Pregnant new grad in the ED?

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I graduate in December, I really want to start in the ED, and I really want to start a family. I know, they don't seem to fit, do they? I will be precepting in the ED during my last semester at the hospital I will be working at AND they have a 6 month orientation program for new grads. It's a really supportive atmosphere but I'm wondering if I should even be thinking about getting pregnant my first year? My husband is 32, I'm 25, and we are both ready for a baby. My main concern is being stressed out while pregnant. I don't want the baby to be affected adversely from this, but then I figure that I'm probably going to be stressed out no matter WHERE I start. I just need some sound advice from your perspective. Thanks.

Specializes in OB, lactation.
I say wait a bit to start your family. Right now you and hubby can enjoy the time you spend together and take vacations. Things will be different once you have a baby so enjoy now and the money you will be making just for the two of you. :)

:yeahthat:

Looking back, now in the middle of kids 4, 7, & 9, I can't believe dh and I didn't use the time and money we had before kids to travel & do pre-kid stuff!!!!! I guess at the time, we thought we did, but looking back we could have done a lot more.

I would say to wait just a little while for that reason even more than the part about working (although it's valid too). Best wishes!

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Specializes in Emergency.

I did it! I graduated in May 04, worked as a GN. Scheduled boards for December 04. Found out I was pregnant in December. I was horribly, HORRIBLY sick. In and out of the hospital for dehydration. Anyway to make a long story longer I failed boards the first time because I was just discharged the night before, I was focused on concentrating more on not throwing up then actually reading the questions. So I continued to study after I had my happy, healthy daughter 2 weeks late! Passed boards with 75 questions & have been happily working in the same ED since. What I'm trying to say is that timing isn't really everything, it just depends on how badly you want something. If you want a family & a new career I say go for it. It sure wasn't easy though!!!

Best of luck in whatever you decide!

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Specializes in Day Surgery/Infusion/ED.

To qualify for FMLA, you must have worked for 12 months and at least 1,250 hours. This isn't either/or--you must meet both requirements.

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Specializes in NICU.

I don't know how all your hospitals work, but at mine you don't get to just use FMLA to pay for your maternity leave. You have to use up ALL of your allotted sick, vacation, personal, and holiday time FIRST before anything. I was under the impression that FMLA doesn't actually PAY anything - it just protects your job while you are off work.

I am pregnant and currently have about 8 weeks of "time" saved up. Hopefully I'll be able to work up until I deliver (I'm in the NICU, not very hard on the body) so that I can use all that time AFTER the baby, not before. By the time I'm due, I should have another couple of weeks' time accrued so that hopefully I can take 3 months off, fully paid. I was under the impression that with FMLA, you can stay off as long as you please, but once you've used up all your paid time off, you are not going to get paid.

That's part of the problem with getting pregnant right away after starting any job, whether you're a new grad or just switching hospitals. If you haven't been there long, you haven't had time to accumulate much sick and vacation time.

Good luck in whatever your choose!

And I know that some people find it offensive when others tell younger people to wait and start their families later, to not be in such a hurry...but really, I agree. I am so glad my husband and I got to spend our 20's traveling and having fun before we got tied down with the lifelong responsiblity of parenthood. I don't regret it for a second.

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Specializes in med/surg/tele/neuro/rehab/corrections.
Gompers said:
I am so glad my husband and I got to spend our 20's traveling and having fun before we got tied down with the lifelong responsiblity of parenthood. I don't regret it for a second.

I wish so much that I had waited and spent time in my 20's travelling and just working and going to school as was my original plan. 

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