Pregnancy during nursing school?

sheila26 · Aug 4, 2000

Dear ShannonB25-

When I decided to go back to school, I had two daughters - 1 and 2. Before, I started my first semester of actual nursing classes, I found out I was pregnant. Needless to say, it wasn't planned. So my first semester of nursing classes wasn't too tough, I just had intro to nursing and physical assessment. I just had to be careful when I turned patients and patients who were in isolation. It really wasn't bad. I had to take summer school, that was bad becasue of the heat and there was no air conditioning in the school. I gave birth on the first day of my junior year (the toughest year - pharm and med/surg in the same semester). It was really tough, because I had missed a week of school due to the birth and then having to find someone to watch CJ (the newborn). It was also hard because with the first two I was home with them for the first year and two years. With CJ, I put him into day care after six weeks. I felt guilty. I didn't think I was a good mother at all.

To make a long story short, I just graduated this past May. I took three months off to take a break and spend time with my three kids. I will start a new postition at a nearby hospital on Monday 8/7. Right now, I'm just waiting for my results from my boards (I took them 7/24 - pray for me).

My advice on being a good student and being a mom (I called myself superwoman)- just take one day at a time. Don't be pressured to keep the house spotless, have a homecooked meal the day before an exam, and when it is a slow week - spend time with your kids and spend some alone time with you husband. If I can do it, you can to.

Good luck!

Sheila

EricaWA · Oct 19, 2000

Originally posted by ShannonB25:
I posed this question under the General board, but felt that it would be appropriate to post it here as well. Are there any of you who are currently pursuing nursing school while pregnant or have done so yourself? My husband and I are seriously talking about getting pregnant in the next month. Hubby can't wait to have another one and my son, who is 6,also desires a sibling. I would really appreciate hearing stories or feelings on this subject. I know that the last year has been tough in my nursing program and that a pregnancy would no doubt make it harder on me, at least physically. I don't know- I guess I just want some input from my peers who really know what it's like to be in nursing school and get it all done! Thanks in advance for any input.
Shannon

Shannon,

This may be too late to offer my advice as you may already be pregnant (2+ months after your post).

I graduated from nursing school in 2000. I became pregnant my first week of my last year (Sept 99). It was very hard.

First of all I don't have easy pregnancies (I have ten and five year old sons). The first four months I had all day morning sickness. With the morning sickness I had extreme confusion. I couldn't concentrate. I felt awful. I got by in class and struggled in clinicals. Once the morning sickness was gone it was replaced by other problems. I was emotional and stressed out with the load (I also worked 20 hours a week until I was seven months pregnant and cut back to about 10 before quitting at 39 weeks). Two weeks before I was due to graduate I got a kidney infection and missed two days of clinicals which gave me an incomplete. I was able to make up the time shortly after graduation after filing a grievance with the school and winning (They wanted me to come back the next year and repeat all of my classes related to clinical, plus the entire clinical rotation.......I had a ***** for a Nursing Coordinator who was more into power trips than working for the success of Nursing students.)

Anyways, my point is that anything can happen during a course of a pregnancy and Nursing school is tough enough. The stress can alter the babies well being. Not to mention the hormones. Especially the post partum hormones and looking for a job, the NCLEX, etc. A brand new baby in my opinion, is much harder than having both a five and ten year old. My third son is now 4 months old and I am exhausted. I also had planned to bvegin working right away but I don't want my son in child care (my preference and luckily I have that option).

Let me know if you are pregnant because I do think anyone can do it, I just don't recommend it.

Erica

flightnursetaylor · Mar 17, 2010

I became pregnant at the beginning of 2nd semester. It isn't the pregnancy that was hard, it was leaving my baby. I had my son in the summer and went back to school 19 days later. It was one of the toughest things I have ever done. I spent more time worrying about him than listening to the instructors. When I was home, I felt the need to hold him and never let him go in order to try and relieve myself of some of the guilt I felt. Needless to say, I didn't study as much as I should but I graduated when he was 9 months old. 12 years later, I have 3 kids now and have never regretted continuing nursing school. Instructors wanted me to take a semester off but I didn't want to. Luckily, I had some great classmates who helped me as much as possible. They would cover for me so I could go pump my breastmilk, on test day the receptionist at the school would watch the baby while I took my test, with study groups I was encouraged to bring the baby so we could study and there were plenty of people who took turns holding him while I worked on a project. Would I be willing to be pregnant while going to nursing school? Yes, I had a easy pregnancy. Would I be willing to leave my baby and go to school? No. Although I don't regret going to nursing school or having my beautiful son, it was one of the hardest things I have even done.

Pneumothorax, BSN, RN · Mar 18, 2010

wow i was just talking about this with my fiance today...and i said... "nooo nooo nooo... maybe the last MONTH of nursing school we can start working on making a baby, but any time before then ur gonna have to keep it in ur pants dear. LOL.

i have no idea what its like to be pregnant but i know my monthly gifts bring me great displeasure... i feel like crap for 2 weeks... i can only imagine extendiing that for 9months LOLOL

allnurses Guide · Mar 18, 2010

If you have a choice in the matter then I honestly cannot fathom why anyone would choose to purposefully get pregnant during nursing school. The downside far outweighs any up side. Everyone has to decide life for themselves obviously, but since you asked for opinions...mine would be....are you crazy? lol! Wait until school is out to make a baby.

elkpark · Mar 18, 2010

In my experience teaching in nursing programs, all the students who got pregnant ended up choosing to drop out. Obviously, that's not everyone's choice, because there are plenty of people here who post about their experiences of being pregnant in nursing school. But there are plenty of other people (who, presumably, aren't members of allnurses :)) who aren't able to make it work (or choose not to).

holldnurse · Jun 1, 2010

I am in my last two months of nursing school and I am 7months pregnant! It was not planned, and it would ( of course ) be easier if I was not pregnant.. All the instructors and my teachers are all understanding.. most of them are women and I assume yours are too so they have either been there and done that or have empathy for you, they will work with you. It's just the disease that you come across every day in the hospital that makes you worry like CRAZy.. MRSA, VRE, CMV, HIV... there are also dugs you CANNOT touch just be sure to take good care of yourself and know the people you should avoid some teachers will assign you pt is iso and may not so just be prepared for that and good luck! Remember top priority no matter what, is yours and your baby's health!! - Holly LPN

arodriguez · Jul 21, 2010

I start the LPN program at Boces (Northport) in September. I am 7 and a half months pregnant now, and am due in September, so I will not be pregnant during clinicals or anything like that. I am just worried that people will give me a hard time because I chose to do this while being pregnant. I really want this, and will do whatever it takes to make it work, and have a wonderful support system and a lot of people who can help with the baby. I just don't know how the instructors will react. I do not plan on taking any more time off than absolutley needed. If anyone has any input please post here. Thank you :)

healthstar, BSN, RN · Jul 21, 2010

Plan it so the delivery date would be after you complete your finals :)

Guest 360983 · Jul 21, 2010

Plan it so the delivery date would be after you complete your finals :)

Because babies are always on time and go according to plan!

I said this in another thread, but it will be hard to get your first job when you're pregnant. Having worked in HR before, I know we were hesitant to hire people who looked like they were about to pop, and that was at a call center with a 3 week training course. I imagine it would be worse when a hospital takes you on as a new grad with a 3-6-12 month training/preceptorship commitment.

I am a risk-adverse person, so I would wait to try until the end of nursing school so that I could finish school successfully and have an easier time finding a job.

arodriguez · Jul 21, 2010

so considering I'm not looking for a job for the next 20 months and I will deliver within the first month of the program I guess I shouldn't worry too much?