Pregnancy: Before or After Nursing School

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Jun 1, 2012

As you said, this is really a personal decision. But since you asked, I'll throw in my :twocents: .

First, what are you plans for obtaining a nursing degree? From your post, it sounded like you were planning on taking pre-requisites and then applying to a nursing program. Since you have two years of pre-reqs and you said it will take 4 years to get your nursing degree, it sounds like you're thinking of applying to two year programs, which will get you an Associates degree.

Just be aware that for the great majority of educator positions, you'll require a BSN. Which means that, if you do go to an Associate's program, you'll need an RN to BSN bridge program in addition to the two years of experience (diabetes related) in order to become a diabetes educator.

How much research have you done into nursing school? It sounds like there are better options for you. There are direct-entry ADN and BSN programs, which will include the needed prerequisites in order to graduate. A BSN program will be four years, like you've planned, but will eliminate the two years of pre-reqs, as they will be included in the program. By taking to your local nursing schools, you may even be able to enter the program as a second-year student, as the first year of most BSN programs is solely dedicated to pre-reqs, which you may be able to transfer from your BA.

There are also Accelerated BSN programs for people with previous bachelor degrees. You'll need some pre-reqs to enter these programs, but once you're in the program is usually about 12-18 months. So even if you need two years of pre-reqs (which you could cut down on by doing summer courses and online courses) you'll still have a BSN in less than four years.

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Now, as far as the pregnancy is concerned...

Family trumps career, in my opinion. Nursing school will always be there. There were several students in my BSN program who were in their 40's, and many students in their 30's. While you do still have many child-bearing years left, keep in mind that once you're in your 30's things can become a little more difficult. What it really comes down to is how much you want children right now, and whether you're willing to be a full time student while you've got a baby/toddler at home.

From a logistical standpoint, it's much easier to take a break from pre-reqs than it is from nursing school or your job. You can also complete some of your pre-reqs through online courses, which you could do while staying home with your baby. The difficult part will be when you are in nursing school and still have a little one to care for at home. But this is a task that many other nursing students have done successfully. This would probably be my choice, but I never could have waited until I was in my 30's to have my first baby.

If you do wait until you're out of school, then I'd suggest waiting until you've been working at least 6 months, so that when the baby is born you are eligible for FMLA and have plenty of PTO saved up in order to take a nice maternity leave without being strapped financially.

As I'm sure you know, there is no right or wrong answer here. There are pros and cons to each option, and whatever you choose, I'm sure you'll be able to manage it successfully if you are dedicated and have a strong support system. I like to use myself and my half-sister as an example of the different ways things can be done:

Me- I met my husband while we were in high school. I went to a BSN nursing program directly out of high school and got married when I was in my third year. Then I graduated, got a job as a nurse, and after about 6 months of work, am expecting our first child who is due just two months after I'll have been employed for a year.

Sister- She went to college right out of high school as well, but then spent some time working in a few different carer paths and traveling, met her partner, went back to school for her masters, got a better job, and is just now thinking of starting a family. She is 10 years older than me, and we are both having children at about the same time.

Different choices, different timelines, different priorities. Both right.

Lexirunner · Jun 1, 2012

I'm currently pregnant and just finished my first semester of core nursing classes in an ADN program. I'm TERRIFIED of next semester with a newborn... when semester 2 starts, I'll have a 2 month old, 3.5 year old, and a 6 year old. I'm lucky in that I have TONS of support from family and my husband, but I still would never recommend anyone get pregnant during your core classes.

As far as prerequisites are concerned, they're easier to manage, so if you have a lot of support, you could probably handle it. If your program has a waitlist for clinicals, you could try to plan for baby to be born around the time you finish your prereq's, but may have to sit out a semester or two while you wait for acceptance into clinicals.

Obviously it's a very personal decision, but I just wouldn't put yourself through more stress once you get to the clinical/core classes part of your program. Good luck!

Mrs.Priss · Jun 1, 2012

I'm 29... Will be 30 in December and 31 when I graduate... I have a 17 month old. We have decided to try for our second child after I start working.

heartohio · Jun 1, 2012

If it were me, I would want to wait until I had graduated school and had a full time job. Babies are incredibly expensive, and with the way the economy is, it could take several months or even a year to find employment after graduation. I would think it would be tough to have no job, student loans coming due AND a baby to take care of. That being said....if your husband is able to support you and baby on his income, it might be ok to have a kid while you are still in school. I guess it all depends on what your financial situation is or will be. I am 27 now and my boyfriend and I are holding off on getting married until I graduate---which won't be for at least another 2 years. It is very hard to watch all of my friends get married and have babies, knowing that's not in the near future for me. Unfortunately, as women, we often end up sacrificing family for career or vice versa. I keep reminding myself that plenty of women have healthy babies in their early thirties. :)

Justabitoff · Jun 1, 2012

Thank you so much for the feedback!

