When to Get Pregnant

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I have a question for the nurses out there. Did you get pregnant before nursing school, during, or after? I am not that young, my biological clock is ticking, but I might be starting nursing school this Fall or next Fall (haven't heard from the school yet, hopefully soon).

What do you think? Should I wait another 2 years? Or maybe get pregnant on my second year?

I would appreciate any response.

I'd need to know your age, how financially desperate you need to be able to get a job after graduation, how many hours you'd need to work, and your expected childcare situation.

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/LDRP/Ortho ASC.

I had a whoops, got pregnant in my second to last semester of NS, delivered 3 weeks after my last HESI and took boards 9 days after that. NOT recommended. All it would have taken is one non reactive NST to have me repeating my whole senior semester.

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And objective documentation is a must! Otherwise, if it isn't documented, it never happened.

I've always found the best time to get pregnant is on the 12th of Never.

Dude, I hope YOU never get pregnant. Because that would just be weird.

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I got pregnant in my third semester in nursing school it was not planned and i did not have enough energy to study I was sleeping all the time and not studying, i flank that class and went right back the following semester to retake while I was still pregnant. I have to say that it is easier to do it when not pregnant but if you are not young and you need to start a family go for it. By the way I never regret getting pregnant because I don't have to worry about planning another pregnancy, i can focus on my career!

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I did nursing school with a 1 and 2 year old, but that said not sure I could have done it while pregnant. I'm 30 weeks now with an almost 3 and 4 year old, working as an RN and taking only 2 masters classes and it's really tough. That said if you have to, you can push yourself though it. Just be prepared that some things don't go as planned. I had a classmate that was pregnant when we were in fall semester of our last year, and she made it halfway through and got pre-eclampsia and had to drop out, then had to wait a year to rejoin the program. She is finishing now though so it wasn't the end of the world! Good luck with your decision!

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Yes. Go for the baby. I didn't get pregnant for three years with my first son, there was a waiting list for RN school, so I went to LPN school, right after he was born. I started taking my academics when I finished that. It was hard work, going to school, juggling the baby between my husband a baby sitter and me working full time, but then, when my son was four, I got pregnant again, (happily,) I was accepted into RN school. BUT... the day before classes were to start for me, I was hospitalized for a complication of pregnancy. so that was put off for a few more years. Somehow, my difficulty in conceiving was cured, and after the second child, came a surprise immediate third one, and our family was complete! But my point in all of this, is, you just never know when they are coming, you can't exactly plan them, and if your biological clock is ticking, do you really want to test it? I eventually finished RN school, with three kids in tow! But lots of people do it, it's just difficult, and I have to say that being an LPN helped a lot.

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I went to nursing school and had my first child when I was 28, the second 2 years later. It was important to me that my education was complete and at least some work experience. The thought behind is that I wanted to make sure I have a profession and would be able to support myself and my (potential) children at any time. I just did not feel it would be a good idea to have children first, and perhaps get into a situation where I have no to make money and not a good education. Once you have a child everything is more difficult to plan, you are going to be more tired, less focused and so on and forth. My personal preference was to have some education and job security first - but I also grew up very poor and it was my priority to ensure I would be ok financially. You never know what happens. If you have a child and rely on your partner to make enough money and that does not work out or the partner loses the job and so on you do not have as much backup. If you have a license and at least 1 year experience you can easily find some kind of job for per diem and stay in the job market at least with half a leg. That will make it much easier to transition back into the job market when the kids are older or you need to make money.

Of course if you are already close to 40 y or so you might have to have a child first because that also does not get easier with age...

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Specializes in Allergy/ENT, Occ Health, LTC/Skilled.

I had my third 15 months ago during pre-requisite classes. I had two normal, term deliveries. I figured I would deliver and be back in class within in a week because the first two times I was up and running pretty quickly after. I am 28 now but was 27 when I delivered the baby so I had no worries it would interfere with my schooling until it did. The main reason we did is because we knew we wanted a third and no more -- I didn't want to have to worry about paying for infant child care after getting my RN because I have had to pass up a lot of LPN opportunities due to the price of daycare.

I only gave birth three weeks early (doctor accidently broke my water during a routine cervical check - that was fun lol) but my baby boy had some issues because of it, have severe colic AKA screamed night and day for 6 months, and I had developed some post partum complications. I certainly do not regret my baby but the only reason I did not drop out is because my husband knew how hard I had worked and refused to let me give up because he knew I would be so disappointed in myself later.

I would tell you as someone who has been there to wait if you can. If you do decide to go ahead and get pregnant just be prepared for all possibilities.

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Children will love you unconditionally. Nursing school doesn't give a rats @$$ about you. Just saying!

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Of you have a good supporting spouse that can help you I would say do it now if you like. I am starting nursing school in the fall too but I have a 17 month old daughter but I'm a single mom so I'm thankful I have a wonderful supporting family that can help me with her.

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I think it depends on your employment status, your financials, the type of degree (ADN/BSN), and your age. I am in pre-nursing with a 1 and 2 yr old and have been accepted in the Nursing Program for this fall. Let me tell ya, childcare is expensive. If you don't have the means to pay for childcare, I would wait on having a baby. When clinicals come around, we have class 3 days a week and then the other 2 days are full days in the hospital. Childcare will be several hundred a month. I'm starting to work nights at the hospital as a CNA to help add some cushion to our budget to cover these costs, but of course, that adds other stresses to family life.

But really, even if you were blessed with a child, you would find a way to make it work whether that be by postponing your schooling until children are in school, working nights to help pay for childcare, etc. I really want another baby, but will be waiting until I'm done with my ADN program.

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing, Pediatrics.

Adopt! So many kids need homes

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