I am a young determined person who has started FNP school. My dilemma is I will complete my FNP program at 29 years old. I am married but I have no kids right now.
I want two kids and I have been hearing stories from older friends who had problems conceiving so I guess I'm a bit worried. I do plan to stay home at least a year after my kids are born and then I will go back to work.
My question is should I plan on getting pregnant during my last year of school and have my baby then??? In this case I will have my FNP liscence,,,,,and will not work 2-3 years after graduation and then try to get into the workforce. Will this be difficult?
OR I could graduate…work one year then I'll be 30 and then take off 2-3 years (to have 2 kids)…so I will have one year of FNP experience under my belt?
Well, been there, done that. I got my child before right after I got RN license and before I started FNP, which I planned to go for anyway and did not want to wait too long.
I hear you girl. If you are ready to have a child-go for it. It is so worth it. I guess when your maternal instinct hits, nothing can stop you. You do not know if you have any problems to conceive until you try. I would continue to take FNP classes, if you just started, many of them are online. Hopefully, your pregnancy is going to go smooth. By the time you start clinicals, you are going to be over with pregnancy and baby is going to be older. I would go part time as an RN or quit all together and focus on school only, if you can do it. Yes, you will be tired (if do school, work and baby). Hopefully, your husband is supportive, that means a lot. I know people who do it. I had my baby 2 months after i got my RN license. I had fertility issues and I knew about them, that is why I did not want to wait to take a risk not to be able to have any children. I started my first RN job when baby was 4 months old, was in the survival mode for a year because I worked nights and did not have a sitter (long story, but did not work well) and did not want to do daycare. Enrolled baby in the daycare when she was 17 months. SHE did great!!!!! She got sick once in a while but nothing major at all. Many 2-3 URI a year???? Of course, I was scared about all those sick kids stories.
Now I am finished FNP, my daughter is 4.5 years old, I am so glad I had her!!!!! She is my best friend. She is my life. She is older and it is easier. I probably will not be able to have another one, my relationships with my husband are not so great, not like it was 5 years ago when we went for a baby.
Go for it. The more important thing is your health and the baby's, smooth pregnancy, no complications. I work in L&D and I've seen it all. It is possible. Younger women generally do better. I told generally. And the beginning of FNP program was not hard for me at all. Clinical part is not hard either ( I am not saying it is super easy, but it is not unreal), but it is more time consuming I would say. I am an A student and English is not my native language. I assume if English is your native language it is even easier. I go to a state public school that is very competitive to get in in comparison with other schools around (because it is good and tuition is not as high like private or online).
What an empowering post. Thank you. I loved to read it!!! In fact it makes me feel better that it isn't impossible if I choose to get pregnant during FNP school!!!
Since you worked in L&D, were there any interesting infertility stories that you heard in younger women (like mid-late 20's)???
Well, there is so many cases I see daily. I love females, I love L&D. Unfortunately, I was not able to do CNM because there is no program in my area and I wont be able to relocate. That is why I went for FNP locally.
I work in a teaching hospital with huge L&D. We see all complications, all abnormalities that I don't know how you can get pregnant working here:) We got all high risk pregnancies that other local hospitals can't manage. That is why my point of view is somewhat not accurate. . I can tell you, the best thing in the world is healthy baby. In most cases you can not predict anything wrong. Older or younger. It just happens sometimes. No explanation. And there are so many complications around, I had no clue before started to work here. So, hint- dont work is L&D:)
However, my own friend (not in medical field) got pregnant at age of 40 after a few years of attempts. (She met her fiancee after age of 35). At 20 weeks she was admitted for preterm labor and cervical incompetence. Her infertility issues were not related to cervix, it was more like tubal factor. Incompetent cervix was found accidentally on a planned US at 20 weeks. By the time she came to the hospital she was already dilated. I really thought there is no way to to make it. But she spent the rest of her pregnancy on complete bed rest, with cervix 3 cm open and delivered at 37 weeks.She was probably afraid to sneeze or cough ( I dont know how she pooped). She went in preterm labor a few times though but they stopped it. That is a miracle.
