Halle Brickhouse, a student-mom and recent guest on Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat, has navigated pregnancy and parenting in college first-hand. Many women wonder how to get the accommodations they need to miss class for appointments, delivery, and the postpartum period.
How can I get accommodations for my pregnancy in college?
Halle reached out to her professors to inform them about her pregnancy. Most of her professors were accommodating, even going so far as to coordinate lab bacteria that was safe for pregnancy. But Halle mentioned that one professor told her active labor wasn’t a valid reason for missing class! After that, Halle reached out to her Title IX office. The school’s Title IX office communicated with her professors and gave her the time off and accommodations she needed.
Halle now encourages women to be upfront with their professors and to know their rights:
“Knowing your rights and just being forthcoming with your professors, I think goes a long way instead of kind of trying to hide it because you're scared to tell them. I think that can be really helpful, because if they don't know then they can't help you.”
Want to know more about Title IX? Watch this episode with Catherine Riley, lead author of Title IX and the Protection of Pregnant and Parenting College Students.
Watch Halle’s Episode: