Better Option: Pregnant in nursing school/after

emtbtofuturenurse · Apr 18, 2011

I couldn't imagine being pregnant during nursing school but if you think you might have a fairly non-complicated pregnancy then I would do that instead of waiting until right out of school.

But then again...what happens if you have a problem during the pregnancy and you can't finish school right away.

Either way, I wish you the best on whatever you may decide!

rkitty198, BSN, RN · Apr 18, 2011

I would search and read posts about grads not finding work for over a year after graduating. If you don't need to work right away, then go for it. If you need to work I recommend you wait- if you have a choice to wait (hey nature has it's own plans, right?).

My friend who has been a nurse for 5 years, with experience, has been out of work for over a year- there are NO jobs to be had.

I just had a baby and I would not recommend it during school, it is exhausting, and being pregnant is ten times as exhausting.

I also would wait until a year after you find a job. That way you have protection from FMLA after the baby is born to keep your job. If you have not been there a year they don't legally have to protect your job for you- so you might not have a job and in this job market finding a new one is scary.

I am now sitting next to my 7month old and I canno't believe how big he is. I love him so much. I am so sleep deprived it isn't funny, I have no clothes that fit me, I need a pedicure something horrible, but it is all worth it!

rkitty198, BSN, RN · Apr 18, 2011

Oh and I thought I would have an uncomplicated pregnancy- I am very healthy. I ended up on bedrest several times during my pregnancy- luckily I have an understanding employer because I hadn't been there a year yet. They didn't have to keep my job, but they did and I am so grateful.

Jenni811, RN · Apr 18, 2011

Um...i don' see why anyone would purposly try to get pregnant DURING nursing school. Even your last year is crazy. One of my classmates our senior year delivered over christmas break on an oopsy baby. Perfect timing,or so she thought.

She ended up failing her SENIOR YEAR!!! because she was unable to send her babyday care when she was sick and her baby got sick alot so she misseo much school. Husband PROMISED help out more so she could finish school.

....He got fired too from missing so much work

So here they are, THOUSANDS in debt (private school), with a baby and neither have a job.

iteachob, MSN, RN · Apr 18, 2011

Just my two cents, but I see many students STRUGGLE with nursing school (undergraduate) while pregnant....for various reasons. It's not something I'd recommend; people do it, though. On the other hand, I was pregnant while in graduate school.....and it wasn't that bad at all.

Mrs. SnowStormRN, RN · Apr 18, 2011

I am actually pregnant now. My husband came home from Iraq and I immediatly got pregnant (during my last semester) graduated in Dec and of course cannot get a job (due soon). I say, wait and get a job 1st before getting pregnant. JMO

FutureNurse_8708 · Apr 18, 2011

That is a tough one...I would wait until I finish school and then try to get pregnant. There are too many pros and cons to this...

cogath · Apr 18, 2011

I am thinking about this too. I don't want to be pregnant in nursing school but being pregnant and getting a job, or taking maternity leave soon within when you get hired, is something that I'm concerned about. Considering waiting a year after I get a job, which if it takes me 6 months will put me at around 25

WillowNMe · Apr 18, 2011

My nursing class has been babies galore... A few were pregnant the first year, the second year I think we had close to 15-17 girls that were pregnant. A lot of them delivered in February, but there are still a bunch due right after graduation in May. There is a particular gal that has been pregnant both years. No thanks!

fromtheseaRN, BSN, RN · Apr 18, 2011

what is your priority? if you'd rather have a baby than finish nursing school, do that. if it's worth risking missing clinicals because of a pregnancy related issue, then go for it.

i'd like another baby and wish that the gap in ages between my kids wasn't so great, but personally i would not get pregnant in school. we can only miss one clinical day and there is way too much going on to add more to my plate. we have had 4 girls get pregnant so far, and three have failed out. in addition, our final semester includes a preceptorship of 3 12-hour shifts a week, totaling 120 hours. doing that near the end of a pregnancy with a degree on the line does not sound that great.

you just have to decide what the most important thing to you is right now, and pursue that.

kjbdownie · Apr 18, 2011

I am in a similar position because if I wait until graduating and working a year, my children will be 5+ years apart, which I am hoping to avoid.

I found out that my school offers their BSN program part-time, and so if I get pregnant while in school, I plan to scale back to part-time to help make it more manageable. I want to graduate as soon as possible, but I don't want a huge gap because children either. I am finishing up my last semester of prereqs this fall and am planning on starting nursing school in January.

Good luck!