experience yesterday when I literally got stuck in my seat and had to be helped out by another student.</p>
<p>^ Talk to your gynecologist and make sure to be taking care of yourself and that bay!
Colleges usually have services for students with children or expecting to have children including: dorms, services, child care, etc.</p>
<p>I would first go to your doctor, he knows the best advice! Good luck with pregnancy! make sure to take folic acid! Do not smoke, drink or take any unnecessary meds!</p>
<p>I think you might want to consider holding off on interviewing for a couple months. Only because (I would assume, I’m not too sure how true this is) that a company, unless extremely impressed by the applicant would be hesitant about hiring anyone, regardless of whether in school or not, who is pregnant as it would result in long periods of time off from work and perhaps other work-related issues they’d rather not endure.</p>
<p>As the others have suggested, try posting in the Parents section for more accurate and helpful advice.</p>
<p>Agreed, the parental board will know a lot more.</p>
<p>Honestly, I’m not sure you will get these internships if you are almost 8 months pregnant. I agree with Platts, hold off on the interview.</p>
<p>As for seats, I would talk to your professor or try to arrange for there to be a seat available for you. College seats (the ones connected to the desk things) tend to be tight for anybody, so I can only imagine how uncomfortable it must be. See if you can talk to the Dean of students, or somebody who’s up there.</p>
<p>It is highly unlikely that you’ll get an intenship due to the fact that companies can figure to that you’re likely to be delivering shortly before or after your internship would start. Given the fact that in this market they’ll have plenty of other candidates without such obvious conflicts, you’re not likely to get hired, and there would be no way you could sue unless the companies were stupid enough to say they wouldn’t hire a pregnant student.</p>
<p>IMO you’d be wise not to go for interviews. Just going for interviews now would tip off the companies that you’re going to be a mother soon, and that may keep you from getting hired with them after your child is born. A lot of places prefer not to hire mothers with young kids. You don’t want to let companies know that will be your position soon.</p>
<p>Even if you plan to give up your baby for adoption, it’s still not likely that companies are going to want to hire a person who’ll be delivering shortly after or before the internship is scheduled to start. If you’re planning on keeping your baby, you probably would be happier if you could enjoy being a new mom without also having the demands of an internship.</p>
<p>I have worked for a corporation and was involved in hiring interns; I also have been a professor who helped students get internships.
I’m concerned about your weight gain, and I hope you’re talking to your doctor about it. It could lead to your getting gestational diabetes, something that can be dangerous for you and your child. I got gestational diabetes with my first child, and subsequently went on a special diet during pregnancy which caused my diabetes to end.</p>
<p>As for the seat and lateness, I suggest talking to your professors, explaining your situation, and asking them to reserve a seat for you.</p>
<p>The student can’t fight being turned down for an internship unless the company were to tell her that her pregnancy was why she wasn’t hired. It’s very possible that even if she weren’t pregnant, companies still may favor other applicants over her.</p>
<p>Yeh I would not do the interviews either. I mean its very hard to prove that they will discriminate against hiring you based on your pregnancy even though that is probably what they will do, unless you are extremely over-qualified for the position. I mean do you really want to have an internship and a baby to take care of at the same time? As for the getting to class situations, what can I say, I guess you might have to arrive to class late, unless a Paul Blart mall cop can transport you there quickly on his Segway.</p>
<p>As far as your chair question, asking for a suitable chair is your right, and it is called “a reasonable accomodation”. I would think the health center or dean of students could help you if you asked. Any disability, and in some cases, a pregnancy is considered a temporary disability, is required to be assisted, especially if it is easily accommodated. I think this would be the case with the time between classes too. Believe me more people are considerate once they realize it is a issue rather than being jerks. Talk to the dean or the health center</p>
<p>Every university has an office of disabilities, or at least a specific person assigned to handle disability cases. Go to them and ask for help. They will almost certainly be able to fix the seat situation.</p>
Good luck with pregnancy! make sure to take folic acid! Do not smoke, drink or take any unnecessary meds!</p>