Another pregnant and school question...

ICRN2008, BSN, RN · Nov 10, 2005

My DH and I are in the same boat, trying to make the decision about the best time to have kids. I think that having a baby right after graduation is a good idea, but there are a few things to consider if you go that route:

1) What is your source of health insurance? If it is your spouse, then go for it. But if you're on a school plan or get it from your employer like me, this may make things more difficult.

2) If you work for a year you will be eligible for FMLA, and in most cases for employer-paid sick time and short-term disability.

3) How understanding is your nursing school about absences? It's hard to predict if your pregnancy will be easy or difficult. If you miss a lot of clinical time, you might end up delaying graduation. (This happened to one of my classmates in the med tech program during my first degree.)

Good luck with your decision :)

AdonaiLoveable · Nov 11, 2005

I'm so glad you posed this question! My husband and I are thinking through whether or not this would be a good time for us to start our family too. I'm in my late 20s, he's in his mid 30s and we've been married for almost 5 years. This BSN is my second college degree and I'll finish up in May 06.

My question is: When is the best time to have a baby if you are currently a senior in a BSN program, but have plans to apply to CRNA programs as soon as you can? (Remember, at least 1 year of ICU experience is mandatory before you can begin those programs).

The issue for me is that I'm really interested in applying to Nursing Anesthesia Masters' Programs as soon as I can. I need at least 1 year of ICU experience to apply to these programs. I find that many of my local hospitals have an ICU Nurse Intern or Residency Program that trains new grads for work in the ICU. The length of these programs range from 3 to 6 months and have varying start dates.

If I get pregnant around this time, I'll deliver in late summer/early fall 06. That will allow me to graduate and study for and pass the NCLEX before the baby would be born (provided the pregnancy is uncomplicated). But it may be too late for me to begin working if I have to be in a Nurse Residency Program.

One idea is to go ahead and have baby and begin the Nurse Residency Program in its next cycle...which is usually 6 months later...around Feb. That would defer my applications to the Masters' programs, but it would allow me to get more work experience and possibly have a stronger application.

Another idea is to put off trying to become pregnant until the delivery date of baby is after most of the hospital residencies would be complete...This might allow me to start a job, have a baby, and still get in the year of work experience to apply to grad school all at once...The trick is I'd have a small window of time to conceive if I'm to deliver after my work residency is finished, but before a Masters' program would begin. (I'd want my baby to be a couple of months old at least before I started a program).

I really want to start our family now, but I want to press on and get through with all the formal education I plan on getting now too. I sorta feel like if we had a baby now, school could get pushed back more and more if I don't go within a year or so of finishing my BSN. I might get too comfortable in my job to keep going on to school.

Sorry to be soo long-winded. I appreciate any thoughts on the matter.

AdonaiLoveable

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Nov 12, 2005

DH and I have made up our minds to start a family after graduation. Good luck to you.

GrnHonu99, RN · Nov 12, 2005

Same with us.