# Student support thread



## younglove

Hey all :wave: I wanted to create a thread for us students so that we can support each other through our schooling. 

I know schooling can be demanding experience. However, it will certainly be worthwhile if it helps us provide for our future little ones :)

I worked a combination of FT and PT while in University and graduated honours Bachelor's degree in 2010. Since then, I have been working FT and studying for my auditing designation. I am writing my last exam in the next few months (I'm sooo close but it still feels sooo far away!!!). I am pretty burnt out TBH because I am working FT and studying on evenings/weekends. And I have been very broody since my miscarriage in the fall. However, I have made the descision to write my last exam before TTC since the final exam is incredibly difficult. Thus I am currently still WTT. It will feel so good to be done!

I wanted to ask you all about your own experiences. What are you studying? How far along are you? When are you planning to TTC?

I was hoping we could all support and help each other get through our schooling! :hugs:


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## CMarie

Love this thread idea! :)

I'm sorry for your miscarriage :( TTC doesn't sound too far away for you though!

I'm set to graduate law school in May (yay!), but we're waiting until 2015 to start TTC our second. That said, we did have an oopsie this month so it's a waiting game to test :haha:


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## Pearls18

Hey :) I work PT (4 days a week) and am studying my MSc part time at home, have a while to go. Already have a DS and will have another baby while studying...I must be insane haha, the course is very flexible though.


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## animallove

Hey this is the perfect thread for me! So sorry to hear about your loss, :hugs: It will be so nice for you to enjoy being a mum with education out of the way though! Well done for getting your last exam done too, i'm sure it will all be worth it! I'm studying for my degree in English and hoping to be done by this christmas so will be trying ttc easter time at the earliest. It's so nice to have these threads because most of my friends at uni can't understand why i want a baby! xxx


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## Caite

Hi. I'm at uni too, its a pretty intense course, we are doing a degree in 18 months. We have to do 37.5 hours per week either in class or out on placement, which, doing shifts, makes it quite tough. But, when this round of exams are over, I plan to do a bunch of bank shifts.

Younglove, so sorry to hear about your miscarriage.


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## Pearls18

Caite said:


> Hi. I'm at uni too, its a pretty intense course, we are doing a degree in 18 months. We have to do 37.5 hours per week either in class or out on placement, which, doing shifts, makes it quite tough. But, when this round of exams are over, I plan to do a bunch of bank shifts.
> 
> Younglove, so sorry to hear about your miscarriage.

Gosh a degree in 18 months that must be intense, I think I would have loved that though I didn't really enjoy uni :haha:


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## loeylo

Hey, I am in a similar position to a few people on here! I am doing an honours degree in environmental geography and a postgrad in secondary teaching over four years, officially completed my pass degree and my postgrad already so I have got 12 weeks left to complete ny honours and then I am finished, however in Scotland you need to do what is called a probation year before applying for teaching jobs, I start teaching in August and luckily I am paid for my probation year, so we are going to save really hard for a mortgage so we can be organised asap when I get a full time job =] I have been super broody since I had my second miscarriage in August 2012 so it is really frustrating having to wait, but I know its for the best. I don't want to be one of those women who rely on a man for anything! Haha!


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## Caite

MarineWAG said:


> Caite said:
> 
> 
> Hi. I'm at uni too, its a pretty intense course, we are doing a degree in 18 months. We have to do 37.5 hours per week either in class or out on placement, which, doing shifts, makes it quite tough. But, when this round of exams are over, I plan to do a bunch of bank shifts.
> 
> Younglove, so sorry to hear about your miscarriage.
> 
> Gosh a degree in 18 months that must be intense, I think I would have loved that though I didn't really enjoy uni :haha:Click to expand...

They just assume, as we are all nurses, and I think we all have degrees in nursing, that we have all this prior experience, and were taught things in our nurse training. I was a medical nurse, so am used to very sick patients. One of the girls was a theatre nurse, so she's not used to conscious patients and hasn't really had to do anything which is typically 'nursey' since qualifying.

To think that, with just 5 months experience, in a little over a year I will be qualified is exciting, but very, very scary!


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## tearspawn

Hi ladies! School seems never ending to me at this point, I am trying to finish a PhD in philosophy. Grad school is a bit of an odd duck; on the one hand I am paid to study and work as a TA which is a pretty sweet deal, on the other hand I have been in limbo for a few years not really knowing what I will do when I get out. I still don't know and the uncertainty is pretty daunting - particularly because I really want to have a baby as soon as possible.

School often feels like a waiting period for life to really begin, but I've been here for so long at a certain point I have to say 'this is life', even though I know it will radically change when I finish. 

It sounds like most of you are taking programs that are really smart and will start you off on good careers, I hope that off-sets the worry of 'limbo' for you with definite plans for the future.

The other night I was talking to my SO and he reminded me that it's not like this uncertainty will disappear when I get a job, whatever it is, most people move around a lot between jobs and so I can't wait for a time when I have something solid I think will last ten or fifteen years to feel like I am living my life and able to do the things I want like have a baby. It meant a lot to me for him to say that, since it means he has moved past the reluctance to have a baby based on landmarks like that, at least intellectually. Now if only he would feel emotionally ready! 

Do any of you struggle with the stress of not knowing what will happen after school? The hard thing about it is I've lived with it for years. I love philosophy and in many ways I don't think it was a bad way to spend my 20s, but I feel like I am still at square one in life.


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## Pearls18

tearspawn said:


> School often feels like a waiting period for life to really begin, but I've been here for so long at a certain point I have to say 'this is life'.

This is so true and one of the reasons I didn't enjoy uni, I'm a bugger for always looking ahead and not appreciating the now which was one of the reasons I didn't enjoy uni I think. My mindset was wrong not uni, but it's just in my nature.


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## Mimi85

Hey everyone,

I'm also on the work full time, uni part time boat.

I work as an HR administrator and I am studying HR Management. 
Since a degree is 30 courses and I'm taking 2 per semster (6 courses a year)
it will take me 5 years total to finish.
I am currently doing my 9th and 10th course so 1/3 done!!
I have to find some encouragement sometimes because working full time and school part time is not always fun.
I am not waiting to be done though before I ttc, since the courses are all by correspondance (except exams) they are very flexible.


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## Pearls18

Mimi85 said:


> Hey everyone,
> 
> I'm also on the work full time, uni part time boat.
> 
> I work as an HR administrator and I am studying HR Management.
> Since a degree is 30 courses and I'm taking 2 per semster (6 courses a year)
> it will take me 5 years total to finish.
> I am currently doing my 9th and 10th course so 1/3 done!!
> I have to find some encouragement sometimes because working full time and school part time is not always fun.
> I am not waiting to be done though before I ttc, since the courses are all by correspondance (except exams) they are very flexible.

Same with me :) I'm going to go on maternity leave as soon as I can 3 months early to try and get twice the amount of studying done before baby is born so I can have study free time with them. I still wouldn't need to go back until they a 8 months which was what DS was.


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## Elpis_x

:hi:

I don't graduate until the summer of 2015 :coffee: Completely agree with a PP - I always feel like I'm waiting for life to begin, even friends at university have commented on it! I suppose I find it hard because I'm around 18 year olds most of the time and whilst I'm only a few years older, I feel a lot more mature.


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## Caite

I never felt that at unk last time. I don't know, but it might have been because, just 6 weeks in to the course, we were sent out on placement. It made me grow up a lot - I guess (and I don't mean this too sound rude, so sorry if I offend anyone) but on a lot of 'normal' courses, you spend a lot of time in uni, hanging around with uni friends and being 'normal' students. Whereas, on the nursing degree I did last time, we were out on placement, dealing (or rather, initially, observing people dealing with) child protection issues, sick people, death.

Both that degree and this one are also very career specific (nursing and then midwifery). Last time, all I had to decide was which area of nursing I wanted to work in, and there being very few posts, it was simply going to be the one which offered me a job. This time, I don't even have to make that decision - all midwives in my local Trust rotate through all the maternity department so I'll get to do a bit of everything.

MarineWAG, I'm sure that I could TTC and go on maternity leave during the course (I am employed to do it, so I guess I'd have the same rights as any employee) but, I don't know how it would work with rejoining and stuff, as the course I am on is only run every 2 years. I wouldn't want to wait 2 years to get back on the course. Plus, the maternity pay would be absolutely pants.


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## younglove

Hey everyone... I'm just looking for a bit of advice / support. 

I'm writing my final exam toward my auditing designation in less than two months. I've been working on it for over a year (and before that completed a four-year honours degree). Normally I am extremely determined and have worked FT whilst completing my degree and designation. This past month I have been feeling pretty burnt out and am trying to find motivation to study. 

I've found it particularly difficult to feel motivated after my miscarriage but I KNOW I need to finish my last exam. It's just hard studying 10-15 hrs per week on top of working a 40-50 hr work week and my 10 hr weekly commute. 

So far I've found that tea helps me keep going lol. My DH is also very supportive.

Any other advice?


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## twilightgeek

hey guys thought i'd join you :) like origional poster i'm going to be ttc after a miscarriage which happened in october it was planned but obviously not meant to be. i'm currently about to finish my 2nd year in a 3 year degree but after this degree i want to do my pgce :) so another year ontop of that :( so hopefully we will be ttc in 2015 but i want to try and get a teaching job before this happens! :) we'll see how broody i get along the way though at the moment its awful i just want my baby back :( and i want that round tummy that i should have right now etc :(


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## Mies

Hi! Great thread idea.

I'm currently working four days a week as a teacher of English in secondary school and going to uni 1 day a week for something similar to a pgce. I'm planning to write my last exam in Dec '13 and am even trying to do it a bit earlier. 

If you think going to uni and working FT/PT is tough, take a look at some of your fellow students who study, work ánd have a family. One of my fellow students delivered twins last year and had to put her studies on the backburner for a moment. Now she's back, but she's feeling completely overwhelmed and burnt out. I wouldn't want to have to study at home when there's a LO. I'd be afraid to miss something.


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## Mrs Eleflump

I'm not a 'student' as such - my uni days are well behind me, since I graduated from my BSc in 2002 and my PhD in 2007 :haha:. But I have done 'on the job' qualifications in the years since then, and I'm about to start another one! I work full-time, and run one section of my lab. I will still be doing that while studying.

