Family Planning around Nursing School

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So my clock has been ticking for a while now. The only thing holding me back is school which is my first priority. I will be 32 when I graduate, my husband will be 38. My thought is to stop taking my birth control at the end of next summer, though I don't plan on actively trying to get pregnant...I would just do nothing to prevent it. This would leave me with one last fall semester before graduating, should I happen to get pregnant right away. My husband has a good job and we live very comfortably just on his salary alone. Just want everyone's thoughts on the situation.

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

Do you want honest opinons or do you want people to tell you to go for it?

I'd wait until I finished nursing school. I was pregnant with my youngest while working on my criminal justice degree and had horrible morning sickness the entire time. It made concentrating on my work extremely difficult, I couldn't focus at all, and I was exhausted. My grades suffered because of it.

I was 26 years old at the time. Pregnancy is harder on you as you get older, as I learned. I had my first at 19. Will you be able to cope with clinicals and studying if you have a difficult pregnancy? Will you be able to drop out and resume the program if you need to?

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Specializes in L&D/Maternity nursing.

My husband and I plan on TTC next summer/fall as I finish up school. I sit for the NCLEX next summer and get my Master's next December. So I am right there with you! :-)

But I think this is really a question that only you and he can answer. If next summer comes around and you two still want to try, then go for it.

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Me, personally, doesn't think it's a good idea. We never know what pregnancy may bring. I have had one terrific pregnancy and one horrible one, where all I did was worry. I felt horrible. Was on bedrest. Had the baby early. We really don't know why, but believe it was stress related. Being worried about the pregnancy was the stressful part. This is hypothetical, and I would hope this wouldn't happen, but what if you did become pregnant and miscarried? Would you be able to deal w/ that kind of stress and emotion all while trying to finish school? I agree w/ the above poster, it really is a choice for you and your husband. But, if school is your number one priority, then let it be for now. Try a little later.

Best wishes-

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so glad to read this post! looking forward to reading all the opinions! my boyfriend and i are planning to get pregnant here very soon! we're excited about it. it will be our second. i have a 2 year old and have been in school for a year making straight A's. and i know i can do it! my boyfriend is such a big help! we work so well together in a relationship & raising our 2 year old. we are planning it around my nursing school so that the due date will be in the summer time when classes are not in session. and i talked to the nursing instructors who said pregnancy will not prohibit me from being in the nursing program, they said it was my choice.

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:wink2:

so glad to read this post! looking forward to reading all the opinions! my boyfriend and i are planning to get pregnant here very soon! we're excited about it. it will be our second. i have a 2 year old and have been in school for a year making straight A's. and i know i can do it! my boyfriend is such a big help! we work so well together in a relationship & raising our 2 year old. we are planning it around my nursing school so that the due date will be in the summer time when classes are not in session. and i talked to the nursing instructors who said pregnancy will not prohibit me from being in the nursing program, they said it was my choice.

Hi there! Just wondering why you are so anxious to have a second child? You are very young. Why not wait until you are done w/ school? I think it's wonderful that you are maintaining such great grades all while raising a child. But dear, I will say, having two children is nothing like having one. It's much, much harder. I have two beautiful children. Good kids. When my daughter (my oldest) was born, I couldn't wait to get pregnant w/ another one. I even said I would have tried at 6 months if I could have talked the husband into it, lol. We waited until my daughter was 1 and we got pregnant right off the bat. My pregnacy, like I stated above, was very, very different. It didn't go very well. Trying to handle a 2 yo and being pregnant doubles pregnancy symptoms and makes 2yo tantrums worse. Then, your 2 yo turns 3 and it gets even harder, lol! It was all worth it, but I couldn't imagine doing it all while being in nursing school. I was taking AnP and Chem when my youngest was 10 months old. It was difficult. I was returning to school to finish pre's and apply for the program. I will start the program this fall and y children are turning 3 and 5. Things are getting easier. They can entertain each other for a few moments before they start fighting, lol.

