Pregnancy and Studying

[CRWx]

Is anybody else doing it?

I'm currently in my second year of a full time Early Years course and plan on taking it right the way through and after I've had my little girl. I'm lucky in the respect that my course is assignment based and my hours are pretty good. I'm also very lucky that on my shorter days, my mum will be able to look after my little girl (self employed, only her in her office) so will only need childcare 3 days a week, in theory!

If anybodies done/doing it, how did you manage? I visited the childcare advisor in student services this afternoon and honestly, she was really quite unhelpful with what I may be entitled to in regards to money for childcare, who can I go to help decipher it all? Honestly feel like she spoke to me in a language I didn't understand and booted me out the door. Would also like to hear anything in regards having a baby and studying... Every little helps!

TIA x

 

[MindUtopia]

First, I would say get as much done as you can while you're pregnant. Think of your due date as a deadline and plan everything with that date in mind. I found being pregnant and studying to be easy. It's just like doing it not pregnant, except you're a little more tired. But doing it when you have a child is definitely hard. Try to get as far as you can now so you don't have to sacrifice as much time later that you'd rather be spending with your daughter (or sleeping!).

I'd also really recommend taking some time off. You didn't really say if you were taking a maternity leave or picking right back up after the birth. I would say even if you don't take a traditional 9 month leave, take time off, 4 months or 6 months or whatever, and then ease back in. The first weeks and months are hard when you aren't trying to balance them with assignments and readings. I had all these grand plans of things I'd get done at nap time and in the evenings after bedtime. Honestly, when you've not slept more than 2-3 hours at a time for weeks, you can't do anything more during naptime than sit in front of the tv. I think I occasionally managed to check and respond to emails here and there in the early days. I was going to bed at 7pm for the first couple months just to get through the night, so there was no free time for studying. My brain just didn't function when it was that exhausted. By 6 months, I could have done it, but not any earlier. Also, you never get that time back. School can wait and 6 or 12 months off won't make a huge difference in terms of what you do with your career one day, but it will mean you don't miss out on time with your baby you can't get back. Those days are precious and I'm glad I had that time. When I did go back, I could really dedicate myself to it in a way I couldn't have when she was really little.

As for how to balance it, having help is crucial. In your case, your mum to help you with childcare. In my case, it was needing to pay for childcare, and having some family support to help cover some of those costs when we need it has made a big difference. What I make as a student doesn't cover my childcare costs at all, so it's financially a challenge (though a really good investment long-term because I'll come out of this earning lots more). But I couldn't balance studying with having my daughter home with me full-time. Also, make use of pockets of time you can find, get up an hour early and finish something, plan a couple nights a week after bedtime when you can work on things, etc. Just be really good about your time management. Being a parent forces you to do it anyway, so you'll get really good at getting 10,000 things done in the time your friends without kids might only get one task done!

Anyway, that kinda makes it sound like it's hard, and I guess it is, but it's also really doable with the right support and planning. I had my daughter when I was in year 4 of a 7-8 year PhD program. She's 2.5 now. I took a year off when I had her and then went back full-time, plus working. I'll graduate next year. I definitely think having her has helped me stay focused and finish. I think I probably would have given up a long time ago if I didn't have supporting her as a goal for doing this! So good luck! You can do it and it sounds like you have the rights support system in place. No idea though on what financial supports there might be. I'm not a UK citizen, so I'm not eligible for any of that stuff. We've just managed on our own with help from family when we need it.

 

[whittnie117]

There's a lot of good advice the pp gave. I am in school as well. I am a junior (third year). I had a hard pregnancy my first time around and had to take a year off. This time, I am going to school all the way through. School before children and after is completely different. It is much harder once you have a little one to look after. It gets easier as they get older, but it is not easy. Try to get as much done now as you can. Ill be giving birth at midterms next semester. That won't be easy, lol!

 

[Melissa123]

Hi.. I had two under 2 when I returned to study doing a similar course (B.Ed with QTS). I took two years out and then returned to complete the final year of a four year course. The above advice and information is spot on! It was hard initially time management wise and especially as children of that age seem to get every illness going at nursery! And I missed them But it was doable. Uni, in my experience were very understanding when I needed time off etc which helped

 

[Aneesa_09]

I'm in my final year of my masters and it's full time it's so hard with three others also. My due date is April I'm currently on placement till March and have a dissertation due in June

Like pp said I'm plannin to get my diso done b4 the due date cuz I no I will do nothing else when baby is here

It's hard but doable with my BA degree my second year I completed pregnant, baby born in May and I was back in sept for final year where I got the best grades iv ever got so keep positive

Xx

 

[Hotbell312]

I had to study in first trimester for a huge test that determines the rest of my career. Luckily, I didn't have much morning sickness