I will begin in April, all going well (it depends on my department hiring someone by then to backfill half of my hours so I can take time out to study and train), and it will be for a minimum of 2 years. We are looking at maaaaaybe starting TTC right at the end of this year, so I will have to take a break before finishing my studies if we are quick to get pregnant. I won't be taking the full year, though, so hopefully it will mean my exams are only delayed by a year. I hope! It's a very demanding programme, so I will have to use my time well and put in as much effort as I can. 

I'm worried about dividing time between bump/baby and studying, but if we put off TTC until I sit the exams I'd be 34, which is much older than I wanted or imagined to be for baby no. 1. I don't know when I'll get the chance again to do this training and I've been bugging my boss for the past 4.5 years to do it, plus it will make my job much more secure and will hopefully lead to a nice pay rise down the line, so I absolutely can't put it off. What a dilemma! 

I just hope I can do both things well...!


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## MamaByrd

I work full-time and go to medical school PT. We're hoping to TTC sometime in the next 1-2 years, so I will be schooling FT then. It makes me a little nervous, but for the most part I think I'll be able to adjust well.


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## Kallie3000

younglove said:


> Hey everyone... I'm just looking for a bit of advice / support.
> 
> I'm writing my final exam toward my auditing designation in less than two months. I've been working on it for over a year (and before that completed a four-year honours degree). Normally I am extremely determined and have worked FT whilst completing my degree and designation. This past month I have been feeling pretty burnt out and am trying to find motivation to study

I am doing this exact thing too! Writing the CA exam in September. My motivation is that I'm taking three months off work to study for the three day exam, so I'm going to use that flexibility to work out, lose weight, get healthy, take prenatal vitamins, and I MIGHT even get my IUD out early to start tracking early, etc. It is so hard to wait, but all part of the big picture, right?

Also, sorry to hear about your loss.


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## younglove

Kallie3000 said:


> I am doing this exact thing too! Writing the CA exam in September. My motivation is that I'm taking three months off work to study for the three day exam, so I'm going to use that flexibility to work out, lose weight, get healthy, take prenatal vitamins, and I MIGHT even get my IUD out early to start tracking early, etc. It is so hard to wait, but all part of the big picture, right?
> 
> Also, sorry to hear about your loss.

That's neat! I work as an internal auditor and I'm writing part 3 of the CIA (I've already written parts 1, 2, and 4 so it's my last exam)! I'm finding it pretty challenging since this exam has a significant amount of accounting content and I don't have a background in accounting (my undergrad was in an unrelated field). Most of my colleagues have CAs and CMAs though.

Do you work for an accounting firm? 

Good for you for taking time off! I'm only planning to take 4 days off + easter weekend to study. The CIA is an easier exam though. I've been studying for a few months now on evenings and weekends so hopefully I'll be ready. :wacko: lol I might take off a few more days but I'm trying to save my vacation days for after I have a baby. That might be a bit too optimistic though lol

When are you writing? I'm planning to write April 6th. Fingers crossed!!! Good luck studying...we can definitely support each other!

You're right, it will definitely be worth it. I couldn't imaging studying this hard while pregnant or after I had a baby so I definitely have to push through. I told DH that he has to stay strong and he can't let us start TTC until after I pass my exam lol.


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## Elpis_x

Struggling today. I have a paper due in tomorrow morning that I only started last night, I don't think it should be too bad because I can just stay up all night and work on it if I need to but I just can't focus...my brain is completely on babies today. Doesn't help that yesterday OH announced his broodiness and for the first time said he wants a baby right now, it's hard being the one to say no when you're the one that's been wanting it so badly :cry:


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## Kallie3000

younglove said:


> That's neat! I work as an internal auditor and I'm writing part 3 of the CIA (I've already written parts 1, 2, and 4 so it's my last exam)! I'm finding it pretty challenging since this exam has a significant amount of accounting content and I don't have a background in accounting (my undergrad was in an unrelated field). Most of my colleagues have CAs and CMAs though.
> 
> Do you work for an accounting firm?
> 
> Good for you for taking time off! I'm only planning to take 4 days off + easter weekend to study. The CIA is an easier exam though. I've been studying for a few months now on evenings and weekends so hopefully I'll be ready. :wacko: lol I might take off a few more days but I'm trying to save my vacation days for after I have a baby. That might be a bit too optimistic though lol
> 
> When are you writing? I'm planning to write April 6th. Fingers crossed!!! Good luck studying...we can definitely support each other!

Yes, I am working for a firm (KPMG - they're great!) and I am writing the CA exam (UFE) in September. It is only offered once a year, and almost everyone takes a whole three months off to study because it is such a killer test. It is three days long, 4-5 hours each day, and I'm pretty sure the stress by the time it comes is going to wipe me out! Luckily the three months off will be paid for by the firm I work for using all the overtime hours I've booked in the last two and a half years. 

I want to be pregnant by the time the results come out, so that even if I have to re-write it the next year (but I REALLY hope I pass!) I won't have put off baby-time any further. My husband is 11 years older than me, so only so long I want to wait! :D

Good luck and best wishes to everyone who is still in school full-time and having to wait to start their family. I find it hard waiting when I have just this one test - it would have been really hard for me to have to wait through a whole school year or two, not to mention the financial pressures. Hopefully being on this forum can offer some support!


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## Kallie3000

Elpis_x said:


> Struggling today. I have a paper due in tomorrow morning that I only started last night, I don't think it should be too bad because I can just stay up all night and work on it if I need to but I just can't focus...my brain is completely on babies today. Doesn't help that yesterday OH announced his broodiness and for the first time said he wants a baby right now, it's hard being the one to say no when you're the one that's been wanting it so badly :cry:

I would kill him! LOL! It really is hard to focus, and I hear it doesn't get any better once you actually DO get pregnant. The way I have been coping is to pretend that having a baby itself is a research project - reading pregnancy books, following blogs, joining this forum - that way I can feel like the reason I'm delaying is because I'm researching to be prepared (and not because of external, out of my control factors!)


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## MrsGax

Hello! I am a nursing student with about a year and a half to go! I graduate next year around August and we are going to ntnp in November as it took us about a year the last time we conceived. Sadly, it was MMC. Ideally, I would get pregnant within a few months and have the baby a month or 2 after graduation. We shall see :) I am trying to get motivation, I have IPA's, Careplans and ATI finals to start studying for but I have been doing nothing... hopefully it does not catch up and get me. I am just not motivated... until like the day before my exams, then I cram it all in and it just works that way. I need to STOP procrastinating though! That is the goal right now.


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## sugrad2007

I am a veterinary student and I will graduate in May 2015. We are waiting until August 2014 to start trying so that I will be due after graduation. It seems like forever, but it will be worth it. I know finishing my degree is what I need to do but waiting is really hard. Plus veterinary school is a graduate degree in the US, so I already spent 4 years getting my bachelors before this. I am so ready for school to be over, but I still have 2 years and a few months left! Oh well, it will end and it will all be worth it eventually. Glad to meet all of you!


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## BabyBrainer

This is the greatest thread! I dont graduate from a Bachelor Primary Education until November 2014!!!! :( Which means, I'm not allowed to stop my depo shots until then...so that means at least another year on top of that for my body to go back to normal and finally conceive. I really don't like waiting - and its killing me. I get very depressed a lot, and all I think about is having a baby, and being a mother. PLEASE SEE: I am not going to have a baby, I'm smarter than that given our situation at the moment. I just want one...super super super badly!!!


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## Kallie3000

BabyBrainer said:


> This is the greatest thread! I dont graduate from a Bachelor Primary Education until November 2014!!!! :( Which means, I'm not allowed to stop my depo shots until then...so that means at least another year on top of that for my body to go back to normal and finally conceive. I really don't like waiting - and its killing me. I get very depressed a lot, and all I think about is having a baby, and being a mother. PLEASE SEE: I am not going to have a baby, I'm smarter than that given our situation at the moment. I just want one...super super super badly!!!

If you get depressed a lot, it might be DEPO not the baby wishing. I cried every day when I was on Depo, which sucked because it lasted for a year before I was normal again. 

However, yeah - I know how you feel. Remember, there is a light at the end of the tunnel!!!


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## ClaireFairy92

*This is a great thread! I wanted to ask for advice somewhere where I wouldnt get judged. I feel like I'm not alone now, Me and my Boyfriend have been discussing having a baby and decided we want to do it. im 21 years old and begin my final year at uni in september, unless i take a year out on placements (which I have a 4 week slot lined up anyway) Being a fashion student the course is rather demanding of my time. What would you all suggest.

1. Wait a few months and get my last year done whilst pregnant (which could be difficult)
2. Do things now, and defer my entry one year while i go away have the baby and come back with a fresh head with no distractions of the dream of becoming a mum.

Thanks Everyone! xx*


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## Pearls18

ClaireFairy92 said:


> *This is a great thread! I wanted to ask for advice somewhere where I wouldnt get judged. I feel like I'm not alone now, Me and my Boyfriend have been discussing having a baby and decided we want to do it. im 21 years old and begin my final year at uni in september, unless i take a year out on placements (which I have a 4 week slot lined up anyway) Being a fashion student the course is rather demanding of my time. What would you all suggest.
> 
> 1. Wait a few months and get my last year done whilst pregnant (which could be difficult)
> 2. Do things now, and defer my entry one year while i go away have the baby and come back with a fresh head with no distractions of the dream of becoming a mum.
> 
> Thanks Everyone! xx*

Option 1, trust me it will be a million times easier to study pregnant than with a child, I can't stress that enough.


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## ClaireFairy92

*What if I start suffering any complications during though. How will the Uni help me there?*


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## Pearls18

ClaireFairy92 said:


> *What if I start suffering any complications during though. How will the Uni help me there?*

Honestly? At your age I would get uni done and wait till you were nearly done or done. But if you insist, I don't know what your uni will do, you're the one paying the fees after all, will probably depend on your lecturers and what is compulsory. What uni do you go to? I work at UAL, London College of Fashion is part of it. You can't guarantee complications in pregnancy, you can guarantee juggling studying and a child. You will get no or little help towards child care, it costs me £712 a month for only 4 days a week, what if they don't sleep well which many don't, what when they're ill, trying to get work done at home is so hard. As somebody who did their degree pre-child but masters post child I can't stress how much easier it is to do beforehand, do you want to be stressing about deadlines when you should be enjoying your baby? It is my time with DS that suffers, not my deadlines because I have to make them. Honestly pregnancy is a breeze over motherhood.


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## KatieKitty

I would say finish your degree too, I got pregnant just after my second year of university. I've decided to start back in September but I'm doing open university they are really accommodating tbh and I'm pleased we are trying for our second baby now I'm not sure how it will all go I'm 25 this year so hopefully ill get everything sorted. 

