Is anyone trying or thinking about trying to conceive during school? - page 2

1. 
   Apr 21, '03

   I won't be trying to conceive while going to school, but I did want to ease your mind about having a baby at age 34 or older. I had my daughter and 35 and my son two weeks before I turned 38. I had not problems what so ever and my kids are perfectly healthy. The only thing I can say is I am more tired now that I think I would have been at a younger age.
   
   As far as going to nursing school at the same time, I can't answer that because I don't start until the fall.
   
   Remember if it does take that year you mentioned, you might get finished with school and then still have that baby.
   
   Whatever you decide, good luck and it will all work out.
2. 
   Apr 22, '03

   Hi Bean,
   
   I am 28, my husband is 29. We've been married for 3 years this June and I will be starting a 2 year ADN program this fall.
   
   I wanted to let you know that when I was deciding to go back to school, starting a family was quite a consideration. Would it be better to go to school and wait on the family, or start the family and put school on hold? It was quite a dilemma with lots of financial and time implications. Finally, we decided that I would go back to school first and then start a family once I pass the NCLEX.
   
   But then in December I thought that I may have some Thyroid and hormone problems and all of a sudden the decision came down to having children and putting school on hold. It turned out I didn't have any problems so now were back to going to school first. But of course my husband thought his super sperm could do the trick on the first try too!
   
   Like another poster said, school can wait - your body can't. If you feel that it may take time for you to conceive and having children is very important to you than I think you would be making the right decision for you. I would find out from the school though, how much time you can take off between semesters and when you would be able to return. Just so you have an idea of what it would be like when you decide to go back and there are no surprises.
   
   Part of the reason I don't want to start a family before school is because I know it will be extremely difficult going through a program while being pregnant let alone once I do have a baby but that is my decision and what works best for me at this time. It's really up to you and what your situation is as far as time, money, support system, etc.
   
   I think that if you are comfortable with whatever decision you decide to make it then it is the right one for you and given your history I can see why you want to start now and if I were in your shoes (and I was for awhile) I would have started too.
   
   Good Luck and I wish you well!
   
   Col
3. 
   Apr 22, '03

   Having been in school and this being my second semester I have to say. You would be better off to make one of two choices. Etiehr put off school and get pregnant or wait until your finished school. It is so hard to do this when everything is in order. I have no idea how a person would manage with moring sickness, weight gain. Lifting and moving pt's and so on. Whatever you decide I wish you all the best.
4. 
   Apr 22, '03

   I graduated from nursing school twenty years ago this August. I had a three year old, a two year old and was five months pregnant when I began the program.
   It was hard, I did it, and I finished with my class. I think they were more lenient then, I went into labor on Monday of the finals week of the first quarter. My instructors brought my finals to the hospital!!!
   We then had a week break, then a week with CPR and other things, which I missed and made up the end of the year. Then I missed three days the first week of the second quarter. So I had the baby, missed three and a half weeks of school and made it up at the end, but graduted on time.
   It was hard, I cannot believe now that I did it, but it was worth it.
5. 
   Apr 23, '03

   I had several friends who became pregnant during school and ended up dropping as it was to hard, very tired plus you could not miss any clinicals.
   
   renerian
6. 
   Apr 23, '03

   My story is somewhat similar to yours. I am 29, my hubby is 35, we have been married for 1 1/2 years. I have a child from a previous marriage ... I had him when I was 18 but had two miscarriages after that.
   
   So ... I start Nursing school in August. And we are going to wait to have a child til I am done. Why? Because my husband wants me to give school 100% and our first child 100% ... and we both agree that I can't do both at the same time (and raise my pre-teen son!). Is it hard to wait? Heck yeah it is. I'll be at least 31 when we start trying ... 14 years after last having a successful pregnancy! Who knows how it will go this time? I worry sometimes but feel confident in my decision. (Well, okay, sometimes I don't but I get over it pretty quickly)
   
   The best decision for you will be the one that you and your husband make together. Someone mentioned earlier a colicky baby ... you just never know what kind of child you'll get. You may be blessed with a peaceful baby or blessed with one that just wants to be held all the time or else it will cry. There are so many variables. Talk about this a lot ... go for walks and talk. Take drives and talk about it. Just give it a lot of thought. You'll figure it out.
7. 
   Apr 23, '03

   SC RN good point. My second was a screamer from day 1. I did not get to sleep through the night till she was 2 years old. Horrible time.
   
   renerian
8. 
   Apr 23, '03

   If they have so many applicants and so few seats, you might as well start TTC now. In the meantime, are there any classes you can get out of the way? I agree with whoever said that you should check their policy about reapplying after taking a semester off.
9. 
   Apr 24, '03

   I am so glad I found this site. I have a 3 1/2 yr old son and am starting prereqs this summer, hoping to have them all done by next summer so I can enroll in the nursing program in fall of 2004 for spring and hopefully get accepted. It took us almost 5 yrs to get pregers with DS. I desperately want another baby and was debating on waiting till done with school or start trying now during Gen Ed classes. Who knows how long it will take this time to get preg, but I am almost 30 and didn't want to wait till I was a few yrs older.
10. 
    Apr 25, '03

    In my ever so humble opinion (hah!) What do you want more? I say go for those babes first, you'll never be sorry, and eggs (meaning ovaries) do get old, and not work so well. I had my first 2 kids at 30 and 33, and when we wanted #3, my eggs were done pooped out at 36. Nursing will be there for you whenever you want to go back. I Loved being a mom, and now I'm switching careers (from teaching) to nursing with my kids a bit older. It's great. Heather
11. 
    Apr 25, '03

    I just wanted to thank you all for your input...I haven't fully decided one way or the other yet. I am still waying all my options and as I mentioned earlier, I have told DH that I will revisit the idea again in January. Thanks again!
    
    ~Bean
12. 
    Apr 26, '03

    I personally don't think a PLANNED pregnancy during nursing school is a very good idea. I say this from personal experience--although I wasn't pregnant during my nursing school experience (THANK GOD!!!!), I was just about incapacitated during BOTH of my pregnancies from hyperemesis (the first one, for the entire 9 months, and the second one for "just" the first 5 months). I don't think there is anything on earth as bad as severe gut-wretching constant intractable nausea. Other women I know have had serious problems (besides hyperemesis) with their pregnancies--threatened miscarriages and mandatory bedrest for several months, for instance. You can't predict ahead of time if your pregnancy will be uneventful. I was VERY healthy before conceiving and becoming so sick for the entire nine months was QUITE A SHOCK!!!
    Nursing school is SO incredibly stressful, you really don't need the added stress of a pregnancy and then a newborn. Besides the stress of pregnancy, you really don't know what type of baby you will have--one who will sleep all night or one who has colic and keeps you up walking the floors day and night for 4 months. Colicky babies can sense mom's stress and get much, much worse. No, I don't think planning to have a baby during nursing school is a wise thing to do at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
13. 
    Apr 26, '03

    Hi!
    
    I am new here (a student myself in a bsn program - 2 years to go) and haven't really posted anything yet, but I do have a little something to say about having children while you are in school. I myself actually have three children and my last one was born while I was in school. The best way to manage school and children is to have much understanding and communication between your husband and yourself. If he is supportive of both of your goals and can fill in when you are in class, studying etc. than it will work out just fine!!!

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