Pregnant in Nursing MSN - is it possible?

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I've waited a while to go back to school and I finally chose nursing (yay!). I'm in an accelerated BSN > MSN program. I've already got a previous master's degree, so I know how graduate work can be. But my "clock is ticking" and I'm thinking about having a baby with my long term partner while in nursing school, after I pass the boards to become an RN.

I'd ideally like to do this between my 1st and 2nd year in the MSN. Am I crazy? I'm healthy, 30 and active. I don't think I'd have any complications, but of course you never know. We have the support of lots of local family members, and my partner would be in a PhD program at the time. Please give me advice! Should I go for it? Or wait a few more years until I find a job?

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I started my MN program with a 6-week-old at the breast and finished 4 months pregnant with her younger brother 2 years later. Sure you can. But see if you can stretch it out a bit. My program was nominally 5 quarters, but I took it in two years-- one class only in each of the first three semesters, summer off, then everything else over the next year starting in September and finishing up defending my thesis in December a year later. It was great, because I wasn't killing myself with a heavy academic load in any one semester, had lots of time to do the research and writing for my thesis, and had plenty of time to spend with my baby as she grew to toddlerhood.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

CAN it be done? Yes. Is it ideal? No. It seems like people who get pregnant in nursing school end up with an incompetent cervix, hyperemesis gravidarum and other wonderful things that keep you from being able to complete clinicals (or much else). Proceed with caution.

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Specializes in Childbirth Educator, Birth Doula.

Is it your first? I would wait. If it is, you are most likely going to want to navigate all those "firsts" in as stress-free a lifestyle as possible. I'm graduating my ASN in May and am due in August, but it's my third and I'm grateful that it's not my first rodeo. I can let the pregnancy do its thing while I focus on everything else. It was a completely unplanned pregnancy and I would rather have waited. If you have the option and can plan it, I would wait. You're still young!! :)

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