As far as campus uni goes I have two friends that I went to uni with one with a 2 year old and 1 with a baby and the university seems to be helping them from what I can see and they seem happy. Do what's best for you! I took a year out and I haven't regretted it.


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## youngone

tearspawn said:


> School often feels like a waiting period for life to really begin, but I've been here for so long at a certain point I have to say 'this is life'

YES. this is how I feel. Although my degree is only 3 years (unless I choose to do the honors year)- I didn't have a gap year between high school and Uni which is what some of my friends did- so it just feels like a never ending, all consuming thing.

BUT... in saying that I only have 9 months left which is AMAZING. It will be hard but for the first time in my life I can see the finishing line- the light at the end, and it is very exciting. 

At the end of this year my life will finally START! :wohoo: and I will be able to work full time and save sooo much money and be able to travel and do whatever I want. If I hate my first job, after the 1 year contract I can just quit and use my savings to go do something awesome like work on a cruise ship overseas or take a break. 

In saying this though, I do truly love uni and I love my major- but It's dragging on and I'd like to do something exciting, different and have money :dance::dance:

I cannot imagine how it would feel to have to stay at uni for any longer than 3-4 years- possibly because I'm so impatient, and I want to buy a house before I'm 25. Once I own my house its all go :winkwink: :baby:


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## crayoncrittle

Hello everyone, this group seems pretty established so I hope I'm allowed to join? :thumbup:

I'm not a student, but my husband is. He finishes his first course at the end of March and then he's trying to find an apprenticeship. After he finds an employer, it's four years of study. At least he's an adult apprentice though so at least the pay won't be super low. 
I know we won't be waiting until he's finished, but it may still be a while before we ttc - bugger!! :(


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## Elpis_x

Kallie3000 said:


> Elpis_x said:
> 
> 
> Struggling today. I have a paper due in tomorrow morning that I only started last night, I don't think it should be too bad because I can just stay up all night and work on it if I need to but I just can't focus...my brain is completely on babies today. Doesn't help that yesterday OH announced his broodiness and for the first time said he wants a baby right now, it's hard being the one to say no when you're the one that's been wanting it so badly :cry:
> 
> I would kill him! LOL! It really is hard to focus, and I hear it doesn't get any better once you actually DO get pregnant. The way I have been coping is to pretend that having a baby itself is a research project - reading pregnancy books, following blogs, joining this forum - that way I can feel like the reason I'm delaying is because I'm researching to be prepared (and not because of external, out of my control factors!)Click to expand...

I totally do that too! Sometimes I think if I did actually get pregnant right now I'd be freaking out because I haven't read enough or researched enough yet haha! :haha:


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## animallove

ClaireFairy92 said:


> *This is a great thread! I wanted to ask for advice somewhere where I wouldnt get judged. I feel like I'm not alone now, Me and my Boyfriend have been discussing having a baby and decided we want to do it. im 21 years old and begin my final year at uni in september, unless i take a year out on placements (which I have a 4 week slot lined up anyway) Being a fashion student the course is rather demanding of my time. What would you all suggest.
> 
> 1. Wait a few months and get my last year done whilst pregnant (which could be difficult)
> 2. Do things now, and defer my entry one year while i go away have the baby and come back with a fresh head with no distractions of the dream of becoming a mum.
> 
> Thanks Everyone! xx*

Hello! I can totally relate to you! I'm also 21 and start my final year of Uni in Sep. Where are you studying? Me and my fiancee are trying as of next month as I can't wait any longer! Going to do my first semester up until Dec and graduate with an ordinary degree. Have you decided on your plans yet?


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## twilightgeek

Clairefairy92 i am in exactly the same position as you :) just finishing my second year of uni now and seriously contemplating trying again for a babba :) go so bad (the broodiness) last year that we did try and i did fall pregnant but unfortunatly miscarried and now the feelings are soooooo intense its hard to ignore anymore :/ really dont know what to do.


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## hopeandpray

Hello! :wave: Another student here. I'm going to be wtt a long time as I want to be finished college and have 3 years left :wacko:


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## Mies

ClaireFairy92 said:


> *This is a great thread! I wanted to ask for advice somewhere where I wouldnt get judged. I feel like I'm not alone now, Me and my Boyfriend have been discussing having a baby and decided we want to do it. im 21 years old and begin my final year at uni in september, unless i take a year out on placements (which I have a 4 week slot lined up anyway) Being a fashion student the course is rather demanding of my time. What would you all suggest.
> 
> 1. Wait a few months and get my last year done whilst pregnant (which could be difficult)
> 2. Do things now, and defer my entry one year while i go away have the baby and come back with a fresh head with no distractions of the dream of becoming a mum.
> 
> Thanks Everyone! xx*

I'm going with option 1. We will start TTC in April, since I will have to hand in my research in December (to be able to graduate in March 2014). If I would fall pregnant immediately, I would still be able to round everything off (unless I go threw a pregnancy full of complications).

I would just like to add, though, that I am a parttime student and already have a job as does my DH. Remember that it's not only you and your studies you'd have to take into consideration but also if you would be able to provide your child with everything he/she needs.


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## Kallie3000

I knew a couple with three kids while they were BOTH in university full time, and the marriage didn't survive, partly to do with money. If you are a student parent, this would be so hard!!! I'm a student but have a full time job, and I still feel broke half the time!! I don't think you can ever wait until you have "enough" money, but I would hate for financial + school stress to = no more marriage, with a kid!


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## Nearlymarried

Charliefairy I agree with everyone else, wait a few months before trying, the time will fly and then you can really enjoy your baby. I have recently finished a degree that I started when my baby was 19 months, I honestly cried every day for 6 months dropping her at daycare. I pretty much had to put being a mum on hold for three years (luckily I had awesome support) to be able to finish. A few of the girls had babies during the degree and it was so hard on them and it was the baby that missed out. Obviously you need to do what feels right but a couple of months is nothing!


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## bethany1991

Hii, 

I'm currently in my final year of a BA (hons) degree and going onto do a Primary PGCE in September. 
So still a long wait for me yet, got nexplanon fitted a couple of weeks ago, so that's kind of my little reminder that in 3 years we might be ready, financially etc. 

Eeek, I feel like I've been in education forever and I'm never going to get to live my life.


----------



## Elpis_x

bethany1991 said:


> Hii,
> 
> I'm currently in my final year of a BA (hons) degree and going onto do a Primary PGCE in September.
> So still a long wait for me yet, got nexplanon fitted a couple of weeks ago, so that's kind of my little reminder that in 3 years we might be ready, financially etc.
> 
> Eeek, I feel like I've been in education forever and I'm never going to get to live my life.

I feel the same. Well, I'm only in my first year, but I took 2 years out when I was done with sixth form. So, I suppose I feel like I'm really far behind compared to everyone else, who will be my age now when they graduate :coffee: I feel like I should savour these years, but honestly all I want is to get them over with.


----------



## winegums

Hey, hope you don't mind me joining your thread? 

I'm a student, started an 18month access course when my eldest was 5 months, when he was a year old I got pregnant with my second son, when he was a baby managed to finish and was accepted into uni. started uni when he was 7 months. Am now in my second year, due to qualify in 2014.

When (if) I get a job once qualified we want to start TTC again, but that may not be till late 2014 or even 2015 depending on the job situation...

OH left work to be a SAHD while I study as my course is quite full on - uni 2 days a week, placement 3 days a week then spare time writing essays, revising for exams etc.
He now works part time for himself on days when I'm off from uni.

Anyway going to read through the thread now :)


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## loeylo

I also feel like I am so much older than everyone else! I am 24 in a few weeks and I graduate with a BSc (hons) in geography teaching this June. After this, I have a years paid teacher training to complete before I apply for permanent jobs. Then I plan on getting up the property ladder, getting married and having some time to enjoy earning proper money before TTC - but I just want to do all of this now! Holding back on going to uni after school seemed like the perfect idea at the time as I look young for my age, in reality I could have graduated at the age of 21, finished my probation year at 22, got my full time job, a house, a wedding and been ready to ttc now! Sp frustrating!


----------



## Elpis_x

loeylo said:


> I also feel like I am so much older than everyone else! I am 24 in a few weeks and I graduate with a BSc (hons) in geography teaching this June. After this, I have a years paid teacher training to complete before I apply for permanent jobs. Then I plan on getting up the property ladder, getting married and having some time to enjoy earning proper money before TTC - but I just want to do all of this now! Holding back on going to uni after school seemed like the perfect idea at the time as I look young for my age, in reality I could have graduated at the age of 21, finished my probation year at 22, got my full time job, a house, a wedding and been ready to ttc now! Sp frustrating!

I have similar frustrations, I will be 23, although only a few months away from 24, when I graduate. And our TTC date is reliant on me getting a good job quickly managing to save enough for a house in little over a year. Plus OH having a career, rather than just jobs. Just think though, surely those years you took our after school must have had some beneficial impact on your life? I know that for me personally, I 100% do not regret not going to uni when I had the chance straight after school. I had the chance to work for a living and learnt that the course I'm doing is what I really want to do, because it will better my life, and because of that I feel like I am a lot more motivated and determined to do well, compared to a lot of the younger ones who have stepped straight out of school, with no real experience of the working world. It is annoying, seeing all my school friends getting ready to graduate in a few months. But, it will be our turn to TTC soon :hugs:


----------



## winegums

I'm 23, will be 24 when I graduate. I'm the only one out of my friends at uni who has children. Also I met a 54 year old pregnant with twins this week so don't feel old!! xx


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## Elpis_x

winegums said:


> I'm 23, will be 24 when I graduate. I'm the only one out of my friends at uni who has children. Also I met a 54 year old pregnant with twins this week so don't feel old!! xx

Sorry if this sounds a bit random, but I think it is so admirable and impressive that you're going through university with 2 young children. You must have insane organisational and time management skills. I struggle so much to organise myself and get work done on time and I don't even really have responsibilities!


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## Caite

Agree, Elpis. I have me and my dogs to organise and a few other pets (the other pets take absolutely no organising) - would be a nightmare to have anyone else to consider. Being based over two campuses, with placements, shifts and random study days when on placement is difficult enough.

Last week of placement this week for a little while. I'm sad but also kind of looking forward to it. We have a week in uni then off for easter. It seems so long since christmas - having come from working and being able to book annual leave whenever I wanted, I'm not used to there being so long between holidays, especially with all the stress of exams and results between christmas and now. I'm so ready for a break.


