Have a baby after graduation? Or after residency ?

[VeeWright444]

Okay so the title is self explanatory I'm just so back and forth. I graduate December 2025 then naturally you go on into a residency (24week orientation to your unit)

 

I want another baby, I have two girls at home (8&5) I'm 26, and I put off school so much having my kids I got already, that I'm finally in the finish line . I'm in such a dilemma of when to have another, should I get pregnant around the time I graduate ? That way it would be 4 months after my residency program ends ? Get pregnant now and have the baby right after graduation and just not start my nursing career till a few months after the baby is born ? I feel they would hate me if I got pregnant right around the start of my residency just to go in maternity leave 9 months later for the 3 months  or them question why I didn't immediately start my career after graduation like everyone else (I would take my NCLEX soon after my graduation regardless)

My kids are older, so there is already going to be a age gap, but I'm not wanting to wait a whole year after being a nurse to have another as then my kids will be almost 11 and 9. I need words of encouragement and your opinions !

I should add , I have easy pregnancies, I can say I never make it past 38 weeks LOL . I do want to stay home for awhile whenever I have this baby as it will be my last and I previously had a baby boy in 2021 who passed from a Heart defect at 4 months old so I'm a little paranoid as is having another but I want another and I want to actually bond with this future baby not tied up in a cardiac ICU and enjoy him/her as much as I can . 

[amagicalmind]

I feel you. I was a late starter and my husband was -ish- on the whole 2nd child thing. I wanted another and he didn't care but, IF we had another, he wanted it to be soon because he didn't want people to think he was the grandfather LOL. I planned my pregnancy to have my daughter in May, the month my nursing school was supposed to be on break. Which meant I entered nursing school while pregnant (I do not recommend this unless you have a REALLY supportive partner!). You also don't want to take an extended break after the birth and forget what you learned. I would go with getting pregnant around the time you graduate, so you'll have some time to learn your new job before going on maternity leave. Please leave some updates! And well wishes on your next child!