pregnant while in school or during first year?

SmilingBluEyes · Dec 27, 2005

I would vote NOT in school myself. If anything goes at all wrong, you may have to stop and even start over. BAD idea.

LaurieLu78 · Dec 27, 2005

I'm currently 20 weeks pregnant and graduating in May (3 weeks before my due date). Aside from the severe nausea for the first 15 weeks I really had no problem with the first trimester. I have consulted my professors for the last upcoming semester and they are front loading my clinical and preceptor hours so that I'm not overworked close to my due date. It is possible, and it can be done (but with obvious risks like the previous poster mentioned). I know someone that graduated this month who was 37 weeks at her pinning. Another good friend in the program is due in February (unplanned pregnancy and certainly an inconvenient time). If you can plan it properly (and you have a supportive nursing faculty), it isn't a difficult task (except for the lack of sleep). I chose pregnancy in school over pregnancy in the first year. I can't really tell you why... I guess I was just really anxious to be a mom :wink2:

Littlewonder · Dec 27, 2005

As long as your due date is after graduation - not so bad. I ended up pregnant and delivered in the middle of my last semester. I took a year off to enjoy baby (but we really went into debt to do it.) I finished my last semester when baby was 8 mo old.

GooeyRN, ADN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN · Dec 27, 2005

You never know how your body will react to pregnancy. So being in school while pregnant may be difficult. How is your general health? However, going to school and having an infant would be harder. I say go for the pregnancy while in school so you get to enjoy your baby when he/she is little. JMO.

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Dec 27, 2005

I vote to get pregnant after school as well. It's a risk and depending how much you want to finish nursing school.............it's a major risk.

Boston-RN, RN · Dec 27, 2005

Thank you all for the imput. I have 6 months left in school so even if we get pregnant right away, I would only be 6 mths at graduation.

It's just I'm 31 now and we want 2 and I know it's not bad to have kids after 35 I just don't want to add any more pressure than needed. And I've seen on this board how many people struggle with workload and other stuff their first year in nursing that it makes me nervous

Gompers, BSN, RN · Dec 27, 2005

I'd say go for it now. You never know how long it's going to take to get pregnant, and if you wait you might kick yourself later. Plus, once you start working, you really won't have much sick/vacation time built up for at least a year or two, so you'd either have a very very short maternity leave or have to take most of it without pay. You also don't want to interrupt that first year working as a nurse - it is such a huge transition period, you have no idea. I'd say try for a baby now, and if you're very pregnant at the time of graduation, maybe wait to start working as a nurse until AFTER you have the baby. But make sure to take the N-CLEX as soon as you can after graduation, so it's out of the way and you're taking it when you have the material fresh in your mind.

Good luck!

QuigRN · Dec 27, 2005

I was pregnant when I found out I had been accepted to nursing school to be an RN. I was already working as an LPN. I guess my choice if I had one would be to have one after nursing school. I started RN school when my daughter was 7 weeks old and it was really hard - I was getting up at 3:00am to study and I was always tired. I was almost 30 when I had her so I understand you not wanting to wait too long although I have a friend who is also a nurse and is having a baby at 43!

old-MLF · Dec 27, 2005

MAnurseHopeful-I really, really have to answer this. When I started nursing school I was in my 20's and in a dilemma. I wanted to get my education and finish having my children. I would opt to have a child while in school-and employer might not take it too well if you take off time due to the pregnancy. My opinion. But here is why I had to answer this letter-I had two kids when I started school (a three year old and a six year old) and carried two (not twins) while I attended school. Not sure that was a good idea. Anyway, good luck whatever you decide.

EDGRADNURSE · Dec 27, 2005

I had my first child, when I was 36, at the beginning of Med-Surg II (pregnant during M/S I). My instructors worked with me (for instance, putting me in psych clinicals right after the baby was born rather than starting me off in M/S II clinicals).

However, I had to hold up my end of the bargain, so to speak. I didn't ask for extensions on tests and did not miss clinicals. It was hard too, as mine was a high risk pregnancy and I had a c-section delivery.

As a new graduate nurse, I have to say that I am glad I had my son during school and not during the beginning of my nursing career. I don't think anyone is going to cut me any slack now

That's just my opinion. I'm sure you can work everything out no matter when a baby comes.

LauraF, RN, ASN, CNA, LPN, RN · Dec 27, 2005

I am 39 years old. I found out I was pregnant my last semester of school. I had been told I was going through menopause early due to PCOS. Anyway so much for menopause. I graduated 2 weeks ago with many complications and 21 weeks into my pregnancy. I begged the Nurse Mid-wife to not put me on bedrest until I got done with school. As long as I could finish school I would stand on my head for them afterwards. If I had it to do over I would have preferred to wait until I had graduated and passed boards, then I atleast can not have that taken away. You can always find a job.