----------



## Elpis_x

Caite said:


> Agree, Elpis. I have me and my dogs to organise and a few other pets (the other pets take absolutely no organising) - would be a nightmare to have anyone else to consider. Being based over two campuses, with placements, shifts and random study days when on placement is difficult enough.
> 
> Last week of placement this week for a little while. I'm sad but also kind of looking forward to it. We have a week in uni then off for easter. It seems so long since christmas - having come from working and being able to book annual leave whenever I wanted, I'm not used to there being so long between holidays, especially with all the stress of exams and results between christmas and now. I'm so ready for a break.

You sound like you have very busy weeks! I only have lectures and about one lab a week, totaling about 14 hours most weeks, so I really have no excuse!

Christmas does seem scarily long ago, time is flying! I'm sure you'll enjoy a well deserved break over Easter! Unfortunately I have exams straight after our Easter break, and then summer exams 3 weeks after that. So, no break for me :( Can't wait for summer :happydance:


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## winegums

Elpis_x said:


> winegums said:
> 
> 
> I'm 23, will be 24 when I graduate. I'm the only one out of my friends at uni who has children. Also I met a 54 year old pregnant with twins this week so don't feel old!! xx
> 
> Sorry if this sounds a bit random, but I think it is so admirable and impressive that you're going through university with 2 young children. You must have insane organisational and time management skills. I struggle so much to organise myself and get work done on time and I don't even really have responsibilities!Click to expand...

Thanks, but I'm not doing great. I've always been an A* student but having children I end up thinking - I could spend ages making this essay perfect and barely see my boys, or I could spend time with them and try to do as much as I can in the evening. The boys win every time so although I started with 70-80% grades they are now around 50-60%. But I have to compromise, not everything can be perfect at once and I don't want to miss my boys being little any more than I have to.

For anyone wanting to have a baby whilst studying I'd say it's 100% managable but if you can wait, even till a few months before graduating then do it. It's a million times easier being pregnant and studying than having children and studying. And the guilt can be consuming sometimes.

Which is why, although I am SOOO broody, and so is OH, we're determined to wait until I've qualified before TTCing x


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## winegums

Caite said:


> Agree, Elpis. I have me and my dogs to organise and a few other pets (the other pets take absolutely no organising) - would be a nightmare to have anyone else to consider. Being based over two campuses, with placements, shifts and random study days when on placement is difficult enough.
> 
> Last week of placement this week for a little while. I'm sad but also kind of looking forward to it. We have a week in uni then off for easter. It seems so long since christmas - having come from working and being able to book annual leave whenever I wanted, I'm not used to there being so long between holidays, especially with all the stress of exams and results between christmas and now. I'm so ready for a break.

Me too! And I'm guessing you have short holidays too unlike some uni courses where you have weeks off for summer! We have two weeks for easter which is great, but two exams and an essay due for when we are back so we've been told to use them as study weeks as we don't get actual revision/study days. :dohh:


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## Elpis_x

winegums said:


> Elpis_x said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> winegums said:
> 
> 
> I'm 23, will be 24 when I graduate. I'm the only one out of my friends at uni who has children. Also I met a 54 year old pregnant with twins this week so don't feel old!! xx
> 
> Sorry if this sounds a bit random, but I think it is so admirable and impressive that you're going through university with 2 young children. You must have insane organisational and time management skills. I struggle so much to organise myself and get work done on time and I don't even really have responsibilities!Click to expand...
> 
> Thanks, but I'm not doing great. I've always been an A* student but having children I end up thinking - I could spend ages making this essay perfect and barely see my boys, or I could spend time with them and try to do as much as I can in the evening. The boys win every time so although I started with 70-80% grades they are now around 50-60%. But I have to compromise, not everything can be perfect at once and I don't want to miss my boys being little any more than I have to.
> 
> For anyone wanting to have a baby whilst studying I'd say it's 100% managable but if you can wait, even till a few months before graduating then do it. It's a million times easier being pregnant and studying than having children and studying. And the guilt can be consuming sometimes.
> 
> Which is why, although I am SOOO broody, and so is OH, we're determined to wait until I've qualified before TTCing xClick to expand...

You're still doing very well by the sounds of it! Compromise is important and it sounds like you're doing it excellently.

Me and OH are very broody too, but we're determined to wait because we both know it's the right thing to do I suppose, and it will make life easier.

I, ashamedly, am one of those that have super long holidays. 4 weeks off at Christmas and Easter and 3 months off over summer. I do have exams after Christmas, Easter and in summer though, whereas people on other courses only have the summer ones, which feels so unfair. I spent all of Christmas revising, as I will do with Easter as well, and they just got to have a nice break!


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## Caite

I'm employed to go to uni, so have to do 37.5 hours a week, either placement or study days or a mixture, and then any extra study/prep for exams on top of that. Plus I only get the normal NHS allocation of annual leave :( so really very few holidays.

Ah well, 12 months to go! Can't wait. No more written exam to go, one oral exam and one assgnment, but they're not for a while yet.

I'm really enjoying my course, but I've been out of uni and working for a few years and I knew my stuff in my previous job. So going back to uni and being a student and not really knowing what I'm doing is difficult.


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## Elpis_x

Caite said:


> I'm employed to go to uni, so have to do 37.5 hours a week, either placement or study days or a mixture, and then any extra study/prep for exams on top of that. Plus I only get the normal NHS allocation of annual leave :( so really very few holidays.
> 
> Ah well, 12 months to go! Can't wait. No more written exam to go, one oral exam and one assgnment, but they're not for a while yet.
> 
> I'm really enjoying my course, but I've been out of uni and working for a few years and I knew my stuff in my previous job. So going back to uni and being a student and not really knowing what I'm doing is difficult.

Would you mind if I ask what your job is/what you study?


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## Caite

I'm a student midwife. Because I'm an adult nurse already, I'm doing the course in 18 months and the NHS funds it and pays me a salary. I have gone from working somewhere where I and the other nurses really knew what we were doing, helped the newly qualified nurses and did a lot of guiding of the (mostly junior) doctors to being a student again. It's scary!


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## winegums

Caite said:


> I'm employed to go to uni, so have to do 37.5 hours a week, either placement or study days or a mixture, and then any extra study/prep for exams on top of that. Plus I only get the normal NHS allocation of annual leave :( so really very few holidays.
> 
> Ah well, 12 months to go! Can't wait. No more written exam to go, one oral exam and one assgnment, but they're not for a while yet.
> 
> I'm really enjoying my course, but I've been out of uni and working for a few years and I knew my stuff in my previous job. So going back to uni and being a student and not really knowing what I'm doing is difficult.

yep same as me with placement, uni etc

we get two weeks off at easter and christmas and three weeks in the summer.

last year i had no holidays as i had to make up placement hours but managed to go away for a few days camping by swapping some shifts at work!

have just signed up to the trust bank for HCA work as need the money, but not sure how I'm going to fit it in!


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## winegums

Caite said:


> I'm a student midwife. Because I'm an adult nurse already, I'm doing the course in 18 months and the NHS funds it and pays me a salary. I have gone from working somewhere where I and the other nurses really knew what we were doing, helped the newly qualified nurses and did a lot of guiding of the (mostly junior) doctors to being a student again. It's scary!

Doing the conversion course do you still get paid a salary or do you get the bursary like in the 3 year course?


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## Caite

I get a salary but it depends on the Trust. I think in Scotland they just get the bursary.

I have been on the nurse bank since I finished my job - I just can't face it. Work was a nightmare before I left and by all accounts has gotten a lot worse since, and I really, really can't face the prospect of returning to that unit.

Are you doing your nursing, winegums?


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## winegums

3 year midwifery course. half way through but feels like i have years until i qualify!! I bet the 18month is intense, I can't imagine fitting what I'm doing into half the time...


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## Caite

It is really intense. They don't teach us a lot of the basics like obs and a&p (except very in depth on the relavent ones). They assume that we know all this stuff from nursing but some of it, well I'm not sure I was taught it in the first place - I probably was just haven't used it since qualifiying. I'm on labour ward at the moment, which is great, but they kind of have this expectation of me that I know how to recover a woman post theatre/instrumental delivery in theatre - I never did a theatre placement/worked in theatre as a student or a nurse.

The good bit is, though, we have fewer exams/assignments.

We still have to get in the same number of deliveries and antenatal examinations etc as the 3 year girls, which just seems really difficult. I know others have done it before me, but I look at my book and think 'how am I going to fill this in a year?'

I can't imagine doing the 3 year course, I would be terrified walking on to labour ward having not done my nursing. I guess though it's like being a student nurse and walking in to resus.


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## winegums

yeah I know it's crazy - I think how am I going to get all these numbers, and then I think wow how do the 18monthers do it??

And I find every new placement pretty terrifying to be honest, labour ward is my next placement and I'm scared as throughout first year we just did low risk - so birth centre births and homebirths. My whole experience was pretty natural, hands off, lots of waterbirths etc... now I'm about to go into a very high risk labour ward as a second year and it does scare me.

When do you qualify?


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## younglove

winegums said:


> I'm 23, will be 24 when I graduate. I'm the only one out of my friends at uni who has children. Also I met a 54 year old pregnant with twins this week so don't feel old!! xx

She is 54??? Wow... I'm speechless and that doesn't happen very often lol


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## Caite

March 2014 I'll qualify.

We did community for a few weeks and then did midwife led units and labour ward. I've seen more high risk than low risk. I've seen a couple of nice, normal deliveries and quite a few high risk labours and deliveries - lots of inductions (I even did an ARM!), instrumental deliveries and sections, prem babies, post-delivery complications, fetal distress, and babies that have required a bit of resus at delivery. I have only delivered a couple so far myself, and it was absolutely amazing. After a couple more this week as I'm not sure when I am next on labour ward/mlu - doing antenatal, postnatal and the neonatal unit next.

I like the fact that on labour ward I really feel like I get to know the woman and her family - I spent about 9 hours with a woman and her famiy the other day, monitoring her and doing all her documentation - unfortunately I couldn't stay any later, and so didn't get to deliver her, but I felt as though I really achieved something - she was so terrified and I felt as though I supported her really well and helped her cope (her partner wasn't the best at comforting her). When I went in the following day, I saw her in the corridor and she thanked me and it made me feel like I had done something really important for her.

I haven't seen a homebirth or a waterbirth yet. I did some nights on call for home births but nothing happened and the mlu I was at didn't have a pool. Are they quite calm and peaceful? I would love to see some of those.


