When math teacher Jodi Wheeler went into labor in May, she didn’t even realize what was happening. She wasn’t prepared for her baby to be born five weeks early, but her excitement outweighed the stress of having a premature birth.
“My students were expecting me here for the full year, and then, all of a sudden, I was gone,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler’s 2024-25 student intern, Claire Ackerman, was prepared to step in and finish the year, making the transition smoother for students.
Wheeler’s son, Justin, spent 12 days in the NICU before coming home at the end of May. While he didn’t have major health problems, he still had trouble learning how to coordinate breathing, sucking and swallowing.
“We’ve lost a lot of sleep together,” Wheeler said. ”But now he’s getting a lot more fun. He’s smiling and talking to us.”
Justin is Wheeler’s first baby and will be her only child. Wheeler and her husband didn’t think they would be able to have kids after years of trying.
“He was a big blessing,” Wheeler said. Adjusting to parenthood has been a mix of joy and mayhem for the family. However, now that she’s returned to school and work, it’s a bit more chaotic.
“Honestly, he’s a really good baby,” Wheeler said. “He’s very happy, and now he’s sleeping mostly through the night.”
Wheeler returned to the classroom on Oct. 13. After being on leave for the first seven weeks of the school year, she’s been working hard to find a balance.
“Every minute of my day is accounted for,” Wheeler said. “That’s been the biggest challenge being able to schedule my day so I can help my students while I’m here, but then also be a good mom and wife when I’m home.”
Support from her colleagues in the math department has made the transition smoother after Wheeler left in May, four weeks before she expected to.
“They said not to worry about anything, just enjoy your time with your baby. And I did,” Wheeler said.
After using her all her sick days at the end of last school year, Wheeler knew sacrificing the first seven weeks of the school year without pay was worth staying home with her child.
“Those first months are so important for bonding and establishing routines,” Wheeler said.
Although she stayed at home for the first few months, Wheeler’s husband didn’t have much time off. He still had to work and meet with clients before he could visit Justin at the hospital and help around the house.
”We weren’t really ready,” Wheeler said. “He did everything he could to support us while keeping things going at work.”
When it came time to return to the classroom, Wheeler was eager to reconnect with students and colleagues.
“I was really looking forward to being around people again,” Wheeler said. “It’s been really strange coming back to groups of students that I don’t know. I wasn’t coming back to the students I left last spring.”
She is now focused on getting to know this year’s students and stepping back into the routine of her everyday life.
“I’ve spent a lot of time with a newborn and my husband,” Wheeler said. “Being around my friends and colleagues again feels good.”
Looking back, Wheeler said she feels nothing but gratitude.
“I’m super excited to be a mom,” Wheeler said, “I always wanted to be a mom, and I just feel super blessed that Justin is here. Even when I’m up in the middle of the night, I’m like, ‘Oh you’re so awesome.’”
Although Wheeler’s new schedule is busy and sometimes unpredictable, it’s also meaningful. She’s taking things one day at a time.
“It’s definitely an adjustment, “Wheeler said. “But it’s a good one.”