As for your nursing instructors, they can't tell you no. That just screams lawsuit for them to tell you not to become pregnant.

Good luck to you. I hope everything works out in your favor.:wink2:

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Two females in my RN program have been pregnant this summer while attending nursing classes. One individual gave birth in early June, and the other person had her baby sometime last month.

The obvious disadvantage is that these ladies were back to school only a few days after giving birth, which means that they didn't have the chance for that full postpartum recovery at home. However, both of them are still in the program, which means that their school performance is satisfactory enough.

I would imagine that these two women must have good support systems to grapple with rearing newborns while attending nursing school full-time.

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Specializes in Psych.

I had hyperemesis with all of my pregnancies. My first baby also involved pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome with a 29 week delivery. I realize that not everyone starts out mothering with such a bang, but it's a possibility that you need to keep in mind. Personally, I wouldn't risk it when I was so close to finishing nursing school.

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I'm not in ns yet, but my husband and I have been trying for #1 nearly a year. I don't expect to start ns until the summer or fall of next year (if we got pregnant next month it may end up being I give birth and then a few weeks later school would start). We had a long conversation about whether or not to stop for school, but realize that if we have to stop, start up and finish school, and then realize we have to undergo fertility treatments it would be harder on us emotionally than to keep trying now, do fertility testing and/or treatments in the fall and see where we go from there. I know a lot of people won't agree with that, but it's our decision, not anyone elses.

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Specializes in Home Health, Case Management, OR.

I am pregnant, in nursing school, and we planned it this way. I will finish when I am 28 wks (Nov 27th), then study for NCLEX until the beginning of Jan. Baby is due Feb 13th. I will start working as an RN sometime in the middle of April or May. I have had no problems with being pregnant and in nursing school thus far, but then again I had NO morning sickness or problems during the 1st tri. We live on my husbands salary as well, which is plenty to get us by. For me, being pregnant in nursing school was far easier than being pregnant while working full time. 12 hrs of clinicals per week instead of 36-40 hrs of working ick. Do what you think will work best for you guys, and just let everyone elses opinions kinda fall to the side.

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I asked this kind of question a few months ago and got about the same responses as you're getting, lol. I've decided to go against everyones kind advice and TTC in Sept. and Oct. to have a baby in between semesters (be due next summer). I have trouble conceiving so it would be a near miracle if I'd actually get pregnant so the chances aren't good anyway. My thing is, I'd rather have a baby in between semesters while still in school then have one while I'm working and have to take time off etc etc. I appreciate everyones opinions as I'm sure you do as well....but only you know what's best for your family. Good luck with whatever you decide!

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I am pregnant, in nursing school, and we planned it this way. I will finish when I am 28 wks (Nov 27th), then study for NCLEX until the beginning of Jan. Baby is due Feb 13th. I will start working as an RN sometime in the middle of April or May. I have had no problems with being pregnant and in nursing school thus far, but then again I had NO morning sickness or problems during the 1st tri. We live on my husbands salary as well, which is plenty to get us by. For me, being pregnant in nursing school was far easier than being pregnant while working full time. 12 hrs of clinicals per week instead of 36-40 hrs of working ick. Do what you think will work best for you guys, and just let everyone elses opinions kinda fall to the side.

Thats the way i feel too, like it will be easier to be pregnant rather than when im actually working as an RN..plus, i would rather be pregnant during nursing school instead of waiting, because of fear of complications or whatever, and then down the road regret and wonder "what if". what if i could have successfully been pregnant through nursing school? i know it can be done & i know the type of person i am and that i am more than capable of it. it has been my plan to have kids no later than age 24 and to have kids no more than a year & a half to two years apart. me and my sister were a little over 4 years apart and i could never have a relationship with her because we were on such different levels. for example her being in middle school and me in high school we were clearly on different social/interest levels. and my son is already 2 so that personal goal has not been met. and i will be 24 in january.

thanks for your input! glad to hear from someone who is currently pregnant in nursing school!

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