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## 2011butterfly

Well... I'm currently in my 2nd year of a ba. And I'll complete it in 2 years time, then I go on to my masters.

I work full time and uni part time. And god knows I never have any time for studying. It takes up all my weekend. 

But when I finish my masters and ready to ttc I'll be 30. Age wise I'd rather have a baby now. Seems to me i started uni too late. I feel like the biological clock is ticking. But we had an oppsie this month, so could be sooner than I think

I would like to say enough of uni after i get my ba but for the job i want I need a masters.


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## brunette&bubs

I graduate in May with a degree in Communications>Journalism>PR/Advertising

I am feeling so burnt out...finding it hard to focus being my last semester. My grades definitely won't be up to par with my usual grades as I have been taking a few "personal days". :haha:

I already have 1 so it makes it a little stressful.

My husband is already graduated and is working and really wants another now.
I have mirena luckily or I would have stopped the pill a long time ago.

We "plan" on getting my mirena out in the June-August timeframe... I want to try in September or October so I get a summer baby. 

I can't wait to be done with school but think I will do some online courses for real estate while working so I can go in partnership with my MIL who is a real estate agent and has a very flexible schedule.

Love this thread. I need some support from other ladies. 

TONIGHT, I must get all my homework done. Skipped 2 classes today :(


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## winegums

brunette&bubs said:


> TONIGHT, I must get all my homework done. Skipped 2 classes today :(

Me too :wacko:. Should be writing an essay right now but have a banging headache might just go to bed :nope:


----------



## winegums

Caite said:


> March 2014 I'll qualify.
> 
> We did community for a few weeks and then did midwife led units and labour ward. I've seen more high risk than low risk. I've seen a couple of nice, normal deliveries and quite a few high risk labours and deliveries - lots of inductions (I even did an ARM!), instrumental deliveries and sections, prem babies, post-delivery complications, fetal distress, and babies that have required a bit of resus at delivery. I have only delivered a couple so far myself, and it was absolutely amazing. After a couple more this week as I'm not sure when I am next on labour ward/mlu - doing antenatal, postnatal and the neonatal unit next.
> 
> I like the fact that on labour ward I really feel like I get to know the woman and her family - I spent about 9 hours with a woman and her famiy the other day, monitoring her and doing all her documentation - unfortunately I couldn't stay any later, and so didn't get to deliver her, but I felt as though I really achieved something - she was so terrified and I felt as though I supported her really well and helped her cope (her partner wasn't the best at comforting her). When I went in the following day, I saw her in the corridor and she thanked me and it made me feel like I had done something really important for her.
> 
> I haven't seen a homebirth or a waterbirth yet. I did some nights on call for home births but nothing happened and the mlu I was at didn't have a pool. Are they quite calm and peaceful? I would love to see some of those.

waterbirths are amazing, my fav by far. Even just labouring in the water and then getting out for the birth it's just such a surreal, relaxed, calm, peaceful, beautiful atmosphere.

I've only really encountered low risk, so starting on labour ward will be a journey. I've been there a couple of times to talk to the midwives and the board looks terrifying - like a list of complications and emergencies. Oh well, I'm sure it will be fine once I'm there.

We also have to do a caseloading project - do you do one? We have to book our own women and follow them through from the booking to discharge postnatally. Which will be amazing but crazy to add on to our already-huge workload


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## Caite

Water births just sound so nice. I think the setting helps. On labour ward, I feel everything is medicallised. Even low risk women are routinely put on the ctg for short periods in labour, rather than just listening in intermittently. I think because the environment is so hospitalised, that the women kind of expect things to happen and also can't relax as easily and so interventions do happen. I see a couple of mlu deliveries, and they were so calm and relaxed in comparison to the ones on labour ward.

We have to have at least 3 caseloading ladies over the course, but preferably 3 in part 1 and 3 in part 2. It's really good, not necessarily attedning the appointments and stuff, as you get to do that with other women, but for people like me who haven't yet gone through pregnancy, I think it gives a better understanding of pregnancy (and ultimately labour, and being a new mum) from a woman and her partner's perspective, and women also seem to like there being a familiar face around, too. I don't think it is in any way unmanageable, and we get to take the time back, too. My 3 ladies are lovely, the one is about the same age as me and I've been to a few of her appointments so far, and we just chat for ages (clinic was running _really_ late). They're all around 24 weeks now, and due within a week of each other in June - it's going to be a busy month for me, being constantly on call. I was going to pick up a 4th lady, too, just in case. Her hospital notes were empty but as I booked her, she just got more and more complicated (more socially than medically) and seemed as though she would be really difficult to look after, and very demanding and quite dependant for emotional support, so I didn't even ask her.

Butterfly - any news on the oopsie? When will you find out?

Brunette - best of luck for the rest of your last semester


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## Alyss

I thought this thread would be the best for my situation:

After almost 6 years of studying architecture, I've decided that I need a long break from it (possibly permanently), but my DH and I have been wrestling with the idea of what I should do after I graduate. DH wants me to work for at least year to pay down some of my student debt (which I think is a smart idea), but I am still wrestling everyday with what this next year will look like. I will likely get a job being a nanny, since that pays better and is more enjoyable than working as an intern in an architecture firm, but I can't help but wonder when it will be OUR turn?

We have no set TTC date, and I doubt my loans will be even close to being paid off after one year of working, so I'm struggling with justifying the painful waiting process just to get ahead a little bit on my loans. I'm also struggling with feeling bitter, knowing that if I didn't have so many student loans, that we could be TTC right after graduation. We have always planned on me being a SAHM once we have kids, but I feel like since that's the case, he wants us to make the most (financially speaking) of our time before that since my earning potential will be minimal as a SAHM. Oh how I wish I could have known 6 years ago what my life would be like now :dohh:.

So, how do you lovely ladies plan on balancing the demands of school (then work), paying off student loans (if any) and deciding when to TTC? Do you plan on being SAHMs despite the fact that you worked hard and paid a lot of money for you degree? And do you have any suggestions for helping me look at my situation in a better light?

Side note on why I'm stressed about waiting: I'm 24, with endometriosis, and would like to have 4 kids before I'm 32ish since the earlier I'm done with pregnancies, the better my chances for healthy, uninterrupted pregnancies.

Sorry this is multi-faceted question... I don't know how else to compose my thoughts. Thanks!


----------



## Mies

I'm sorry to hear that you feel bitter. On the one hand, I can sympathise with your OH. It would feel nice to be debt-free and to not hsve to worry about money. On the other hand, I can sympathise with you, too. IMO money is important, but it's not everything. How would he feel about having paid off all loans, but having increasing difficulty starting a family?

I studied applied linguistics before I became a teacher at a secondary school (equivalent of a junior high). Then I had to get myself a teaching degree (bachelor of education here in the Netherlands). I got that in two years time doing a fast-track parttime course while I was earning a living as a teacher. Now I'm teaching upper school (or high school, senior classes) and I need another teaching degree (master of education). I'm now in my second year and need to finish two semesters before getting my degree and still working my ass off...

The difference lies in the educational system. Our tuition fees are lower and all students get a four-year scholarship (which isn't much, but it makes it easier to get by). You can also borrow money against reasonable interest rates. I had to pay back some (1.000), and paid that off in January (after two years!).

Working and studying is a lot on your plate. I greatly admire people who manage to study, work _and _take care of their children. There are times that I thank my lucky stars that I don't have children yet!

I'll hopefully finish my research project (final project) in December of this year and then I'll be done. We decided to WTT until at least April because of the due date (likely, since ther's no way of planning this to a tee) being after December. Hopefully, my DH (who has two masters) will have a 'real' job by then so I will be able to work one or two days less. I'm not planning to be a SAHM (but this isn't something you can really plan for either!), because I love my work.

How much of your studies have you got left before you get your degree? I would urge you to "just" finish it. Why drag it on and on? Besides, what if - heaven forbid - you and your OH split up? I would want to be able to take care of myself and stay independent (but that's personal, I guess).

Why have you both decided that you would become a SAHM?

I hope somewhere in this entire epistle :rolleyes: I have mentioned something you can work with. 

I wish you good luck and all the best. :hugs:


----------



## winegums

Alyss said:


> I thought this thread would be the best for my situation:
> 
> After almost 6 years of studying architecture, I've decided that I need a long break from it (possibly permanently), but my DH and I have been wrestling with the idea of what I should do after I graduate. DH wants me to work for at least year to pay down some of my student debt (which I think is a smart idea), but I am still wrestling everyday with what this next year will look like. I will likely get a job being a nanny, since that pays better and is more enjoyable than working as an intern in an architecture firm, but I can't help but wonder when it will be OUR turn?
> 
> We have no set TTC date, and I doubt my loans will be even close to being paid off after one year of working, so I'm struggling with justifying the painful waiting process just to get ahead a little bit on my loans. I'm also struggling with feeling bitter, knowing that if I didn't have so many student loans, that we could be TTC right after graduation. We have always planned on me being a SAHM once we have kids, but I feel like since that's the case, he wants us to make the most (financially speaking) of our time before that since my earning potential will be minimal as a SAHM. Oh how I wish I could have known 6 years ago what my life would be like now :dohh:.
> 
> So, how do you lovely ladies plan on balancing the demands of school (then work), paying off student loans (if any) and deciding when to TTC? Do you plan on being SAHMs despite the fact that you worked hard and paid a lot of money for you degree? And do you have any suggestions for helping me look at my situation in a better light?
> 
> Side note on why I'm stressed about waiting: I'm 24, with endometriosis, and would like to have 4 kids before I'm 32ish since the earlier I'm done with pregnancies, the better my chances for healthy, uninterrupted pregnancies.
> 
> Sorry this is multi-faceted question... I don't know how else to compose my thoughts. Thanks!

Hey hun, it's suchhhh a tough call. I have many, many days when I want to quit what I'm doing and go back to being a SAHM, I miss it so much - I loved it and it made me very happy. However there was no way we could continue financially - if we could I'd do it in a second, and do my degree later in life (some of the girls on my course are in their 40s and 50s).

Our plan is... wait till I graduate, and have secured a job (preferably part time as we already have two young children). Begin TTC immediately once I've started working. Continue working as far into my pregnancy as possible, then take full maternity leave. During maternity leave I'd like to do some bank shifts - just to keep up to date with the job etc. Then go back part time. Just to keep us afloat money wise and keep my head in the game. Then when the kids are older I can do more full time work.

