Pregnancy/Newborn during nursing school

LubbDubb77, BSN, RN · Jul 27, 2018

I have not started nursing school yet, I start this fall as well. In my opinion, nursing school is already going to be really hard..Well depending on the person, but for the most part ITS HARD lol...So, adding a baby to the mix...A newborn, that will completely exhaust you. Is it doable? Of course, many people have done it and were successful. If you're really really wanting a baby, I personally would wait until at least the last year of nursing school. If I were personally going to do it I would do it in the last quarter/semester of nursing school. To be pregnant while in school, not giving birth or having the newborn while in school.

When I got pregnant, I decided to go back to school for my pre-req's for nursing. I had my son in the middle of a quarter when I was taking ONLY chemistry and got a B. For me, it was like my brain just would not intake or absorb any information. I couldn't even understand the most basic of concepts. This is why I recommend against it. I can't even imagine what it would be like doing that during nursing school.

RainbowSprinkles · Jul 29, 2018

Possible morning sickness, cramps, not wanting to get up for class/clinicals, being pregnant while doing strenuous work at clinicals, having a new born baby with random sleep patterns while trying to study doesn't seem like a great idea to me. However, this is a very subjective situation and you ultimately would have to make that choice.

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Jul 29, 2018

Conception on demand is not a given. Neither is a 40 week gestation or healthy newborn.

TheDudeWithTheBigDog, ADN, RN · Jul 30, 2018

Since a kid is full time, not during the summer while you have time between classes, it's an awful idea. Wait until you're done school so that you have more time for yourself that you can dedicate to that kid. If you already had the kid, and it was a 5 year old or something, then you can balance family and school. But a newborn, you should really be there a lot more than any college major is ever going to let happen.

Misteighbloo, BSN, RN · Jul 30, 2018

Aside from making nursing school that much more difficult, I would personally wait until school is finished because you won't really be able to focus on that l'il one if you're constantly thinking of papers and exams while feeding or snuggling him or her. Not to say it can't be done, but having your first baby (or any baby) is an experience to be savored and not as easy to savor with the stress of nursing school. Just my two cents. Best wishes whatever you decide and congratulations on school!

microkate · Jul 31, 2018

It's doable, if you have a good support system & everything goes well with the pregnancy & birth - which is not a guarantee. I started my ASN pregnant with my first, already had all my gen ed classes under my belt, so was able to take 10 weeks off. Came back to school with a newborn, then finished the program 28 weeks pregnant with my 2nd kid. Then, I started my BSN online a week before baby 2 was born. Came home from the hospital 2 days post C-section and wrote a paper. Yeah, I had morning sickness and sleepless nights. I typed up care plans with my baby tucked in a wrap, and found places to pump while at clinicals. It wasn't easy, but frankly it's never easy to have kids.

What I would do is consider the what-ifs. What if...I have a difficult pregnancy & have to leave school? Check your school's leave of absence policy. With mine, I could take a medical leave of absence and join the next cohort if things didn't go well. I would be delayed, but wouldn't have to start all over. I didn't need to, but knowing that was a possibility made me more comfortable with taking the risk.

MiladyMalarkey, ASN, BSN · Jul 31, 2018

All I think about when someone says first time mom is the newborn stage & learning a level of tiredness/exhaustion you've likely never known before. Nevermind the unpredictability & symptoms of conception/pregnancy/birth. Your life as you know it changes, sometimes tough emotions can come with that. You are smart enough to have an idea about it, but until you are woken from a dead sleep for the first time & have a little being demanding all your attention you dont realize how tough the mom gig can be. Adding a baby on top of nursing school even in best case scenario can be rough. It's doable if you have to, but you also don't want to wear yourself out, physically or emotionally either. If are set on doing this, I'd recommend to wait to start "trying" last semester, still a gamble but better than being in the thick of it. May you one day be blessed with that baby you long for.

stephaniej1229 · Aug 2, 2018

Hello! I can't help but strongly agree with these other posts....being a mom is HARD!!! I can tell a lot of mothers have responded to this! When my first was born, he was a sweet angel, yet he was colicky and cried and screamed his little head off constantly, no matter how hard I tried to comfort him. That was by far the most happiest and at the same time most stressful time of my life. This doesn't happen to everyone, even my second never did this. The point is, like many others have said, that having a baby is just SO unpredictable. I start my nursing classes next month, so I am no expert in that, but I have my two boys so I know how crazy life can get with a baby, and that is without being in school. I think it's best to wait, but obviously many mom's make it happen. I have high respect for those single parents that make it work. The support system would be very important, and your husband would have to pick up a lot more duties. Not only that, but if baby is sick your instructors may not allow much time off of clinical/school. If you do a daycare, the chances of baby being sick often goes up...which isn't horrible it is just fact. I already told my other half he might have to be the one to stay home most often with our kids when/if they get sick while I am in school. Good luck with whatever you may choose though, because clearly it is doable, but it would be hard even with a healthy and happy baby.