Pregnant or having baby in nursing school - is it possible?

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I'm going into my 2nd year of my ADN program in the fall, scheduled to graduate in May 2007. So far it has been a great experience & I'm doing very well.

Here's my "dilemma". My husband and I have been thinking about starting a family (I'm 28 1/2 and he's 34), and I'm wondering if I'm nuts to even consider it while still in school/getting ready to work my first nursing job. We know we want to have children, but we were originally thinking about waiting until I had a year or two of nursing work under my belt. But we've recently been talking it over, and are both a bit concerned about the risks of waiting. From a health/fertility standpoint, I would rather not be over 30 for my first pregnancy if I can work it out. I think hubby is even more concerned about his age - he would rather not be an "older parent" if he can help it and I think has more of a biological clock than me! Hubby has a good, stable job with excellent benefits, though money will be a little tight until I get working again.

I am wondering if any of you have been pregnant or had a new baby in school, and if so how you made it work (or not)! Even if you haven't but have thoughts on the matter, that would be appreciated. Even if I got pregnant NOW, it wouldn't be due until Feb. or March. I do my preceptorship in April, so probably would want to avoid that time if possible. Most likely scenario would be being due early in my first year of work.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Hi everyone,

Thanks so much for the replies. I am still really on the fence with this decision. My husband seems to think it would be much worse to have a baby during my first year of work, and I tend to agree with him. My program has not been that bad so far, but I am very nervous about making a successful transition to new nurse. And I didn't realize that about FMLA whoever pointed it out - thank you! However, my husband is eligible through FMLA through his job, so unless I'm missing something I think he could take that leave if needed (and he is extremely supportive, actually does way more housework than me...though he hasn't figured out how to breastfeed yet :D)

We have kind of decided that unless we decide to get pregnant in the next 6 months or so (so the baby would be born at the very end, just after, or during the summer after I graduate), I should try to work a full year and delay pregnancy. The only reason that this stresses me out is that I will then be over 30 for my first (and he will be 36).

Thanks again, and keep the advice coming! :)

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I did it! It was an accident, but my first child was born 3 days after spring semester, first year, was over and 8 days before the summer semester started. Amazingly, my grades improved after my son was born even though I was much busier (my husband was deployed 2 weeks after our son was born). Many people will tell you it's not smart, but if it's right for your family, go for it.

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I'm 26 and I have 2 beautiful, gorgeous daughters. The oldest one is 3 and the youngest one is 1. I'm in my 3rd semester of nursing school and to tell you the truth...IT IS HARD. I'm studying after I put them to sleep at about 11:00pm until 3 am, then I take my oldest daughter to school 9am. Drop off the baby with my mom and dad. Go to school from about 10am until 3pm and then I try to study until I have to pick up my daughter at school at 6pm. Then I do mommy stuff like feeding them, playing with them, bathing them, then bed time. You don't know how many times I've broken down sobbing because I get so frustrated that I can't study as much as i want to or have enough time to finish papers and projects. My husband travels a lot so I can't really depend on him. But on the positive side, they keep me motivated to do well in school. They make me laugh and we have a ton of fun together. Let me know if I can help you.

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

Thing is, you are only hearing from those who have been able to successfully have a baby during nursing school. You aren't hearing from the many who haven't been able to do it successfully.

I have to admit the age concern made me grin. I wouldn't worry until perhaps age 34-35 myself.

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Hi all, thanks for the replies. After a lot of thinking I've decided to wait. Just too many unknowns about how the pregnancy will go and how I would be able to handle it all point to a no for me right now. I was just getting worried because I've been on the pill for 10 years and am nearing the end of my 20's. But in the great scheme of fertility, I think waiting a year until I graduate is no biggie. Our plan now is for me to graduate and get my license/start working, then I'll go off the pill and see what happens. That way I'll get at least a year or so of experience under my belt before having a baby. If I should have a hard time in the pregnancy, I might have to take a leave of absense or in the worst case resign, but that's a whole lot better than having to drop out of school. Thank you again!

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Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.
the professors have so far let my classmate bring her baby to lectures and so forth (until the baby cries and whatnot).

Wow that is amazingly accomodating. I can't imagine that's very common.

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I just wanted to let you know that it is possible to pull off nursing school and having a new baby. I was dead smack in the middle of med surg when our daughter was born 6 weeks ago, and although it does cut your studying time down and your more tired than ever ( I also have a 27 month old along with a 6 week old) it is something that will make you work harder for because you will have the benefit of having something to work even harder for. Good luck!!!!!

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Specializes in NICU.
Wow that is amazingly accomodating. I can't imagine that's very common.

We've had two moms bring their four y/o kids and one girl with a new baby. Nobody seems to have had an issue with it...

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Specializes in CTICU.

If it helps you feel better, my mother was 30 when she had me and 34 when she had my sister. We both have 10 fingers and 10 toes and both pregnancies were uncomplicated.

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I am 21 and in an accelerated second degree program for people who already have their Bachelors, so I understand the rigor. I am also 28 weeks pregnant and will be in school until 2 weeks before I deliver. Its not easy, especially when finances are as unstable as in my case, but it is doable and it makes you have a constant reminder of why you are putting yourself through the rigor of school. Every time the baby kicks I think, I'm doing this for her. The most important peice of advice I can give is to draw your boundaries. I haven't been very good at that and I worked a few days in the ICU. Now I am terrified that my baby has been exposed to something. Does anyone know somebody, who worked in ICU late in pregnancy? I am really freaking out.

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Specializes in med surg, school nursing.

I had my fourth child last July of 2005. I started nursing school 6 weeks later. My children were 5, 3, 2 and 6 weeks old when I started. It is possible! And I got two A-'s my first semester and a B+ for med-surge this spring. So it is possible. You will be sleep deprived and life will be chaotic and not so much fun at times, but it is all worth it.

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Specializes in med surg, school nursing.
Hi all, thanks for the replies. After a lot of thinking I've decided to wait. Just too many unknowns about how the pregnancy will go and how I would be able to handle it all point to a no for me right now. I was just getting worried because I've been on the pill for 10 years and am nearing the end of my 20's. But in the great scheme of fertility, I think waiting a year until I graduate is no biggie. Our plan now is for me to graduate and get my license/start working, then I'll go off the pill and see what happens. That way I'll get at least a year or so of experience under my belt before having a baby. If I should have a hard time in the pregnancy, I might have to take a leave of absense or in the worst case resign, but that's a whole lot better than having to drop out of school. Thank you again!

Not to scare you, but you are at your most fertile in your 20's. After the age of 30, fertility starts to decline. After the age of 35, that decline is significant, hence the AMA (advanced maternal age) thing that our GYN's warn us about. Celebrities have babies into their 40's, however, most of those are medically assisted. Even if you take great care of your body, you are thin, exercise, eat right, no cigs/drugs/alcohol, your eggs age. So you may look young on the outside, but your eggs are as old as they are. No changing that.

Personally, I would NOT wait. Especially if you are 30 and you want a few children. Just my opinion and yes I may be crazy as I have four kids under the age of six, but I am now 35 and happily done.

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