I am doing a three year full time course. It comes with a small grant and maternity leave. Prior to doing this degree I worked on and off self employed for a decade. The degree is to enable me to do the same work I used to but with a better qualification.
I started this degree when my first child was 8 months old. Our child was sadly not born healthy, spending a great deal of the early weeks in hospital and we suffer a routine of appointments, therapy and general 'not the normal' parenting until he turned two (a few months ago) whereupon it has eased but the long term future impacts are not known.
I am desperate to enjoy another pregnancy and give birth and raise a healthy baby, I think about another bump and baby, as well as my children interacting pretty much every hour of every day. I have had counselling to get past this issue to enable me to continue with my degree. It has helped but I find being around pregnant women and new babies quite hard.
At the beginning of last week I was informed my teaching mentor is pregnant and will be absent the entire final year of my course. I am so happy for her I truly am but the thought of working with a blooming bump makes me well up.
If I were to fall pregnant in this cycle I would be due late May or early June, I would take 6 months off and return when my boss does to finish the last six months of my course.
WWYD?
Money is not (luckily) an issue as my DH has a good secure well paid job - my funding goes on childcare.