As for my plan: I was planning on doing an accelerated BSN course. I definitely do not want an Associates. I've seen most jobs that require a BSN and since I already have a Bachelors, it really doesn't make sense to do it any other way. My plan was to do 2 years of pre-reqs at a CC, then apply to an accelerated program (there are about 7 in my area, I live just outside NYC). That would be another 1-2 years. That's of course depending on if I get in right away, but I'm planning on applying to several schools.

I thought about doing a BSN where I take the pre-reqs in the school, but in the long-run (loan wise) it's cheaper to do the pre-reqs at a community college and then apply to an accelerated program. I'm also hoping to use that time to bump up my GPA. I graduated undergrad with a 3.13, but I'm hoping if I do well in my pre-reqs, I'll have a better chance of getting in. Perhaps I should also start a thread about this!

eeyore129 · Jun 1, 2012

I am currently a nursing student, I will graduate next May. I, too, have a bachelors already and am planning on becoming a CDE. I have a child with type 1 diabetes and I am hypoglycemic.

I am in a traditional four-year program for my BSN. I did my pre-reqs part-time at a community college also. It took me a couple of years. I could have gone the route of the accelerated program, but I will tell you, they pretty much own you for that entire 16 months. The only break (sort of) is one week off, but even then, there is paperwork to do.

In the BSN program, I think it is still quite demanding of my time and quite intense. I chose to return to school once my children were in a position to be without me for several hours at a time and manage ok. If you have a child during or before school, you will need to navigate early or late drops offs to some sort of childcare due to clinicals. There will be times where you will really need many hours of privacy to get schoolwork done. Your husband will need to be willing to give up some of his time to accommodate yours. If that works, great, but think about how your schedule will be. You cannot miss clinicals or you won't have the hours to take the NCLEX. Schools have to certify that requirements have been met. Generally, I wouldn't recommend missing a class, either, as missing one class is like missing an entire week of school.

There will be challenges any way you look at it, but you might make a list to see which challenges are something you can overcome, and which ones maybe not so much. Good luck in your decision!

terri8 · Jun 1, 2012

I was pregnant and had my son while I was doing my prerequisites. The only difficulties I've had is sometimes finding child care for him while I'm in nursing school now. I'm divorced though, so I'm a single mom and that's a different situation. It's not too hard, I just try to study while he is napping or asleep for the night. In my class there have been a few girls who gave birth during the nursing program, but they haven't had any issues either. Good luck!! :)

lukeslichy · Jun 1, 2012

I agree with everyone else, totally a personal decision but I love giving my opinion so here's mine!

In your situation where you have decided you want kids and you have 4 years of schooling to go I say have a baby now. Another poster said possibly and ADN program wouldn't be your best bet, definitely look into those options. I know for myself the accelerated BSN programs in my area were almost impossible to get into and I had a great GPA (of course this was in my area). If you were able to start nursing school in the fall and be done in two years I would have the baby when you finish. But that isn't the case, pre-reqs with a baby is very do-able. I had both my kids young (I was 24 and 26) and I do not regret it. I know people always say that women have babies in their late 30s and early 40s, this is really true. But the truth is the older you are the more likely you are to have complications with pregnancy, and you are a Type 1 diabetic on top of everything else. Don't sacrafice family for nursing school! I started my pre-reqs (I also have a totally unrelated 4 year degree) with a 9 month old and a 3 year old. You can totally do it!

One more thing I want to mention. ASN is almost like a 3 year degree. I can finish up my 4 year degree with just one more year of schooling after it's finished. Places around here let you do it online and go in for clinical. Getting the ADN is the hard part!