Another couple had a baby after 26 YEARS of attempts. Also, incompetent cervix, miscarrying all the time. That is another miracle.
There are millions of such stories. The bottom line-you never know and there is nothing better a healthy baby.
And the age does not matter. They get complications in young or old. However, I dont know if they struggled with infertility, we get them already pregnant:) For the most part, they conceived naturally but we have some patients from our fertility clinic with IVFs and so on. What matters is mother's health. She can be very sick in 20-s or super healthy in 40-s.
I see miracles every day, but also I see that doctors can't predict or fix a lot of issues.
Skazka, thanks for more information. That makes sense, I mean the body is so complex and doctors can't find out why in many situations!!! I guess I will make an informed decision when the time comes around maybe in about a year or two!
I am glad I don't work in that area haha that would make me even more anxious, but I always wanted to work with babies, I guess I never had the push to move into a different area than med surg :) But I did accomplish my ultimate goal (going to FNP school) !! :)
I don't understand why people make mean comments. She's just looking for advice-if you're not interested in giving it, move on.
When I graduated NP school I had a 14 month old and I was 5 months pregnant. It was tough! But, if you have a supportive family and husband anything is possible.
Good luck
This might be me!! I have a 6 month old at home and am starting the NP program this fall 2015. And of course I am thinking of having more babies, but i will admit I was a little worried about how I would deal with all of it. But your comment really gave me hope lol.. so thanks for sharing!
Thanks Dee, hearing your story also makes me feel I'm not the only one!!!
But you are a step ahead, because you already have a baby :) That's the positive note…..A doctor told me it's better to have one early rather than wait and wait and then have problems…..you already have your one!
I am most likely going to wait until I'm done with school to start!!! :) 29 - 30 is not bad !! How old are you if you don't mind me asking?
Being an NP is a lot different from being a nurse, obviously, but one thing you might consider is working part time after you have kids. I have two jobs, but one of my doctors lets me work one weekend a month, a few hours a day, or whatever I want to do. You can also volunteer in a clinic a few times a month. Some jobs let you work from home. But, as far as having kids, it's never really a good time. You just have to do it and work around :-)
Qka
111 Posts
Well, been there, done that. I got my child before right after I got RN license and before I started FNP, which I planned to go for anyway and did not want to wait too long.
I hear you girl. If you are ready to have a child-go for it. It is so worth it. I guess when your maternal instinct hits, nothing can stop you. You do not know if you have any problems to conceive until you try. I would continue to take FNP classes, if you just started, many of them are online. Hopefully, your pregnancy is going to go smooth. By the time you start clinicals, you are going to be over with pregnancy and baby is going to be older. I would go part time as an RN or quit all together and focus on school only, if you can do it. Yes, you will be tired (if do school, work and baby). Hopefully, your husband is supportive, that means a lot. I know people who do it. I had my baby 2 months after i got my RN license. I had fertility issues and I knew about them, that is why I did not want to wait to take a risk not to be able to have any children. I started my first RN job when baby was 4 months old, was in the survival mode for a year because I worked nights and did not have a sitter (long story, but did not work well) and did not want to do daycare. Enrolled baby in the daycare when she was 17 months. SHE did great!!!!! She got sick once in a while but nothing major at all. Many 2-3 URI a year???? Of course, I was scared about all those sick kids stories.
Now I am finished FNP, my daughter is 4.5 years old, I am so glad I had her!!!!! She is my best friend. She is my life. She is older and it is easier. I probably will not be able to have another one, my relationships with my husband are not so great, not like it was 5 years ago when we went for a baby.
Go for it. The more important thing is your health and the baby's, smooth pregnancy, no complications. I work in L&D and I've seen it all. It is possible. Younger women generally do better. I told generally. And the beginning of FNP program was not hard for me at all. Clinical part is not hard either ( I am not saying it is super easy, but it is not unreal), but it is more time consuming I would say. I am an A student and English is not my native language. I assume if English is your native language it is even easier. I go to a state public school that is very competitive to get in in comparison with other schools around (because it is good and tuition is not as high like private or online).
Good luck with any decision!