I'm thinking about trying to get pregnant and start nursing school? Yes or No?

SusanJean · Jan 16, 2005

Putting your child in daycare is always an option once the baby is born.

All I can think about during the pregnancy, tho, is the extreme fatigue. You will be tired like you never thought possible. It lasts most of the first and third trimesters (for most women). And once the baby is born, for the first few months, you will be up q 2 hrs for feedings -- and the fatigue increases ten-fold.

Obviously it is a personal decision, but I don't think I would opt for school and a pregnancy at the same time, given a choice. But then some women do just fine w/ it. I'm a wimp:rolleyes: .

ayndim · Jan 16, 2005

I couldn't imagine doing it. I am a SAHM of 3 and I do my school online for the prereqs (last class, Yippee). My youngest is currently 16 months. I am debating starting the actual nursing portion while he is so young. Even though my MIL is going to be living with us to help out it is still hard leaving your little ones for any length of time. I also don't think I could have breastfed while doing clinicals. I also had PTL with all my pgs and preeclampsia with the last. So I would have had to drop out of nursing school. Only you can decide but I would put off one or the other.

kimtab · Jan 16, 2005

I've been married for almost two years now and am starting to get the baby fever! I just appiled to the nursing program for the fall of 2005. For all the mother's out there, how hard is it to get through nursing school and have a child? My husband really wants to start trying now but I'm really nervous about how I'll be able to manage a newborn and nursing. Please let me know your stories and experiences!

I think school and pregnancy are doable, hard maybe- but doable. You will have fatigue to deal with and there are certain types of patients you should not work with. That's if you have an easy pregnancy though and you never know for sure whther you will be blessed with that. School and a newborn though, no way I could have done that. If you can time it so that you deliver when you have the opportunity to take a semester off it might work better for you. There's a reason most people need to take 6-12 weeks off after having a baby!

Edited to add: I am a single mother, my son was 13 months old when I went back to school:) Family support is what got me through.

beckabeckahi · Jan 16, 2005

To each their own but I wouldn't recommend nursing school and baby. I have a nine year old and a 41 year old (husband:p) and have a hard time juggling those two with school and home responsibilities. If you look around this board a little, you'll see one of student nurses biggest problems is balancing family and school. School takes an enormous amount of time AND PHYSICAL/ MENTAL/EMOTIONAL energy.

Good luck with your decision

SmilingBluEyes · Jan 16, 2005

I vote no.......pregnancy is sometimes tough enough without struggling through nursing school. And the instructors will be in no position to accomodate special needs for you should you be pregnant. You never know; you may have a difficult pregnancy, get put on bedrest or something on that order then what? You will have no choice but to drop your classes or take a leave of absence. I think it's a really bad idea, esp when you consider the clinical component you will have to go through. But it's certainly up to you. Just remember, nursing school is one of the most stressful times you will go through ALONE-----pregnancy can be, too. To combine them may make for real trouble. Good luck to you, whatever you do decide.

okie2 · Jan 16, 2005

both of those things-babies & nursing school - take nearly 100% energy and dedication. I am in pre-reqs right now and my youngest is 5 (also have a 7yo)- I will go into the full time nursing program when he is in 1st grade (2006). I wanted to spend these early years with my kiddos.

ALSO- you never know how pregnancy is going to go. I had Gestational Diabetes and early labor ( 22 weeks!!) with both and ended up on bed rest! Both were born @ 36 weeks, healthy and ready to go.

You just can't count on picture book life.

I have a friend who got preg (ooops!) during her 3rd year in med school--it was doable, and she had no complications. She says that she would have never have done it on purpose--just too much at once.

Good Luck- follow your heart but consult your mind as well:)

Have you done all your pre-reqs and support courses?? maybe you can have the baby and do one class at a time for a few years- then go back full time??? there are many options.

Morguein · Jan 16, 2005

I would do one or the other; but not both. Nursing school was the most demanding, stressful thing I have ever gone through. I can't imagine going through all that while being pregnant and then also having to care for the baby after being born. You will be extremely tired during the first trimester. I remember sleeping a lot during the first 3 months of my pregnancy. My son was was about 6 years old when I was in school and it was very hard to spend a lot of time with him; so I made it up by spending quality time with him; but with a baby, I think it will be different and will require more of you time. I think it is possible to do school and have a baby at the same time; but at what cost?

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Jan 16, 2005

When I started nursing school in 1995, our instructors told us, "Don't make any major life decisions over the next 2 years---don't get married, don't get divorced, don't buy a house, don't sell your house, and whatever you do, DON'T get pregnant!"

It was good advice then, and it's still good advice. Nursing school is incredibly intense; basically you live, eat, sleep, and breathe it 24/7. I was raising four children at the time, and I was exhausted ........I can't imagine having a new baby and going to nursing school at the same time. One or the other is bound to suffer, and both ventures are far too important to give less than 100% each and every day.

purplemania, BSN, RN · Jan 16, 2005

Besides fatigue, consider the guilt you will feel over not spending enough time with the baby or with your schoolwork. And the expenses! Nursing school needs your full attention, and so do babies. I would recommend waiting on the baby. You will be in a better financial position (I assume) after graduation.

lisamc1RN, LPN · Jan 16, 2005

It is not something that I would choose to do. Pregnancies and babies are unpredictable. You can't assume that you will have an uncomplicated pregnancy or that your baby will not have colick or just let you sleep through the night. You may have a baby who needs to be fed every 1 1/2 hrs and who's awake time is from 2-4 a.m. each night for the first 3 months! You don't know if you will walking the floor for hours each evening trying to comfort a colicky baby who has to be bounced, not rocked. (btdt. :) ) I also cannot imagine having my baby and leaving him/her after just a few short days or weeks and going back to school. If you really want to start your family right now, why not delay nursing school? You can take your prereq's online and maybe try nursing school when your baby is a bit older. :)

BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN · Jan 16, 2005

I don't think I would do it.....you just don't know how your pregnancy will go and the time involved after the baby....I can remember how sleep deprived I was ...and I had worked nights for years and never, ever felt that tired in all my life. Also, you wouldn't be able to take 3 months off to take care of baby like you would if you had worked somewhere for a year. Also, how willing would your DH be to really kick in and do a lot of things around the house while you study and that includes being responsible for baby. And if baby gets sick, well, that is more time missed from your clinicals..and they aren't really forgiving on that.

Wait...I think you will enjoy your pregnancy and the baby much more!