GM1023 · Jun 1, 2012

i feel your pain! i am 32 years old and i will be done my prereqs in two months. this whole baby thing and changing careers has been big for me.

i also have a bachelors and have been looking at every option imaginable as far as schools – accelerated bsn, rn then rn to bsn, regular full-time bsn.

i had a plan … and it was to complete an rn program. the school is a hospital as well, and i have experience working at two different hospitals in a marketing position. so, i felt like i was somewhat at an advantage for finding a job with an rn. plus, the school has an affiliation with a bsn program, so you go right into it. i timed it “perfectly” so i would have all my prereqs completed, including all the additional classes that are required during the program. however, i had a miscarriage at 9 weeks, and i didn’t get into the nursing class i wanted to. the class i was accepted for would be a much longer wait to start.

i was so upset about all of these things, and one day, a random woman in an exercise class that i teach told me she was a nursing instructor in an accelerated bsn program. she really encouraged me to look into it. i told her i still wanted to have a baby, she said the school has two different accelerated bsn tracks and an undergrad program as well – so i could easily fall into another class or take a semester off if needed. i thought it was a sign that i should go for accelerated bsn, and i applied. the start date would have been the month the baby was due. so i was anticipating getting into that school and just waiting a bit to start a family. unfortunately, i didn’t get into that program. i got a letter stating that i didn’t have enough prereqs completed and that others have been accepted that were done or nearly done. i am now being considered for two of their upcoming classes.

it has been about 5 months since my miscarriage and now that i’m nearly done the prereqs, i am looking at everything with different eyes. i have spent a lot of time making friends with people that are also pursing nursing, so i’ve gotten some good advice and considered everything – cost, what transfers, length of time, start dates, how rigorous the programs are …

right now, i feel like i can’t put my plan to start a family on hold because everything else is just too unpredictable. i saved my spot at that first school i looked at for an rn. but it doesn’t start for 1.5, although i am waitlisted to start a bit earlier. so, my husband and i are now trying. i am applying to a number of accelerated bsn schools. i even found one (not accelerated, but bsn) that is 2.5 years long and classes are nights and weekends. the program is intended for people with jobs and families, so i feel it is very manageable. i even feel comfortable trying to have a baby while in that program if it doesn’t happen right away.

my mom is a nurse and she has told me that she has seen people accomplish their bsn and rn while pregnant. i have heard many stories about it being possible.

right now, i’m just going to let it all fall into place and make the best decision when it is time to make a decision. perhaps i’ll go back to that original rn program, who knows. we’re trying to have a baby now, and in the meantime, i should hear back from schools.

my suggestion is to concentrate on the prereqs. get them done. you can always wait a year to start your program if needed. you can always defer your start date if needed. just get started. i know the journey seems long, and that you’re sacrificing a lot. it is an emotional roller coaster, and it is not easy.

i hope my story helps you. please keep me posted and good luck!

Stephalump · Jun 1, 2012

It's hard for me to give advice on this - I've had at least one child through my my college journeys over the last 8 years, and I have three going into NS. It's just life to me.

What I would consider is the "baby domino effect.". Most people aren't thinking about siblings before they get pregnant with the first, but it's amazing how quickly that comes up, and how much pressure you can feel if you want your children close in age. If you have a baby in 9 months, will you be on AN in 2 years asking for advice on being pregnant in nursing school?

We decided to have all of our children before NS. When I get my first job, I have no worries about traipsing halls pregnant, saving up money, or taking time off work - or putting a brand new, 6 week old baby in daycare. That's what was important to us and worked for us, but your mileage may vary.

I have a friend who worked hard to get through nursing school with raging baby fever, secured her first job, got pregnant right away, and the realized she wanted to be a stay at home mom for the first couple years. To me, that seems crazy after working so hard, but to each her own! They're happy :)

Justabitoff · Jun 1, 2012

I do think this partially answers my question, but maybe not in the way you think. First, I won't be getting pregnant immediately. My HbA1c is far too high to preggers right now, so I'll have to wait at least a little awhile. I was thinking about trying around our 2nd anniversary (next summer), so that I would give birth a good 6 months before starting any nursing school classes. And that's, of course, given that I get in on the first try (which everyone is now scaring me into thinking won't happen). If that's the case. And if it's true that I may have to wait, with no certainly about when I'll get in and out of nursing school, then I don't want to wait. I don't really want to be 32 or 33 having my first kid, mainly because I want to have several kids, but not close together (2 yrs + difference at LEAST) and I don't want to be 40 and pregnant.

Also, I thought I'd mention that I really want to do my pre-reqs through CC and not a BSN because I don't want to quit work for 4 years. Through a CC I can take part-time classes in the evenings or before work, online or on the weekends. I can't do that if I'm in school at a 4 year college full-time. So that's also something I'm considering in my quest to become a nurse.

Ugh, going back to school is so complicated!!