With student loans you don't need to begin repaying until you are earning a certain amount of money per year - so you could always begin TTC straight away and once you've experienced being a SAHM you may even change your mind and decide you want to do some part time work. If not you can focus on your family for the next few years and then when you begin working you can worry about paying off your student loans.


----------



## Alyss

We live in the US, so I started paying on the loans in November. They give you a grace period and then expect you to pay the minimum monthly amount, which combined between the 2 of us is $900 USD a month, however, we've been able to pay that much each month for DH's loans alone, so if I use my income as a supplement to that, we could potentially put a lot of debt behind us in the next year. But it still would be the tip of the iceberg. At that much a month, it will take us 10 years to pay them off, so there is no way we will be able to get ALL of the debt behind us in one year, just some. America's student loans are horrendous and what's sad is that our situation is considered average. I'm very glad that it is NOT like this everywhere else!

So, it's either start TTC once I graduate, and pay the minimum on our loans until they are paid off (ending up paying more interest), or have us work doubly hard to pay off about a 1/5 of those loans in one year (as opposed to 2) and then start TTC. If time was no issue, I'd happily work 5-6 years and pay off all of our debt, but that's just not realistic since I'll be 30 by then, with endo and no kids. Sigh, sometimes life puts you between a rock and a hard place, you know? :dohh:


----------



## Caite

Alyss, the US system seems so difficult.

If you did want to go back in to architecture in the future, would your qualifications still be valid without having yet done the internship? Would you be able to do the internship at some point in the future, or would you have to go back and requalify?

If you still wanted to be a SAHM after you've had the baby, would you be able to do architecture freelance, which might give you the best of both worlds? And some earning potential. Or would you be able to do it part time just until you completed your internship, in order that the qualification is there just incase you wish to use it in the future?

It seems like an awful lot of money to spend to get a degree you don't plan on using at all.

As for me, I am fortunate enough not to have any student loans (NHS funded my degrees), but I do have other financial commitments (credit cards) which I am hoping to pay off as much as possible over the next 12 months. I'm planning on doing this (pregnancy, baby) alone, so there is no way I could be a SAHM. I plan on TTC either shortly before or shortly after qualifying, providing I can get a job (I'm employed to go to uni, so will have been employed long enough to get maternity pay). I would like to have the full year off and then return, maybe just under full time, but that would all depend on finances, so no firm plans there, yet.


----------



## Alyss

Hi Caite,

Well see, here's the catch, I didn't know half way through my degree that I would get married and I certainly wasn't planning on becoming so darn broody, either :haha:, otherwise I definitely wouldn't have picked this path. But here I am.

The amount that I spent on my education is average for the country, it's my hubby's, and subsequently our loans together that is so overwhelming. He makes enough to cover his loans, but we want to make sure there is enough when it comes time to start paying off mine as well. And yes, it does sound like a hefty sum for what we got. We feel pretty cheated, as do the rest of the college graduates from the last several years who still aren't making ends meet.

Architecture is not something I'm really interested in pursuing as a job anymore because of the 60-hour workweeks and regular all-nighters that come with the territory. I just don't have the energy and passion for it like I used to. You must LOVE it to justify spending so much time doing it, and most architects are single or divorced with children they rarely see. I realized that it just isn't conducive to the family-life we desire because no matter how many boundaries and limits I can put on myself, there will always be clients and colleagues who will be expecting me to work ridiculous hours, even in freelancing positions, to save their butts in the last hour so they can present a finished proposal to their client.

Another unfortunate aside, it will take me essentially 3-5 years, no matter when I start, to get out of the title "intern." Much like nursing rotations, architect-wanna-bes are required to fulfill a certain amount of billable hours in several categories to become eligible to take the 7 qualifying exams to be able to legally call yourself an "architect" and start making enough money to comfortable live on. If I do them now, they're useless after kids, but if I don't do them now, there is really no point in continuing in the career, earning next to nothing, with no hopes in climbing the ladder. So, you could say that if I were to continue in this career, that I am essentially half-way there :dohh:.

At this point in my life, I'm looking for a reliable set of hours that I can stick with and work around since I still want to have the energy to cook nutritious meals, do laundry, and clean the house without feeling over-worked, ya know?

Like I said, rock... meet hard place...:wacko:


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## midnight sun

Hello everyone! 
This is a great idea for a post! I am 22 and currently in my final year of my BSc(biology). I am not working currently since I am taking 6 courses and labs but I am graduating this summer so it'll be worth it! I do,however, have a very well paying job in the summer that easily supports me all year if need be. 
I am planning to start a MSc this fall if everything goes to plan. I'm wondering if anyone has completed their masters with a newborn? I am not planning to conceive for a while but I am excited for when the time comes :)


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## Caite

Alyss, that sounds so demanding, and I can see why you want to get out of architecture.

Midnighht sun - good luck with your final semester and your MSc


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## hopeandpray

Alyss I completely understand how you feel. I'm studying to be a doctor so have a serious amount of hard work ahead of me. The plan was that my oh would be a stay at home dad. However we broke up right before we started college and now I'm with a lovely new man who is just about to start a phd with the hope of becoming a professor, he has no interest in staying at home with children. Honestly my hope at the moment is either that I take a few years off before I begin my career (this will depend on him making enough money though), or me not beginning to have children until my mid-thirties which is not an option I would like to take.


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## Pearls18

midnight sun said:


> Hello everyone!
> This is a great idea for a post! I am 22 and currently in my final year of my BSc(biology). I am not working currently since I am taking 6 courses and labs but I am graduating this summer so it'll be worth it! I do,however, have a very well paying job in the summer that easily supports me all year if need be.
> I am planning to start a MSc this fall if everything goes to plan. I'm wondering if anyone has completed their masters with a newborn? I am not planning to conceive for a while but I am excited for when the time comes :)

Im studying my masters at the moment and plan to TTC during and wont have completed by the time the baby is born so Ill let you know.....


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## deductivemom

Alyss said:


> I thought this thread would be the best for my situation:
> 
> After almost 6 years of studying architecture, I've decided that I need a long break from it (possibly permanently), but my DH and I have been wrestling with the idea of what I should do after I graduate. DH wants me to work for at least year to pay down some of my student debt (which I think is a smart idea), but I am still wrestling everyday with what this next year will look like. I will likely get a job being a nanny, since that pays better and is more enjoyable than working as an intern in an architecture firm, but I can't help but wonder when it will be OUR turn?
> 
> We have no set TTC date, and I doubt my loans will be even close to being paid off after one year of working, so I'm struggling with justifying the painful waiting process just to get ahead a little bit on my loans. I'm also struggling with feeling bitter, knowing that if I didn't have so many student loans, that we could be TTC right after graduation. We have always planned on me being a SAHM once we have kids, but I feel like since that's the case, he wants us to make the most (financially speaking) of our time before that since my earning potential will be minimal as a SAHM. Oh how I wish I could have known 6 years ago what my life would be like now :dohh:.
> 
> So, how do you lovely ladies plan on balancing the demands of school (then work), paying off student loans (if any) and deciding when to TTC? Do you plan on being SAHMs despite the fact that you worked hard and paid a lot of money for you degree? And do you have any suggestions for helping me look at my situation in a better light?
> 
> Side note on why I'm stressed about waiting: I'm 24, with endometriosis, and would like to have 4 kids before I'm 32ish since the earlier I'm done with pregnancies, the better my chances for healthy, uninterrupted pregnancies.
> 
> Sorry this is multi-faceted question... I don't know how else to compose my thoughts. Thanks!

Alyss, I really hear what you are saying. I am currently a psychology graduate student with probably 2 years left to go and it's so hard not to see it as an impediment to life and family sometimes (DH is also a student). Although I really like my subject and doing research, I plan to take some time after graduation to be a SAHM. Basically, that means choosing not to become an academic ever. 

I'm pretty confident about my choice and that it will be the right thing for my family, but it's a shame that so many career paths are closed to women who want to take some time off while their children are little. I also struggle with when I need to get back into the job market before it's too late to do anything. Most likely I will try to work part time as a teacher or researcher when there aren't any infants at home, but honestly I will probably view it as a nuisance. 

If it helps, I recently heard some research presented at a psychology conference that families with small children who have one spouse working full-time and the other working part-time are on average the most satisfied with their situation (at least in the U.S.). I wouldn't know yet, but observations suggests that mommies can benefit from some adult time too. I guess I should just be grateful I have some choice in the matter!

I realize none of that is probably any help, but just know you aren't alone in this boat! Lots of us students are struggling with the same considerations and the same waiting game. Good luck and keep us posted!


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## Alyss

hopeandpray said:


> Alyss I completely understand how you feel. I'm studying to be a doctor so have a serious amount of hard work ahead of me. The plan was that my oh would be a stay at home dad. However we broke up right before we started college and now I'm with a lovely new man who is just about to start a phd with the hope of becoming a professor, he has no interest in staying at home with children. Honestly my hope at the moment is either that I take a few years off before I begin my career (this will depend on him making enough money though), or me not beginning to have children until my mid-thirties which is not an option I would like to take.

Yeah...I wouldn't go for the mid-thirties option either! Sounds like you all have some talking to do. :winkwink: It seems long-term planning is only wishful thinking on our parts, but that is life. :dohh:


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## lj313

Hey ladies! Glad to come across this post! I'm 25, married, and currently in my 2nd year of a 5 year doctoral program in clinical psychology. I'm planning on trying to conceive this summer so that the baby is due at the end of spring semester of 2014 toward the end of my 3rd year. I'm pretty nervous!


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## rhdr9193..x

Me :) hi I'm Rachel, 19, have a nearly 1 year old called Oliver and have nearly finished my first year doing a degree in early childhood studies. We are planning to TTC around January 2015, so hopefully would be pregnant for the last 5 months or so of uni x


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## Girly123

Hey girls. I am 26 and have been working for 2 years as a teacher (this is my second year). As of last week I have just started a masters part time whilst I work full time. The masters is in education. I am aiming to have the masters finished by August or July 2015. So thinking we may try for our first baby May/June time just before my 29th birthday. Sounds soooo long away but I know it will be worth the wait and hard work at the end . X


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## younglove

What are ways that you motivate yourself to study? 

I have a few months left of studying for my auditing professional designation. It's definitely the hardest thing I've ever had to study for! Each week I work FT, have a 10+ hr commute and try to study ~20 hours. I'm getting pretty burnt out but have to keep going through this last stretch!!

Any advice for how to motivate myself? Lately I've been bribing myself with lattes and takeout lol. I need other suggestions...


