Considering ttc while in school - advice pls

PinkNBlue, BSN, RN · Feb 13, 2011

Honestly? I'd ttc so that you're due a month after you graduate. That month of graduation is going to be hectic plus there's the NCLEX and studying for that so if you have a choice, I'd do it so that you're due after the NCLEX. That way you're done. Just my opinion though.... it's doable during nursing school but really challenging. 2 of my friends have been pregnant during nursing school and I've just seen them go through a lot of stress because of it. Good luck with your decision and with ttc. :)

anon695 · Feb 13, 2011

On the flip side, you run the risk of it not being normal and missing class or clinical. If you're on track to graduate in June 2011 it seems like even a small chance of medical issues during pregnancy causing you to fail is really not work that risk. Why not just wait a few more months until after graduation and NCLEX? Is there no type of hormonal birth control that can control these symptoms? Pill? Mirena IUD? Patch? Anything?

JROregon, ASN, BSN, RN · Feb 13, 2011

We've had friends with the same problem and waiting is not an option in terms of fertility. This is likely the only time that I would recommend getting preg during nursing school. The symptoms of pregnancy are much easier to deal with than the symptoms you are having right now. The only bummer is that you may not be able to get pregnant but it is worth a try as soon as it makes sense to start trying.

Anon2011 · Feb 13, 2011

Thanks for your replies guys! PinknBlue... I was worried about that myself... it would suck to go into labor right around the time NCLEX happened.

anon 695... I am on track to graduate a semester earlier than that... this december. I think look at it more like this - either get a hysterecomy now and not have kids ever... or get pregnant now. That's where I'm at - but today is a really rough day pain wise. It actually motivated me to post this. I feel like I could probably put ttc off a few months maybe... but it will be agony.

And no, I can't take birth control unfortunately. I have tried multiple kinds... both combo and progesterone only. And that's part of the reason why I'm here. It made one problem even worse. I tried surgery also. Didn't work. I've tried another invasive procedure that did not work and was really expensive to continue trying. Suffice to say, there are no more treatment options that I know of (believe me, I am looking every day) that will help. I've seen several specialists for each condition. The problem with me is I have 3 complex problems that all exacerbate each other... and each problem is made worse by some of the treatments for the others.

In fact, pregnancy is really the best thing for me health wise right now. The hysterectomy would really only knock out one of the problems... which would hopefully help the other 2, but wouldn't get rid of them. Pregnancy and breastfeeding (or just lactactating) will knock out 2 of them. And they happen to be the ones giving me the most problems.

But def, thanks for your input. I am scared to death that if I did do this, I would't be one of the "lucky" ones who had a horrible pregnancy. It would be just my luck...

Juste Leblanc · Feb 13, 2011

I found out I was pregnant (surprise! :smackingf) about a month before I was set to start an accelerated 1 year BSN program. I decided to go ahead and do the program. However, I soon discovered that couldn't do it while pregnant (the summer was very intense and condensed) and decided to drop out near the end of my first semester. I was doing fine academically - I completed 3 out of 4 of my courses with As, and was making an A in the course I withdrew from.

First trimester of pregnancy was a hormonal roller coaster, plus my OB had me on Prometrium, which made it even crazier. I also wasn't getting any sleep. I felt like the amount of stress was hurting my baby, which is a big reason I withdrew. I also was prone to low blood pressure and fainted during clinicals.

I never had m/s or anything like that luckily. But, by 20 weeks, I started having frequent BH contractions that were very scary. I had a preterm labor scare at 24 weeks. The crazy contractions (every day, up to 50/day) lasted throughout the rest of my pregnancy. I spent a lot of time on and off bedrest. Otherwise, my pregnancy was cake. I did make it to 37 weeks, and my son was fine.

All that being said, I don't blame you for not wanting to wait, you have good reasons not to. In fact, they sound way worse than most of the general pregnancy "symptoms" and if you're already going to school dealing with those, you could definitely handle pregnancy. And starting now would be a good idea as you might not conceive right away anyway. If I were you, I'd start TTC now

I don't know anything about trying to find a new nurse position though while pregnant. Do you want to take time off after you give birth before you start looking?

