Comments on: Do I mention I am pregnant when making a presentation?

By: Christine

Christine — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:34:14 +0000

I, too, like a lot of Michael’s suggestions and agree that getting the word out ahead of time may help prepare the audience better. Another thing to note for those who may find themselves in this situation - depending on the stage you’re in, natural breathing/voice projection may become more difficult. I always found that it was better for me to use a microphone during my pregnancies than to risk hyperventilating trying to reach the back of the room with limited lung capacity (particularly in higher stress talks). I learned my lesson the hard way when I almost passed out during a talk in a very large room w/bad acoustics. Remember to breathe - often!

By: Maxine

Maxine — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 19:13:19 +0000

Interesting debate. From my point of view, the most interesting thing about it is that it is even happening. When I first applied for jobs outside the academic sphere, it was quite usual to be asked at interview whether one intended to “marry and have children”, a question that was not asked of male candidates, of course.

By: James

James — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:35:05 +0000

I recently attended a workshop where the presenter was pregnant and she addressed it in a humorus way. She was at that stage where she looked pregnant, but not pregnant enough that you’d say “when’s the baby due?” so it was good she broke the ice in the beggining by saying “we’ll be taking a lot of breaks since my condition requires frequent trips to the bathroom.” I thought it was fine for that situation, but I can see situations where that type of humor is considered inappropriate.

I also think Michael makes some excellent points.

James
blog.jvf.com

By: Six Minutes

Six Minutes — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 07:20:04 +0000

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By: Michael Grandner

Michael Grandner — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:49:53 +0000

While I have (obviously) never been in this situation, I do have a couple of thoughts that may or may not be helpful.

While it is unprofessional and should never play a role, this is an issue that often plays a role in applying for an academic position. And it largely depends on who is making the decisions. It would be great if everyone were understanding and professional regarding pregnancy, this is too often not the case.

First off, I would suggest that you make sure that the committee making the decision knows of your situation. If you show up obviously pregnant, and they were unaware, they may feel like you misled them by omitting the detail. It probably suffices to mention it casually and matter-of-factly to whoever extended the talk invitation. You should never have to mention it, but often, decision-makers can be misguided as to what is relevant and what is not. And you want them to see you as honest and forthright, rather than looking like you are hiding something.

Second, when you get there and are giving the talk, you might want to introduce the obvious before starting, to get it out of the way. I like Lisa’s suggestions; just think of something that sounds natural.

Third, remember to take care of yourself up there. Talks are stressful enough without the extra stresses involved. Make sure you’re especially well-rested, hydrated, etc. That will reduce the degree to which your pregnancy is distracting to others (if they notice how it affects you) and make you look all the more on top of your game, instead of a little more sluggish than you want to appear.

Hope this helps. And good luck!