Pregnant in Nursing School

[kathygrace]

My fiance and I want to have a baby but I am scared how well it will work with nursing school. I have two years left in my program but we really do not want to wait. We would plan to get pregnant in August so I could have and care for our baby over the summer when I won't be in classes or clinical. My concern is if being pregnant will effect my clinical during that semester. Even though I will not have the kid yet will it still be a struggle? If so, in what ways and can it still be done while staying sane? Please give me your advice!!!!

[Momma1RN, MSN, RN, APRN]

I was pregnant my senior year in nursing school. It can be physically tough even if you don't have complications like extreme nausea. No one can tell you how it will affect you, but I would personally consider waiting until you're almost done with school. I graduated, had my baby, took my NCLEX and got to spend the first few months with him before job searching.

[River&MountainRN, ADN, RN]

We had a couple of pregnant nursing students in my class. One was my best friend and the poor girl was due the day after graduation. Poor thing was miserable by the end because it was a HOT May that year! She was a good sport about it, though: she played our "pregnant patient" in all of our group assessment projects and started joking that at least she'd be in well trained hands if she went into labor at our graduation ceremony. ?

The second student was about halfway along in her pregnancy by the time we graduated and that seemed to be easier on her mind, body, and school performance rather than wondering if she'd make it to graduation before going into labor.

My suggestion would be to wait and time things so that you're more like the latter student over the former. Both did well and did graduate, by it did take its toll on my friend!

[C_M_L_R18]

How old are you?

If you’re under 30 I’d wait. I had hyper emesis with my middle kid (girl) and moderately bad morning sickness with the boys and there is no way I’d have been able to keep up or even drag myself to class let alone be on my feet for clinicals.

Thats also not taking into account the sheer exhaustion of early pregnancy.

Also, pregnancy is weird. Some women sail through (with the exception of the morning sickness I had a “Goldilocks” pregnancy with my third) and then some women end up high risk even though they’re young and healthy and Hale. It’s an utter dice roll.

I have a dear friend who had an unplanned but welcome pregnancy during last year of her PhD. She ended up with a c section and had to defend her dissertation 48 hours after major abdominal surgery. She said she doesn’t suggest it to anyone.

Unless you’re like my age (37) I’d wait!