Pregnant in nursing school

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Hey everyone!

So I got accepted into the nursing program and started my first semester of a five semester program this past spring. (Only 1 class- fundamentals).

Well, last month I found out I was pregnant (so late) and I will be due aug 17. Fall semester starts aug 20. only be 3 days after Im scheduled to give birth!!! I will have a full schedule including pharm, med surg, lab, and clinical. I have made it all these months and I am not showing big yet and none of my teachers/classmates know.

My plan was to finish nursing school first before having a family,.. Honestly, I was not even thinking about having kids until years and years down the line. But it happened :( Im in my very early 20s, still living at home, and I will have some support from the father, his family, and mine but I do not know how consistent that will be.

Also they already gave us our schedule options and we may have a choice. Do you guys think I should split my days (a day between each class day) or combine them and have thur-sun off? Trying to plan for success here!

I am extremely nervous. The nursing program will be hard enough for me without a newborn. Do you guys think I can handle a newborn with my first busy semester? Will I even want to be apart from my baby? Giving it up to babysitters at 3 days old?! I was planning on breast feeding.

This is all so crazy. Im terrified. Thoughts?

Specializes in MDS/ UR.

You need to consult with your school to see if you have options.

Hey everyone!

So I got accepted into the nursing program and started my first semester of a five semester program this past spring. (Only 1 class- fundamentals).

Well, last month I found out I was pregnant (so late) and I will be due aug 17. Fall semester starts aug 20. only be 3 days after Im scheduled to give birth!!! I will have a full schedule including pharm, med surg, lab, and clinical. I have made it all these months and I am not showing big yet and none of my teachers/classmates know.

My plan was to finish nursing school first before having a family,.. Honestly, I was not even thinking about having kids until years and years down the line. But it happened :( Im in my very early 20s, still living at home, and I will have some support from the father, his family, and mine but I do not know how consistent that will be.

Also they already gave us our schedule options and we may have a choice. Do you guys think I should split my days (a day between each class day) or combine them and have thur-sun off? Trying to plan for success here!

I am extremely nervous. The nursing program will be hard enough for me without a newborn. Do you guys think I can handle a newborn with my first busy semester? Will I even want to be apart from my baby? Giving it up to babysitters at 3 days old?! I was planning on breast feeding.

This is all so crazy. Im terrified. Thoughts?

The baby is not likely to be born on the exact due date and most schools are pretty strict about the number of days you can miss without failing. For my clinicals, two absences equaled a failure and two failures equaled expulsion from the program. You're gambling.

I agree that you should speak to a representative of the program for advice.

And as for which schedule might work best for you, only you know the answer to that one.

If you can come to an agreement with the school take some time off and enjoy your baby. They are only they little once and you should get a chance to breastfeed if you want. If you are living at home and are well supported taking an extra year to complete nursing school isn't going to make a difference in the long run.

It's pretty unreasonable to think that you can have a baby and be ready for school a few days later. What if you end up having a section or a prem. Both these things would make completing your semester next to impossible.

Specializes in mental health / psychiatic nursing.

You need to talk to your school ASAP and find out what options you have. Some will allow a leave of absence or otherwise accommodate your need to take some time off or have an alternate schedule, but this must be planned in advance and ok'd by the program.

Thank you guys for the suggestions. You don't understand how hard I have worked to get into this program and I want nothing messing that up. Like I said I am not financially stable on my own and I am supposed to be getting this done and being more independent in life. By having a baby and not continuing nursing school I am way off of my plan.

I am really counting on nursing school for my success in life. My mom seems to think I can and should go right back to school. Which has me in this mindset.

Also I heard newborns are easier since they only sleep, eat, & poop most of the time. I can also pump breast milk for whoever will be watching my child at school. Plus baby won't remember me being gone for those hours I'm in school. Versus waiting a year when baby is going to be more active.

Also keep in mind most of the schedules they gave us. you are out of class by 12:30pm 3x a week. unless you choose to have 4 days off, you stay until 4pm. and of course one clinical 12 hour 7-7pm a week.

Your right, a c section will completely ruin this plan and I should talk to someone ASAP. I will do that Monday. And also see my doctor they can tell me the likelihood of me having a c section?

Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

Well, I will tell you that I had a baby right in the middle of nursing school.

However, I was nearly at the end of my third semester, only had one more

to go. I had TONS of family support; I mean my mother in law would have

kept my daughter 24/7, 365 if she could have.

Do talk to your school about your situation, but if they will not give you

a leave of absence... you know, it's doable. IF you have good support

from your family. You really are going to need that. Also do you

plan on working as well while you are in school?

Good luck. :)

Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

One more thing... newborns aren't always "easy"! My son wanted to

breastfeed six, seven hours at a time. Then he wanted to cry and

scream when I laid him down.

My daughter was a pretty easy baby. Thank goodness.

Food for thought. :laugh:

Take some time to let it sink in that your previous plans will be affected by a newborn. Moms who are able to devote 100% of there time to there babies still get overwhelmed, so please don't go forward thinking that raising a newborn will be a piece of cake.

It's your life so take of leave whatever advice you wish but I'll leave you with 2 things to think about.

My mum went back to work about a week after I was born and to this day when the subject comes up she still feels regret and grieves for the time she missed out on.

Babies might not be able to necessarily remember things and repeat them back to you when they are older. But that first year of their life a huge about of brain development goes on a bonds are built.

One last thing, you might not know your having a c-section till 15 mins before you need it.

I would suggest taking that semester off. Yes, you want to go back but it's not fair to you or your child. I was pregnant the whole first year of nursing school. Literally had my baby three days after the final. We were out for the summer which gave me some time and I went back in the fall. Big mistake! I had undiagnosed post partum depression and my grades suffered. I ended up having to repeat a semester and my undergrad GPA suffered. In hindsight, I should have taken time off.

Luckily you have a support system. However, you can't predict when you will exactly deliver, nor will you be physically up to completing clinicals and sitting in class. New babies don't sleep, therefore, neither will you.

Speak to your school and, if possible, request a medical leave and return the next semester.

Hope everything works out for you.

As a parent I can say there is no part of having a new born that is "easy."

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