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## Elpis_x

younglove said:


> What are ways that you motivate yourself to study?
> 
> I have a few months left of studying for my auditing professional designation. It's definitely the hardest thing I've ever had to study for! Each week I work FT, have a 10+ hr commute and try to study ~20 hours. I'm getting pretty burnt out but have to keep going through this last stretch!!
> 
> Any advice for how to motivate myself? Lately I've been bribing myself with lattes and takeout lol. I need other suggestions...

I always just remind myself of what I'm doing it for, whether that's a dream job in the future, a dream house, a baby... Also, energy drinks help! :haha:



4 days until I break up for Easter :happydance: I love seeing one of my tickers so low, I remember when it was 2 months +. Easter will be full of revision for exams at the end of April, then I have summer exams starting in May-June. So, fingers crossed all the revising will mean time goes fast. I have 2 more pieces of coursework (hoping to get both done by Friday) and one presentation (due for Friday) left for the whole of this academic year :happydance:


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## Kallie3000

My Motivation: Once I'm a CA, I can get any job I want in my field, from working to be a partner in my firm, to working a union job with a pension and a 9-5 day, or on my own working from home. So, whatever my family and future baby need, I will be able to provide, and that makes me keep going!


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## brunette&bubs

younglove said:


> What are ways that you motivate yourself to study?
> 
> I have a few months left of studying for my auditing professional designation. It's definitely the hardest thing I've ever had to study for! Each week I work FT, have a 10+ hr commute and try to study ~20 hours. I'm getting pretty burnt out but have to keep going through this last stretch!!
> 
> Any advice for how to motivate myself? Lately I've been bribing myself with lattes and takeout lol. I need other suggestions...

I have a little over a month left...so that's what mostly keeps me going.

I have a potential job opportunity that pays well and they will hire me after I graduate. 
I know I gotta get through school before I get to work


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## Caite

I'm rubbish at motivating myself to study. I always find tonnes of things to do, which have been waiting ages, but which I decide need doing right now. I usually panic a few days before the exam and revise absolutely everything in about 3 days. I must say, it has worked for me so far.

I have two days til the easter holidays where I can completely forget about uni.


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## winegums

Ohhh easter hols - I'm making up a couple of shifts, writing two essays, revising for two exams, preparing a presentation... and they tell us to try and find time to relax in the hols :p


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## Elpis_x

1 more day until all my coursework for the year is done and it's officially Easter :happydance:

On the down side I just got my exam timetable and I have 10 exams between the end of April to the end of May, going to be a stressful couple of months.


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## Pearls18

I'm not one for encouraging people to TTC before finishing their qualifications buuuuuuut I have just had my marks back for my first module from my masters and I got a distinction :) you can study, work and have babies haha :) I have another 160 credits to go though so hope I haven't peaked early lol.


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## Caite

:thumbup: Yay, well done MarineWAG. Pleased for you.


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## Caite

And Winegums, that doesn't sound very much like a break of any kind. I have nothing due in til the autumn

Elpis, glad you have complated your coursework for the year. Good luck with your exams.

My easter holiday may possibly have already started - there's meant to be loads of snow tonight, and if there is too much I am not risking driving to uni - we're at the furthest away campus today which is over an hours drive away. If it's not too bad weatherwise, tomorrow is my last day for a fortnight


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## hopeandpray

How's everyone doing? I have two mid-terms tomorrow and yet here I am on bnb :blush:


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## younglove

hopeandpray said:


> How's everyone doing? I have two mid-terms tomorrow and yet here I am on bnb :blush:

Good luck hopeandpray! :hugs:

Congrats MarineWAG! You're a great inspiration to me.

I had to push my exam back again to May because there is too much material and the accounting is really challenging. Just trying to stay motivated... :coffee:

DH is my biggest distraction lol


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## brunette&bubs

I'm just finishing with spring break...I go back to school tomorrow

I will need to read 2 chapters for my hardest class and write an article for a class. Both due tuesday.

Nothing else really intense going on until another week or so.
Gotta study hard for this science class I'm taking because I've got a low B in that class and I need to pass!!!!

It's hard with one month left...How do I stay focused AHHH I just want to be done already!


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## Elpis_x

MarineWAG - That's amazing! Well done!

hopeandpray - Good luck!


I'm already behind on my revision schedule :blush: I'm trying not to stress too much because there's still almost a month til my first exam, and I doubt anyone else has started revising yet. I have all day tomorrow to myself, so determined to catch up!


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## younglove

How is everyone doing these days?

Good luck to everyone who has upcoming exams and assignments!


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## winegums

Nearly half way through easter hols and haven't touched any school work whatsoever :(. 0 motivation when it's so nice to have this time with the children


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## younglove

winegums said:


> Nearly half way through easter hols and haven't touched any school work whatsoever :(. 0 motivation when it's so nice to have this time with the children

Totally understandable when you have little ones! Hope you enjoy Easter weekend with your kids! 
:flower:


My biggest challenge - trying to stay motivated when DH, most of my friends and family have finished their schooling. It's hard to stay motivated when everyone else is trying to persuade me to ditch studying. I have little free time outside of work as it is, and there are so many distractions these days (weekends away to visit family, working on our house, bridal showers, girls weekends, etc.). 

I have to stay strong though because I'm doing this for my future family!:thumbup:


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## Squashy

Hey hey student ladies, may I join you? :hi: We're hoping to start TTC this June after I turn 31. I graduate this September and I've got a job lined up already :headspin: Finding it so hard to write my dissertation atm as I'm far to excited about TTC soon, far too big a distraction!


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## Caite

Welcome Squashy. That's good that you have your job lined up already. What are you studying?

I didn't get in on the last day of term due to the weather. I did one of the pieces of work to make up the time but have one still to do. Enjoying the time off too much to do it, though.


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## youngone

I forgot this thread was here- I just posted a thread about my problem with motivation to study this year- I'd really really appreciate if I could please get some of you ladies opinions and support- Its getting too much.

The thread is here:

https://babyandbump.momtastic.com/waiting-to-try/1804029-total-loss-motivation-study.html

Thank you :flower:


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## Squashy

Caite said:


> Welcome Squashy. That's good that you have your job lined up already. What are you studying?

:happydance: Hi, I'm a student nurse, starting my job in July but not on full duties until I finish uni in September. Very excited about it all and slightly terrified at the same time! 

Atm I'm trying to keep my attention on writing my dissertation so that I don't have to spend time on it while I'm on my final placement. However, BnB and browsing baby websites are too tempting. Really should go do a little something on it... coffee needed I think! :coffee:


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## Squashy

It's oh... so... quiet... :shhh:

So Easter is over and the studying is back on! I've actually found a nice balance between dissertation writing and BnB today, one paragraph written, 2 pages of babywearing pics and 2 pages of cloth bums to keep my brooding under control, then repeat :haha: How is everyone getting on?


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## MUMOF5

Hi everyone, can I join please :flower:

I am a student midwife, I am not due to qualify until September 2015. I already have six children and have been sterilised, but am baby crazy :wacko: and we have decided that we would like to have another one (or two :winkwink:), I am planning to have my reversal operation next April, wait for things to settle for a few months and then start ttc. I hope to be pregnant for the last part of my degree, as others have said, its easier to do uni pregnant than with a small baby.


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## Elpis_x

Squashy - glad your studying is going well!


I still have another week of Easter left and then 4 exams between 22nd-24th. Then almost 4 weeks off and another 6 exams. So looking forward to that all being over.


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## Squashy

MUMOF5 said:


> I am a student midwife, I am not due to qualify until September 2015. I already have six children and have been sterilised, but am baby crazy :wacko: and we have decided that we would like to have another one (or two :winkwink:), I am planning to have my reversal operation next April, wait for things to settle for a few months and then start ttc. I hope to be pregnant for the last part of my degree, as others have said, its easier to do uni pregnant than with a small baby.

Hello! Nice to meet another healthcare student :winkwink: How are you finding placements and midwifery studying while you're so broody? Not sure I'd cope :haha: I know several people who've had babies while studying, they still got their bursary while they took a gap year... just a thought in case you're not aware already. I always planned to that and then it was never a good time for OH so we kept putting it off. Now I'm about to qualify, crazy broody and planning to be pregnant during the difficult first year as a newly qualified :shrug: If I was younger I'd put it off a couple of years now but I'm not so I'm going to suck it up and get on with it :baby: Different things work for different people though. 



> Squashy - glad your studying is going well!
> 
> I still have another week of Easter left and then 4 exams between 22nd-24th. Then almost 4 weeks off and another 6 exams. So looking forward to that all being over.

Thanks :winkwink: Still a long way to go though, but at least I've found I can do a bit of both, feel slightly more sane lol. Wow that's a lot of exams, I had three exams over my whole three years. What are you studying?


----------



## Elpis_x

Squashy said:


> MUMOF5 said:
> 
> 
> I am a student midwife, I am not due to qualify until September 2015. I already have six children and have been sterilised, but am baby crazy :wacko: and we have decided that we would like to have another one (or two :winkwink:), I am planning to have my reversal operation next April, wait for things to settle for a few months and then start ttc. I hope to be pregnant for the last part of my degree, as others have said, its easier to do uni pregnant than with a small baby.
> 
> Hello! Nice to meet another healthcare student :winkwink: How are you finding placements and midwifery studying while you're so broody? Not sure I'd cope :haha: I know several people who've had babies while studying, they still got their bursary while they took a gap year... just a thought in case you're not aware already. I always planned to that and then it was never a good time for OH so we kept putting it off. Now I'm about to qualify, crazy broody and planning to be pregnant during the difficult first year as a newly qualified :shrug: If I was younger I'd put it off a couple of years now but I'm not so I'm going to suck it up and get on with it :baby: Different things work for different people though.
> 
> 
> 
> Squashy - glad your studying is going well!
> 
> I still have another week of Easter left and then 4 exams between 22nd-24th. Then almost 4 weeks off and another 6 exams. So looking forward to that all being over.Click to expand...
> 
> Thanks :winkwink: Still a long way to go though, but at least I've found I can do a bit of both, feel slightly more sane lol. Wow that's a lot of exams, I had three exams over my whole three years. What are you studying?Click to expand...

Oh, I'm jealous! I study biomedical science.


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## MUMOF5

I find the placements and studying fine :thumbup:, I actually feel that I am more 'into' it because I am so broody if that makes sense :wacko:. Am starting my next ten week placement (delivery suite) in few weeks, so really excited about that :happydance:. I was lucky enough to have a few deliveries when on my community placement and I loved every minute of it. 

