Pregnant and nursing school... full or part-time?

[magn1jes]

Hello! I am 4 months pregnant with my first child. I have also been attending nursing school full time, and am registered for another full load next semester. I am seriously considering only attending part-time to have some free time and to be able to enjoy being pregnant (since I won't be able to sleep or fully relax for a few years ). What do you think? My schedule is pretty demanding, and I know I will stress about planning for a baby and getting good grades. I am not due until a few weeks after school is out and since I won't be able to attend in the summer, it pushes my ability to apply for an RN program back by a whole year (giving me a year more to take classes).

Have any of you attended school while pregnant? Do you suggest going and getting it over with, or taking my time and relaxing as much as possible? I know it is absolutely possible to complete school and planning for a baby, I just want both experiences to be as enjoyable as possible. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

[inProgress]

my best friend and i are in nursing school together and at the start of the program my daughter was 2 1/2 and she was pregnant. she worked full-time and was in the nursing program full-time. she delivered over xmas break and she is doing great still. it was hard for her to leave her baby with a sitter or daycare but her daughter will be 1 1/5 when she graduates and she'll have a great way to support her daughter. I on the other hand have a toddler/preschooler who wants to be with me all the time. its harder when they are 3-4 because they are more aware of how much time you are or arent spending with them.

my advice is go for it. you can do it!

[tablefor9, RN]

Still shaking head over the "enjoy being pregnant" part...ok, I'm finished now.

Things aren't going to get *less* time intensive after babe is out, so I'd say if you can do a full load now, get it done. Enjoy being a Mama, and finish school as quickly as possible.

Life has a way of pushing further education to the back burner, then the warming pan, then the compost heap.

[suri_wild]

Speaking from experience, DO as much as you can now. I am a mom, of a five year old, got pregnant my senior year of HS. I thought it would be best to only go PT, then after he was born I went PT a little while, couldn't stand missing so much of his time being a baby (it goes FAST) so I stopped. Though I would go back when he was 2, waited. 3, no waited. You get attached, you can't bear to part. Especially when you find out he rolled over the first time and you missed it. You missed his first crawl, he started walking, first words. All of it makes you want to wait wait wait. (Not that waiting is bad, but it is if you know you had the option to finish, bills are piling and you are torn between your child school and work). Like I said he is 5 and now he needs a lot of medical attention that I cant provide because I only make $9/hr. I talking about speech therapy, learning diabilities, etc. Things you would never think about when pregnant. Now if you have support to care for you and your son in the meantime, husband family etc and income is ok, then yea you can wait. Just be satisfied with the idea that you might not return to school until your child is a 1st grader. This isn't meant to be a beat down, I sincerely wish you the best. I want you to make the right decision for you and your baby. I wanted to you see as much perspective as you can. Best wishes!

Edit: ignore that i keep saying he and son, just habit!

[Belle Epoque]

Seeing as women in some cultures still cull the rice field, squat and pop out a baby, then continue to work the rice fields, I say yeah.. of course it's doable.

We are just a spoiled society by nature.

[magn1jes]

Thank you for all of the great answers. I am really surprised at how one-sided they are . I am meeting with my advisor to discuss our options today. My mind changes every day, and this morning I want to go full-time, yesterday - not so much. I just wish it were an easier decision.