CRNA school and babies -- can you have both?

CougRN · Feb 28, 2006

One of my classmates for pregnant during the program. I wouldn't recommend it. She is now 3 months behind and won't graduate with us. She also has all the responsabilities of a new mom along with preparing for clinical everyday and getting ready for boards at the end of the year. Way too much for me to handle but I guess it can be done.

TennRN2004 · Feb 28, 2006

I say wait until you're done with school. CRNA school is a very demanding endevour, and in my oppinion not flexible enough to deal with the needs of a new child. I know people have done it, but why add to the enormous stress of school if you can wait until you're done and have it behind you? I have a 6 year old who is fairly independant and will be in school while I'm in class most of the time. But, I still feel nervous about having enough time to split between devotion to school/family. I couldn't imagine (from my personal rememberances) having a new baby and trying to tackle anesthesia school. Or even worse, the stress you'd be under and being pregnant at the same time. I think it's just asking for problems. I give a high five to the moms who have done it.

soliant12 · Feb 28, 2006

Unless you are going very part time there is no such thing as a flexible schedule for CRNA school. No matter how little or how often you attend school you need the time to study. I would either delay one or the other and do not understand why you want a child at atime when you will not be with that child much of it's first two years, now if your husband would be able to stay home with the child that would be an entirely different story. Perhaps your husband could work part time and take out a few extra loans.

angel337, MSN, RN · Sep 7, 2007

i know a woman that had a baby during crna school and she had to drop out. it was too much for her. she had alot of support from her family and husband but she never had enough rest (up all night with a colicky baby) and she just decided that until she could stabilize her home life she would not return to school. now 4 years later she is able to go school because her son is in preschool. i say think long and hard about it.

Biotechnology · Sep 8, 2007

I'm interested in applying to CRNA school, but I also want to have a baby sooner rather than later. My husband would be working to provide for us while I was in school (VERY flexible hours), and my mom and sister both live near by and would be able to pitch in, if needed. Know anyone that had a very young child throughout school or even had a baby DURING their schooling? How'd it go? Thanks. :)

WHAT!!!! Your only 24!!!! You have so much time to have babies later!! Get your schooling, and all the other professional aspriations that you have, done first. Reap the rewards for your hard work with being able to care for your child with or without a man. Always take care of you first!! Its 2 to 2.5 years..... not 90!!! Take your time...any endevour is a lot harder with kids than it is without!!! ( take it from me, I know, I am a single mother)

MB37 · Sep 14, 2007

I was wondering something similar - when I graduate with my BSN next year, I will be 29.5, husband 39.5. He especially wants to have kids sooner rather than later, so he's not 60 trying to teach a kid to play catch. My BSN took two years longer than planned, due to my school flooding during Katrina and our subsequent move to a new state. I plan to work in critical care ASAP after graduation - the hospitals around me do hire new grads into ICU, especially good students, and I have a 4.0 so far. We plan to start trying either in my last semester of BSN, or right after I graduate. I'd like to have two kids and become a CRNA by the time I'm 40, so I'll have 10 years to work with. We don't even know if we CAN have kids yet, so obviously you can't plan these things as much as you'd like, but I'd like to apply to CRNA school when the hypothetical kids are about 3 and 5, so both would be in some kind of school. Also, my husband works for an internet company and can telecommute when necessary, and we can live either here in Tampa or move back to New Orleans and he can keep his job. I'm a big planner, obviously, and Katrina has already taught me what happens when you make plans too far in advance. Does this sound doable though, if everything does go according to my (plans)? Thanks!

AdonaiLoveable · Sep 16, 2007

Hi MB37. My husband and I are trying to work out how we might have two children and allow for me to attend a CRNA program at the same time.

I'm 29 and my husband is 9 years older. We've been married six years and our daughter just turned 1. My husband sounds a little like yours about being an "old Dad" and he prefers to have our children before he turns 4o -- something about being eligible for retirement while your kids are in college doesn't sit well with him either .

I finished nursing school in May of '06 and our daughter was born later that summer. I was about 5 months pregnant at the time I graduated from nursing school. Being pregnant during the last semester was fine. I started my first nursing position in an ICU in January '07.

