Baby during NS = bad idea?

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I'm starting an Accelerated BSN program in August and will graduate the following August (2011). My husband and I have been married for 2 1/2 years and are a bit older (in our 30s). We are so excited to start our family and the biological clock is ticking very loudly. I don't think I want to have a baby while still in school, but has anyone had a baby while in NS or had classmates that had?? In particular, an accelerated BSN program? What was your experience? Would it be a HUGE mistake to have a baby before I graduate? How about being pregnant in NS (with the due date a couple months after I graduate)? I ask because I'm a little afraid that when it comes down to it, it may take us a long time to get pregnant. We tried for 7 months to get pregnant about 1 1/2 years ago to no avail, so I'm terrified that it'll take us a year+ to get pregnant. Since I'm already in my 30s, I don't want to wait too long. Thoughts?

While I'm not a mom yet, I would like to have kids but feel that I can't be a student and a mom. I lived with my sister when she first had her baby and when he would wake us up in the middle of the night, all I kept thinking was "there's no way I could do this now!" lol

On the other hand, there have been plenty of women in my program who got pregnant and did fine. Most took a week or two off after delivery and stepped right back into NS!

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We've had 2 women in our class get pregnant and have babies. They've done fine. They are both very young and very smart. I don't think I could have done it even when I was younger due to the morning sickness and being really tired. I wouldn't worry too much about fertility at your age. There are so many treatments for it now. I had my first at 36 and my last at 42!

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They won't tell you they didn't hire you because you're pregnant, just like they don't tell older people they weren't hired because they're 50+. They'll say another candidate was a better fit or had a better GPA or whatever sounds good. Pretending that this sort of thing doesn't happen often is naive.

Wow... I know that employers don't come out and applicants that they're not hired due to the fact that they're pregnant or over the age of 50. My point is that I'd rather risk not getting a job over not having a family. I only have so many years to get pregnant and those years are waning! Ugh, getting old sucks.

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Specializes in L&D/Maternity nursing.
Wow... I know that employers don't come out and applicants that they're not hired due to the fact that they're pregnant or over the age of 50. My point is that I'd rather risk not getting a job over not having a family. I only have so many years to get pregnant and those years are waning! Ugh, getting old sucks.

that's how I feel too. I just took my boards today, and even though I am not visibly showing yet, I very well could be when interviewing-depending on how long it takes me to get a job.

If I have no luck in the upcoming months, then I will take a break and look again after the little one is here. IMO, its a small price to pay in order to have the family that my husband and I want.

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Specializes in Neuro, Neuro ICU.

I know everyone is saying not to have the baby while in the nursing program, and I completely agree with that. I can't Imagine giving birth and then having to go to class 2 days later. However, If you think you are going to take a while to get pregnant, than I don't think it could hurt to start trying a few months before you graduate. If you are doing the program 6 or 7 months in and schools going good, then why not go for it? Just my opinion though!

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Specializes in ICU.

Very bad. Sorry, but babies are a ton of work even in the best of circumstances.

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I would not have a baby on purpose during school. We tried during my pre-reqs with the plan to complete them during pregnancy and then apply so that I could go back around the time the baby was one-ish. It did not work out that way because I had difficulty getting pregnant. It took a year to get pregnant and then I stayed home almost a year. I hated putting off school, but having a baby and being home during infancy was important to me.

One option you might consider is to take time during nursing school to get in tune with your body. Have a pre-pregnancy visit to make sure you're healthy. Bloodwork, paps, whatever. I read "Taking Charge of your Fertility" and practiced that method to learn when I was ovulating to increase our odds of pregnancy. Because I wasn't ovulating very often, it didn't help right away. I love it though because you become very aware of where you actually are in your cycle rather than relying on guesswork based on a calendar.

I found having school while TTC helped a great deal because of the distraction. However, I don't think I could handle having a baby partway through the nursing program. Pregnancy was the easy part for me; postpartum was a crazy, emotional roller coaster.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Can it be done? yes. Would I recommend it? Never in a billion years.

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We tried for 4 years for my first son, I have PCOS, so we knew it was going to be difficult. Then I started my first year in nursing school only to find out 6 months into the program that I was pregnant. Talk about a surprise!

I just hope you have a great support system even if a little one comes along unexpectedly!:D

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