Should I get pregnant during nursing school?

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

Dear Wants More Children,

Congrats on your little one ?

It's wise to consider your family's needs and think ahead. Juggling work, education, and family is challenging, and you face some important choices.

I believe you can have it all, but not all at once. Should you delay having a baby? Delay pursuing your RN? Planning, strategy, and support are all essential.

As a working single mother of three children under nine who advanced from LVN to RN, I can offer some considerations.

Having a baby first, then nursing school

If having another child is your top priority, you and your husband could consider putting school off for a couple of years and focus on trying for baby number two.

Getting pregnant is more time-sensitive than going to nursing school. You are young, only 33, but you are in your prime childbearing years.

Managing two small children, two older children and working full-time is challenging. Still, you could look into taking the necessary prerequisites to prepare for school when the time is right.

The downside is going to nursing school when you have even more responsibilities- a toddler, a baby, and two pre-teens/teens. Life happens, and it is possible that the longer you wait to go to school, the harder it is to return.

Your determination and how badly you want it are the determining forces here.

Nursing school first, then a baby

• Family planning. What is the farthest apart you are willing to space your children? You could time your pregnancy (as much as possible and allow for wiggle room) to coincide with the end of the program. This can help you manage the demands of both family life and education more effectively.
• Starting your RN career before getting pregnant is advisable. If you're pregnant, you could have difficulty landing your first job, and it's important to start working ASAP after you pass boards. 
• Are you planning to change employers once you graduate? If so, find out how long you must work to be eligible for the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Typically, it's 1,250 hours.

Managing nursing school

• Work schedule. Is there any flexibility in your current work schedule if you need it? Can you take off the nights you have to drive for hands-on training? Do you have any available Paid Time Off (PTO) that you can use to assist with any intense school work that may come up?
• Finances. Is it possible to drop down to part-time for a time? Consider looking at your taxes to see if temporarily reducing your income can reduce your taxes enough to reach a sweet spot.  
• Reduce expenses. You and your husband can look at ways to cut expenses temporarily. It could mean not eating out, reducing subscription services, not buying gifts except for immediate family, washing your cars, or meal planning...there are always ways to cut back, and every little bit helps. When the time comes, buy used textbooks instead of new ones.
• Explain to your nine and ten-year-olds that you are cutting back to reach your long-term goal of being an RN. As they become teenagers, their wants and needs will increase, and having your RN by then will be good.
• Support system. Your support system is crucial. Consider the support system available to you. What family or close friends do you have that can help out in a pinch? Be open about the fact that you need assistance and understanding during the challenging period of nursing school.
• Husband as support. Your primary support is your husband, and you two must be on the same page as you make plans. Open communication can make the difference between success and failure. Marriage is a give and take, and he must understand that when you're in school, his role is to support you and the family in all ways possible. Getting your RN will pay off for the family in the long run.
• Lower your expectations of yourself. You will have to shift priorities when you start nursing school. Do you bake cookies or make snacks for the kid's classrooms? Buy them instead. Can you relax your housekeeping standards? Change bedsheets less frequently? Have the older kids help out more with specific chores.
• Personal well-being. Consider your own well-being and stress levels. Balancing work, education, and family can be demanding. How do you handle stress? Healthy eating and exercise will help.

Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer, and the best decision depends on your unique circumstances and priorities.

Whatever you and your husband decide, ensuring open communication with your loved ones will make the journey smoother—best wishes on your decision.

Nurse Beth

 

[JKL33]

I'm sure Beth will publish a great response that is more complete and neutral.

Until then you can have my $.02, which is: "Neither."

I would get the ASN and get fully oriented in an RN position. You say you need your income; just maintaining that along with nursing school is going to be hard enough. It is not going to be easier when you have another mouth to feed and infant who needs care. We all have our thoughts about things; my idea of putting family first is to stabilize things to support the family for the future, then have (or add to) the family. That is **NOT** meant as a moral statement; it is what seems financially easier and more secure to me.

[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

You may get pregnant right away, or it may take time. I disagree that you're in your prime childbearing years at 33. You want two more children, and fertility begins rapidly decreasing after 35, and 35 is considered geriatric for pregnancy.    

It's hard to time a pregnancy. But if three children is what you want, I'd say focus on that, and go to school. Everything else will fall into place.