Pregnancy and Nursing

EDNURSE20, BSN · Jul 17, 2020

Wait till you have graduated and have a job. Sounds like it’s not to far away. Then start trying, you don’t have to wait till you’ve been working a year.

nursing school is stressful enough and getting a job as a new grad is already hard! Don’t make it harder by being pregnant. You’ve got plenty of time to have babies.

Sour Lemon · Jul 17, 2020

4 hours ago, KW8788 said:
Hello!
I am a current nursing student in an ABSN program and will graduate in June of 2021. I decided at 27 to make a career change and I could not be happier with my decision. I am about to turn 29 and my husband is 33 and we are eager to start a family. I have been struggling with the idea of getting pregnant during nursing school (we would start trying once I am past the 9-month window of graduation), or to wait until I am a new grad. I know the general advice is to wait at least 6 months to 1 yr out of school but I am stressed about my age and wanting to have multiple kids. Curious about other nurses experiences!
Thank you for any advice!

I waited and ended up with 60K+ in fertility treatments. Tick tock, tick tock ...you might be someone who has no difficulty or incredible difficulty. Our fertility decreases as we age, that's just a biological fact.

If kids are very important to you, and you want a bunch of them, consider that you'll have more work-around options and more chance of success if you're younger.

I was 36 when I "decided" to have a baby, so older than you (by far). There's no definite number, though. Everyone encouraged me to take my time and assured me that I should have no difficulty ...even my ob/gyn.

Weigh everything, but keep in mind that there's rarely a good time to have kids.

Jory, MSN, APRN, CNM · Jul 19, 2020

I would go ahead and try to get pregnant to where you would be around 7 months at graduation. That is enough of a buffer in case you have problems and will give you time at home with your baby, if you can financially swing it.

Remember, you are NOT eligible for FMLA until you have completed at least one year of full time employment. So getting pregnant and starting a new job...your will be limited to short-term disability only and no more.

adventure_rn, MSN, NP · Jul 19, 2020

2 hours ago, Jory said:
Remember, you are NOT eligible for FMLA until you have completed at least one year of full time employment. So getting pregnant and starting a new job...your will be limited to short-term disability only and no more.

In addition, you probably won't be able to drop down your hours (I.e. two shifts a week instead of three) or go PRN until you have completed at least a full year.

Maria Isabel · Apr 3, 2021

Hello ladies, I've been struggling with a similar situation. Currently waiting to hear back from nursing programs. Applied for the ADN program and I'm already 34. I'm already having a hard time conceiving, add to that about 2 years. I will be 36 almost 37 by the time I finish (that's if I get in this fall). My husband really wants children now and so do I but he thinks it won't be doable while in nursing school. Do any of you ladies have experience with being pregnant during nursing school or have kids. Any insight will help.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Apr 3, 2021

7 hours ago, Maria Isabel said:

Hello ladies, I've been struggling with a similar situation. Currently waiting to hear back from nursing programs. Applied for the ADN program and I'm already 34. I'm already having a hard time conceiving, add to that about 2 years. I will be 36 almost 37 by the time I finish (that's if I get in this fall). My husband really wants children now and so do I but he thinks it won't be doable while in nursing school. Do any of you ladies have experience with being pregnant during nursing school or have kids. Any insight will help.

Nursing school will take all of your energy. So will having a baby.

I think you will have to choose one or the other.

Good luck.

klone, MSN, RN · Apr 3, 2021

On 7/19/2020 at 12:34 PM, Jory said:

Remember, you are NOT eligible for FMLA until you have completed at least one year of full time employment. So getting pregnant and starting a new job...your will be limited to short-term disability only and no more.

The bigger concern than a paycheck while on maternity leave (and even people who are out with FMLA may not have enough accrued PTO - FMLA doesn’t give you a paycheck) is that in that first year, they can replace her position, so she may be out of a job.

Ah, this was a zombie thread. I hate that.