I too ideally would wait until I qualify, but due to my age and the fact that I need to have the reversal done, it may take us longer to conceive, so would rather start sooner rather than later :winkwink: Thanks for the info about receiving my bursary while on a break. :thumbup:

So glad I found this thread :flower:


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## younglove

Good luck to everyone who has to get some school work done this weekend! :flower:

Lots of coffee in store for me today lol :coffee:


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## Squashy

> Oh, I'm jealous! I study biomedical science.

Eek lots of exams and reports then! I have practical placements and portfolios but they aren't really like exams thankfully. 



> Am starting my next ten week placement (delivery suite) in few weeks, so really excited about that

Oooh exciting! :happydance: Goodluck with it! Good that you find it goes well with your broodiness, I had a health visiting placement and I found the whole thing beyond painful, so lucky it was a short 5 week placement. It was great for baby tips though, learnt lots for myself and future baby :haha:



> Good luck to everyone who has to get some school work done this weekend!
> 
> Lots of coffee in store for me today lol

Well, :blush: I didn't get nearly as much done as I hoped I would, the sunshine was too big a distraction!


----------



## Elpis_x

Squashy said:


> Oh, I'm jealous! I study biomedical science.
> 
> Eek lots of exams and reports then! I have practical placements and portfolios but they aren't really like exams thankfully.Click to expand...

15 exams, 30 bits of coursework and I have a placement week in the summer :thumbup: Yours sounds very busy though! How's your dissertation coming along?



I took the whole day off :dohh: Went out for the day and only just got home and I'm far too tired to comprehend anything now!


----------



## Squashy

> 15 exams, 30 bits of coursework and I have a placement week in the summer :thumbup: Yours sounds very busy though! How's your dissertation coming along?
> 
> I took the whole day off :dohh: Went out for the day and only just got home and I'm far too tired to comprehend anything now!

Eek! Is that over the whole course or just this year?! The dissertation is moving along but far too slowly for my liking. Just want it done so I can forget about it. I wasted an hour working out what mark I need to get for a 1st or a 2.1 :haha: I need about 80% for a 1st :dohh: Guess I better get working a little harder! I did a naughty yesterday, went to a friends house to 'work' and spent the day larking around, chatting and eatting... the three things I do best :blush: So today I'm treating myself with little BnB breaks to keep my brooding from distracting me too much :baby: How's the revision going?


----------



## Elpis_x

Squashy said:


> 15 exams, 30 bits of coursework and I have a placement week in the summer :thumbup: Yours sounds very busy though! How's your dissertation coming along?
> 
> I took the whole day off :dohh: Went out for the day and only just got home and I'm far too tired to comprehend anything now!
> 
> Eek! Is that over the whole course or just this year?! The dissertation is moving along but far too slowly for my liking. Just want it done so I can forget about it. I wasted an hour working out what mark I need to get for a 1st or a 2.1 :haha: I need about 80% for a 1st :dohh: Guess I better get working a little harder! I did a naughty yesterday, went to a friends house to 'work' and spent the day larking around, chatting and eatting... the three things I do best :blush: So today I'm treating myself with little BnB breaks to keep my brooding from distracting me too much :baby: How's the revision going?Click to expand...

That's just this year lol. Good that you're getting there with it though! 80% is doable but a 2.1 is still amazing anyway! Haha, I always find similar things happen when I try to revise with other people. That's what I do too! BnB is great motivation for getting things done, I tell myself once I've done a certain amount that I can come on here and read a bit :haha: It's going ok thanks, I've nearly finished all my notes (first exam on Monday), but I'm panicking that I'm not sure I actually remember much of what I've written down! :haha:


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## Kallie3000

Signed up for my final exam today, yeah!!! September, here I come!


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## Caite

Squashy - I did adult nursing. I'm still on the bank but haven't done any shifts since I went back to uni in September. It seems so long now that I'm actually a bit scared to go back. What type of nursing is your job in? When I was a student, I hated medical wards and wanted nto never work on one, and then ended up working for 2.5 years (out of nearly 3.5years) on a medical ward. Send me to a surgical ward now and I would struggle. 

And, I'm sure that it is a much better plan to have a baby after qualifying - the maternity pay will be much better.

Mum of 5 - I'm a student midwife, too, doing the 18 month course, and there's another one of us, winegums, and she's doing the 3 year course. My last palcement was labour ward. It was either really busy or really quiet, never in between. I found it a lot more medicalised than when I was on placement on the midwife led unit.

I'm just starting now to get a bit scared at how short my course is. I have 11 months to become competent and get all my delieveries/antenatal and post natal checks etc.


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## brunette&bubs

Hi Friends,

Just updating you all...

I have just an exam and final project in each of my classes and I'm DONE!

Hallelujah!


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## Squashy

> That's just this year lol. Good that you're getting there with it though! 80% is doable but a 2.1 is still amazing anyway! Haha, I always find similar things happen when I try to revise with other people. That's what I do too! BnB is great motivation for getting things done, I tell myself once I've done a certain amount that I can come on here and read a bit :haha: It's going ok thanks, I've nearly finished all my notes (first exam on Monday), but I'm panicking that I'm not sure I actually remember much of what I've written down! :haha:

I will stop complaining about my work load immediately! :blush: True, I'd love a 1st just because I've got some high marks and I know it's possible, but the way this is going I'll be glad to just pass and be relieved that it's over. When I did my exams I walked in feeling that I knew nothing, I started answering the Q's feeling like I knew nothing... then I had to ask for more paper because I couldn't stop writing :wacko: G'luk for monday :thumbup:



> Squashy - I did adult nursing. I'm still on the bank but haven't done any shifts since I went back to uni in September. It seems so long now that I'm actually a bit scared to go back. What type of nursing is your job in? When I was a student, I hated medical wards and wanted nto never work on one, and then ended up working for 2.5 years (out of nearly 3.5years) on a medical ward. Send me to a surgical ward now and I would struggle.

Hi Caite, I'm doing medical, love it! Nice to meet another nurse/ midwife/ student :hugs: It is scary to think how much we are expected to learn as students before we go out into our first jobs, but exciting at the same time, the time will fly by :headspin:



> Signed up for my final exam today, yeah!!! September, here I come!




> I have just an exam and final project in each of my classes and I'm DONE!

:happydance: Woohoo go you guys! So exciting to have the end in sight :happydance: Just 14 weeks for me to go until I'm done (though I have to wait for results until September).


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## youngone

Updates?!? Hows everyone doing???? 

It's the end of semester 1 and everyones just finishing exams here, I start semester 2 in 3 weeks :thumbup: my LAST FULL SEMESTER (doing one summer paper this year afterwards) :wohoo:

Pretty excited but I know that i'll be pretty burnt out soon. Ready to get out there and work, and pretend to be a grownup :coffee::coffee: haha!


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## winegums

Hey guys... haven't been around in a while. Been feeling so broody and it's hard to come on here!

Can't believe I've nearly finished 2nd year! Only another year to go, then have to find a job and work for a bit otherwise won't get maternity pay!


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## loeylo

Hey everyone! I last posted on this thread ages ago, buy just wanted to give you all hope! I have been ridiculously broody (to the point of wanting to drop out of uni and have a baby!) for the last two and a half years of my degree, but I finally graduated with honours yesterday! It is totally doable, so just plod on and you will get there. Xxx


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## Springermommy

Wow, didn't know this thread existed! Awesome! :) 
youngone-Best of luck with our FINAL full semester!
winegums-Hope your next year goes well!
Congrats on graduating with honors, Loey! That's wonderful.

I start my first semester of grad school in about 2 months... Excited, nervous, anxious... all of the normal emotions. We're going to wait until August '14 to TTC #1. Feeling broody lately as we move into our new 4-bedroom in August... Looking forward to chatting with everyone!


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## youngone

Just to update you, I was accepted into an honours course today :thumbup:

Although i'm still not sure if i'll accept, It's very cold where I currently live and i'm always sick, so was thinking of taking 6 months or 1 year out, then moving to a warmer country to do my Masters instead :thumbup: pretty burnt out at the moment, and being sick due to the cold makes it so much harder! 

Good luck to everyone in their studies! keep this thread alive! it keeps me going, I love to hear about others in the same boat as me!! :flower:


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## Springermommy

Sometimes I feel like it will be forever until I get through school... haven't even really started yet... lol... but I just need to remember how fast 4 years of undergrad went... This is only 2 years and although it will be intense, it will be worth it... and hopefully I'll have a bundle of joy as a reward at the end! :D



Just curious-How old is everyone on this thread? I am 27.


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## Squashy

Hey everyone! How is everyone getting on? :munch: I haven't been on BnB much for a while as after finishing my dissertation I was just a burnt out emotional wreck :wacko: but I'm back to my usual super broody impatient normal self again now here I am brooding away :crib: Well I've got two weeks left until I finish my final placement, three weeks left until my last piece of work is handed in and then I'll have to give in and set my start date for work :happydance: Then hopefully the end of Sept/ beginning of Oct we can start :sex: 

Oh well, I have one whole day off the workies so I guess you'll see me posting randomly around the site between :laundry::icecream::hangwashing::tease::iron::bike::dishes::coffee:


Just to update you, I was accepted into an honours course today 

Wow congratulations! :thumbup: You must be chuffed! 

Can't believe I've nearly finished 2nd year! Only another year to go, then have to find a job and work for a bit otherwise won't get maternity pay!

Each day seems to take a lifetime but it's amazing how quickly blocks of time go! I hope it speeds by for you, but we're all here on good old BnB to keep each other going :winkwink:

Hey everyone! I last posted on this thread ages ago, buy just wanted to give you all hope! I have been ridiculously broody (to the point of wanting to drop out of uni and have a baby!) for the last two and a half years of my degree, but I finally graduated with honours yesterday! It is totally doable, so just plod on and you will get there. Xxx

Well done hunni! Congratulations! So nice of you to post and give us all hope that it does end at some point :rofl:

Sometimes I feel like it will be forever until I get through school... haven't even really started yet... lol... but I just need to remember how fast 4 years of undergrad went... This is only 2 years and although it will be intense, it will be worth it... and hopefully I'll have a bundle of joy as a reward at the end! 
Just curious-How old is everyone on this thread? I am 27.

 Hiya :howdy: Two years will fly by hunni, just remember all the good reasons why you're doing it :winkwink: I'm 31 and feeling like I ought to get a move on with the :sex:, which is probably a little irrational but I just don't want to wait any longer...


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