We're hoping to have a second child soon. Our hope is to actually get me through a CRNA program before our first child begins school so that we'll be more "settled" when the children are in school. My mentor, a CRNA, attended school as a single parent of a young child and she thought it best to go to school while your child was very young.

My husband, like yours, is a telecommuter. The company he works for is 3000 miles away from our home and he works anywhere he can have a high-speed internet connection and telephone. My Mom, who lives 2 minutes from us, currently cares for our daughter while I sleep during the mornings (I work 3 nights per week). She says when I get into a program, she'll come with us and provide childcare and help keep our home running. So we're factoring in the cost of bringing Mom along with us when we go to school.

I'm hoping to begin a program in either August '08 or January '09. So I'm trying to work fast on baby #2. I don't think I would consider going through a program with such young kids if my Mom weren't there for them full time and my husband didn't work from home.

To make all this more feasible, I'm trying to concentrate on programs that have clinicals confined to one area to minimize travel during the program.

We're remaining flexible though, you can only plan so much.

I'm glad to hear that there are others in our situation...wanting to make it through a CRNA program and have children while we're in our more fertile years.

Congratulations on sticking with your dream even through the trials that Katrina brought to your family.

Adonai

Biotechnology · Sep 16, 2007

This is just my opinion on some of the other post....I am not trying to be harsh.... I understand where some of you are coming from. I am 30 also. I got the "getting old thing"....I understand completely....but I was always taught " Make it simple stupid!!!!

Some of you are adding variables into the equation that do not need to be there to actually get the right answer....

Whether you are 30 or 32 or even 32.5 for that matter, really doesnt make a difference in the big scheme of things....Two years is just a blip on the radar screen....Whether your husband is 38 or 40 really doesn't matter....So when your husband is 58, he'll say "Honey we sure made that 2 year cutoff point!!!..... Maybe be it is me or am I missing the logic?

CRNA schooling is gruesome!!! It isn't undergrad, Where you can come home and have time with the kids.. More than half of the time you won't be around!!! You will miss alot of the things, as a mom, you dont want to miss with your child.

Waiting doesnt hurt! It makes it more rewarding when you do have your child. You dont have to leave clinical or clases early because you have sick child that wants his/her mommy....Or you have been up all night with the baby and you have an exam tomarrow...or You just popped the baby out and you have an exam in 2 weeks or a clinical in EAST EGYPT( somewhere far, far away).......Just some scenarios that are possibilities....Please, make it easy on your self and those that are helping you get through...Wait the 2 yrs......You will be happy that you did....

jkw_83RN, BSN, RN · Sep 18, 2007

Some programs are longer than two years, and life is unpredictable by itself. If your heart truly desires having children first, I say go ahead and do it while you are young. You already have a career as a nurse--so you make decent money, and Nurse anesthesia will always be there. Having kids can be stressful, and it can make the equation more difficult, but not impossible. It is different for people who are so focused on their career--they let time pass by then they are having these high-risk, complicated pregnancies. If your husband wants children before he is old, what is wrong with that? You guys most likely agreed on children before marrying and added CRNA school into the equation. In the end, it is up to you.

AdonaiLoveable · Sep 18, 2007

I agree that a CRNA program will be no cake walk with children, but I don't think necessarily waiting until one's children are older will make going to school with children easier. My husband and I already have one child, would like another, and Grandma, who will be coming with us when I attend a CRNA program, is a big part of our family and will be helping to fill in the gaps so to speak.

If I had to choose a time in their lives when I'd have more one on one time with my kids, it would be during their pre-teen and teen years. Those are some rough years for many people and I feel that if I get my education and career set early on in their lives, I can be better able to gear my work schedule to their needs at that time.

Interesting how this discussion seems to only be affecting women. I rarely hear of men being encouraged to defer educational or career opportunities because they have young children at home.

With a supportive spouse and other family, I think it is possible to reach one's career and educational goals...it may not be easy, buts possible.

Best regards,

Adonai

Hold'emRN · Sep 18, 2007

JKW,

You obviuosly are not in CRNA school!