FWIW, my labor was very easy (like mild period cramps). I thought it was false labor but was finally dragged to the hospital to find out I was already 5cm! I got an epidural around 7cm, even though I wasn't in much pain and had a really quick delivery and recovered very quickly. I probably could have been back to school in a week, even sooner, if necessary.

Just wanted to share my experience. Personally, I would love another baby right now but have decided to wait until I'm finished with nursing school and have a good job. My son is 14 months old and I'm going to start back this fall.

Off topic, but I'd recommend reading the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility, it has a lot of good info. I am currently use fertility charting (sympto-thermal method) to avoid pregnancy. GL *Babydust*

MissChloe · Feb 13, 2011

This thread is really interesting to me. I will be starting a three-year nursing program in the fall, and my drive to have a baby and be a mother is HUGE. My partner and I are planning children young, and I also have a similar health problem (though mine doesn't seem to be as serious as yours is--you have my sincere sympathy). I'm currently on Depo Provera to keep the symptoms at bay, but it isn't recommended for extended periods of time (my ob/gyn told me 2 years max, especially since I already have weak bones, and I'm already approaching a year...). I'm also considering becoming pregnant/having a baby sometime during nursing school. I think that, in your situation, since you are used to dealing with pain and sickness in nursing school, even if you had a pregnancy that wasn't textbook "easy," you might be more able to function in school with the sickness. Of course, some pregnancy complications can be much more serious, but in your case I would think it would make sense to go ahead and try. Good luck with whatever you choose to do, and please keep us (me!) posted with how things work out for you.

anon695 · Feb 14, 2011

Sorry to hear things are so difficult for you. I don't know what the conditions are that you mentioned so my understanding of the situation is limited. continuing school with no changes in your health status is at least a sure bet, since you've been doing that up until now. However, if you don't want to go that route, if I were you I'd at least find out in advance what would happen if the pregnancy were difficult and you weren't able to graduate on time - would they let you re-take the class the following year?

melmarie23, MSN, RN · Feb 14, 2011

Honestly? I'd ttc so that you're due a month after you graduate. That month of graduation is going to be hectic plus there's the NCLEX and studying for that so if you have a choice, I'd do it so that you're due after the NCLEX. That way you're done. Just my opinion though.... it's doable during nursing school but really challenging. 2 of my friends have been pregnant during nursing school and I've just seen them go through a lot of stress because of it. Good luck with your decision and with ttc. :)

this, exactly. Its what I did (though in my program, we sat for the boards last summer and graduated this past December). I gave birth to my son in January. You do not want to cram too much into such a short amount of time. So my best piece of advice is to plan to ttc in April/May so that you have the baby (baring any complications/early labor) in Jan/Feb of next year.

melmarie23, MSN, RN · Feb 14, 2011

oh and that said, it is difficult to find work while pregnant. I interviewed and needless to say, I didnt get the jobs (though this was a risk I was willing to take). I am interviewing again and am more optimistic now that I have an outside baby. :-)

GooeyRN, ADN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN · Feb 14, 2011

In your case, I would ttc now. yes there may be nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. I think it is better to possibly have to repeat a semester than have to give up having children. When you have your baby, you will have lots of time to sit while nursing the baby to study for your NCLEX. I think it sounds like a good plan. Take a few months off with the baby, then start looking for a job in the fall. You shouldn't have much explaining at all to do if it is only a 3-4 month gap between graduation and looking for work. How would anywhere know if you HAVEN'T been looking, anyway? :twocents: I think it is easier to ttc now and be pregnant and set to deliver shortly after graduation than to deliver during school. It is hard to start a new job and then have to take time off to have the baby... It sounds like you have this all worked out! Good luck! I hope you get pregnant right when you want to!

anonymousstudent · Feb 14, 2011

You can always redo a classes if you need to. Your whole life does not revolve around your career. You'll retire, right? You children will always be with you. I agree about ttc so you'll deliver a month after your program ends. I will be doing the same thing - ttc in October. But I have other kids so I know how I do toward the end and when I deliver. Give yourself a little bit of padding.

Good luck!