juggling university studies & a child?

[sophielouise9]

basically, i think i may be pregnant. I have taken two HPT & one came negative, one positive. I took the tests within 4 days of one another and have heard where it is common to receive a false negative, it is not so common to receive a false positive, therefore am waiting a few more days til i take another test to see the outcome then off to the doctors dependant on the outcome!
Although i am only 19 years old, i am in a stable, loving relationship with my partner of two years and we have both discussed the situation and if i am in fact pregnant, we will be keeping the baby. We both have jobs. However, i am due to start university in September to undertake a degree. I have spoken to a couple of people i know who currently attend university part time and still manage to bring up their child. I know that i can study my degree part time, instead of full time, which would still gain me a degree, just a little longer than anticipated!

has anybody ever been/is anybody in this situation that can offer me some advice/personal experience

thanks in advance
(unsure as to whether i've posted in the correct forum)

 

[Yogurt]

Well I think Im pregnant at 19 years old too and I sense that Im feeling wayyy more excited about it than you are ..

 

[Williamsmum]

Hi :wave:

I found out I was pregnant with my first child in September just as I was entering my final year of a teaching degree. Basically, I did one term and then deferred the next for a year and went back to complete it in January 2010 when my son was 8 months old. It was harder to work on my degree, obviously, but totally doable. I was lucky enough that my OH works from home a lot and was very supportive, he would take William while I worked on my assignments and dissertation. I think the hardest thing I found was when I had to go on teaching practice and leave him all day from 7 - 5. In the end though, I got the degree and then went back to being a stay at home mum. I'm glad I went ahead and completed it.

Best of luck to you I'm sure you'll be fine!

 

[sophielouise9]

Well I think Im pregnant at 19 years old too and I sense that Im feeling wayyy more excited about it than you are ..

Hiya! ooh no, despite the situation, i'm actually excited! if i am, think i'll actually be a little disappointed if it turns out i'm not!

 

[Yogurt]

lol yeah? good for you! and congrats if you are hehee

 

[OmiOmen]

I went back to uni as a mature student when my son was 4 months old and I am not going to lie to you it is really difficult. My husband (who works nights) looks after him when I am there but he never gives me enough time to get the work done even though my son was planned and my husband said he would help me get things done. That it the hardest bit, trying to get your work done while looking after a baby/toddler and of course you could be like me and have a hyperactive child who will not let you get a things done. All that said I am doing it so as stressful as it is it is possible! Plus, I am at the end of my second year and although we do not plan on TTC until I am done we are NTNP now so I am of the opinion that you just get on with things even if they are hard when you have a baby. If you can do it part time that would take a lot of the stress off though. Good luck.

 

[aimee-lou]

My husband is a mature student, and it is difficult for him. I work 4 days a week and Earl goes to childcare those 4 days (8-4) to let him get some of the work done. However, he gets 5 months a year off, his timetable is flexible (he gets whole days off in the week some terms) and he is enjoying what he's doing rather than being in a dead end job that he doesn't like.

It worth it if you know that the degree will help you to get to a better, more stable place. While your LO is small, they wont kno that money is tight, or you can't afford the 'top brnads' as your a lowly student. However, in 5-10 years time when you've got all of that under your belt, they will have seen that hard work pays off and you'll really appreciate what you've accomplished.

I say, if you are happy about it, and there is a conceivable way of acheiving it, then I say go for it. My hubby has a motto - better to have tried and given up than to always wonder 'what if?'.

Best of luck with whatever happens

 

[gardenofedens]

I'm hoping to be in this boat soon! FH and I are getting married in June and NTNP for our first. He's a teacher and I work full time for a utility company while going to school full time for my teaching credentials. I have about 2.5-3 years left to get my BA and credentials if I stay full time so while it may be easier to wait longer for a LO, I'm tired of waiting. I'm already 27 (took a long break between high school and college to open/run a nonprofit organization) so I want a baby NOW! lol. My hope once we have our LO is that I can work part time while still doing school full time but we'll see.

 

[Willo]

I am currently doing the last year of a degree. I deferred my 2nd year to have my son, then went back when he was 8 months old. It was hard to juggle college and home and I was very lucky as I knew that my son was with my DH all day, but still I struggled with guilt (for example having to give up breastfeeding to go back). That being said I am so glad that I stuck at it and I feel very fortunate to have been able to. So yeah it is possible and can be very rewarding. I'm hoping I will be pregnant again in the near future and am still considering going on to do my honours degree in Sept.

 

[polaris]

I haven't been in the situation but I think it would be hard work but doable, especially if you have the option of studying part-time. The main problem would be that you would probably have not too much energy for anything else, e.g. socializing. I work four days a week and look after my LO the rest of the time and the hardest thing is never having 'me' time.

If you have had a positive pregnancy test then you are pregnant, hun! Was the negative test taken before the positive test? It takes a while for the hormones to build up in the blood stream so if you test too early it will be negative. But a positive test defo means your pregnant - so congratulations! You have amazing will-power to wait another few days before testing again! I think you should test again tomorrow morning!!