Published Feb 12, 2014
JNcCole15
48 Posts
Hey there!
Is anyone else having a baby in the middle of a semester in nursing school? I just got into my main nursing courses with clinicals starting in May. I am due to have a baby in March just at the start of a new session. Luckily I take courses online and I only have to go to lab one day per week. I also work as an aid so many of the skills we are being checked off on this coming session I have done before. My professors are so great and willing to work around everything. I'm praying everything works out so I do not fall behind. Anybody else in the same situation? What are you planning to do? Are you taking a semester off?
Kandy83
161 Posts
I would never understand this rationale of being pregnant and being in nursing school. Go to school for as long as you possibly can then take time off when your child is born.
Dranger
1,871 Posts
Nursing profstold us on the first day 1. Don't get married in nursing school 2. Don't get pregnant in nursing school
dream61792
290 Posts
I tip my hat off to students that are pregnant and able to still handle nursing school. I have no children and it is a struggle for me. Good Luck too You :-)
alexis_xoxo
77 Posts
To dranger and f8dagrate: Instead of judging her for being pregnant, how about you just answer her question and offer words of encouragement? Is that so hard?
I'm sorry I forgot an anonymous message board is the place to gain self worth and validate personal decisions with complete strangers. Offering blind encouragement is worse than critiquing.
macawake, MSN
2,141 Posts
While I agree that blind encouragement isn't helpful the OP's due date is in March so your sage advice is a bit too late and isn't really helpful at this point in time.
OP, most of the students in my class who had a baby ended up taking one semester off to care for their newborn. The fact that your school is willing to work with you will of course be helpful but at the end of the day only you can decide what works for you. Only you know how much physical and emotional energy you have and what kind of support system you are surrounded with.
Whichever way you decide I wish you the best of luck with school and congratulations on the addition to your family.
Everline
901 Posts
One of my instructors tells the story of how she managed to have a baby in the middle of nursing school and graduate on time. Luck was with her as she happened to deliver during some spring or holiday break and went back to school without missing a beat. She had a lot of support and was able to financially handle everything that goes with having an infant and going to school full time. Having said that, there are other stories that aren't so smooth sailing. Probably most people have to take time off. The issue at my school is that you can only miss a set number of days and you are out, no matter what the reason. So that is tricky. But if your school is willing to work around things maybe you can pull it off. You have to think about how much you may want to be with your child, too, though. Clinicals can be quite challenging and there are issues that I don't know if you are fully realizing.
There is nothing wrong with taking a semester off. You may be glad you did in the future, when you look back on your baby's first months of life. There is something to be said for taking time to adjust to motherhood and enjoy your baby. Good luck to you.
OrganizedChaos, LVN
1 Article; 6,883 Posts
I was about to apply to the nursing program in my town, but decided not to since I was pregnant. I am due to deliver in July & the program starts in August, I knew it wouldn't be feasible & I would want time with my first born. So I am delaying school until he is older.
ellaballet
174 Posts
A girl in the cohort ahead of me had a baby the week after her finals in December, is taking this semester off and starting up again with my cohort in the summer. Good luck!
applesxoranges, BSN, RN
2,242 Posts
We had a few people who delivered and most of them showed up at clinicals the next scheduled day. One girl had to medically drop at the end of peds because she delivered but ended up in the hospital for about 1 week due to a dangerous delivery. She missed the final and the way the policy is written she was unable to make it up. However, it didn't count against her as it was a medical drop.
Offering blind encouragement is worse than critiquing.
Blind encouragement, I feel, is better than the blind discouragement you offered from your professor. What you were told by your professor no longer applies to her seeing as though she is already pregnant and therefore, your advice isn't helpful at this point.