To think I can study with a 4/5 month old?

[Booksandbabies]

I am currently studying on a full time course, and am pregnant with DC2, due in September. DH is largely a SAHD (although does some freelance work) to our DS, who is 2.

As it is a funded course, it would be difficult for me to take a year out, financially speaking. But I can get a terms maternity leave, going back part-time in January when the baby will be 4/5 months. My week at that point will probably include a few hours of lectures/classes, and an essay every few weeks. DH will be around most of the time, and my parents, who are very helpful, live close by. I am planning to breastfeed, but will express and give a bottle when necessary and if possible.

It all sounds doable, right? The thing is, I keep seeing little babies of that age, and remembering what DS was like at that age, and thinking eeeek! How will I bear to leave him/her, even for a few hours a week? And how will I get anything done?

AIBU to do this? Anyone been in a similar situation?

YANBU. You can do it. I did it as a single parent.

I haven't been in the same situation but I do think it's manageable. It would be different if your DH worked fulltime but seeing as he's mainly a SAHD that should ease the pressure a bit. It will be hard to leave your little one but it'll be worth it I'm sure.

It is posible, as long as your DH is willing to take over, if needed when you need to get work done.

I wouldn't try to plan certain parts to far ahead and it depends on whether you are willing to be flexible over feeding methods. Tbh, i was happy to have a break from my 2nd and 3rd DD, where as i wouldn't leave my first.

Don't end your course unless you absolutely cannot manage, i would just keep going for now.

I did it as a single parent too. Its doable, but tiring to have to write essays in the evenings (and my baby wasn't sleeping through yet.)
I didnt have a two year old as well though.
But then I didn't have an at home DH either!

If you have a stay at home husband, then it is certainly very doable.

Go for it.

Definitely doable. I studied for my degree at night (although it was technically full time but did it at night as I worked full time during the day)

I sat exams the week before ds was born and then went back to classes when he was 3 weeks old (just 2 nights per week, 4 hour classes) and did assignments and essays at home while he was sleeping. Dh works full time and we also had another dd (4 at the time).

I wrote my masters dissertation with a newborn, finished when he was four months or so. Hard, but doable. I was helped by the fact that he slept well at night so I got stuck in to the books after he went to bed. I actually enjoyed having something to keep my brain ticking over.

i think you could do it. they sleep a reasonable amount at this age and you sound like you've got support. don't beat yourself up about breastfeeding, it would be good if you can but some mixed feeding might take the pressure off if you need extra time.

If you want it enough you will be able to do it perfectly well.

I graduated with a fab degree last year which took 5 years of study (I needed to top up my Gcse's and A'levels first)

I have 3 children aged nearly 7, 6 and 4.

Do it, you won't regret it.

Go for it, it is absolutely doable - i wrote my PhD when my DD was up to about ten months, that was probably madness, but babies have naps and thats when i wrote, i did also develop a technique of rocking bouncy chair with foot when up against it, its amazing what you can do when you absolutely have to. If you have good family childcare in place i think for the sake of your sanity you should go for it. xxx

I got pg at the start of my pt course. I'm just finishing now, I worked ft and studied pt. Hard, and I guess I would have got better marks had I deferred a year or 2 , but as others have said good to keep your brain active.

Go for it YANBU.

Im doing full time Ou courses with ds20months. Started when he was 3mo. You'll be fine as long as you keep on top of it.

I did it FT as a single parent too.

I think it's certainly doable, especially p/t. Of course that assumes that everything goes well with the pg, birth etc - the problem with children is that you can make as many plans as you like, but they often scupper them by falling ill or having accidents at inconvenient times!

With good support and the right motivation it can be done. That doesn't mean it will be easy though

DP and I both worked flexibly and almost from home when the DCs were small - one of us would work and the other would be at home. We started doing it from 6 weeks with DS, and 3 days with DD. It is definitely doable, you just have to be clear with each other about the time that each of you need to get your work/study done, and as ItWasThePenguins said, keep on top of things so it doesn't start to become overwhelming.

I just want to stare at blank walls when my dd goes to sleep. I can't imagine having to then sit down and write an essay. I take my hat off to you all, I really do

Im doing access at the minute and Im due in July, I will start Uni with a three month old and my older two, (3 and 4) My Dh will be working full ime but around my hours at Uni so will be living a bit of a passing ship life at times but hopefully worth it. I dont see why you cant do it, I cant wait, and neither can DH, having the baby to himself will be a novelty, i barely let him near the first two i was so wrapped up in them

Good luck :)

Of course u can do it. When I had dd1 we only got 12 weeks maternity leave and I had to go straight back to work as main bread winner.

Expressing is tricky but of u get into a routine of expressing at same time as feeding you can build up a store on your freezer for whilst u study.

I am single mum and took law exams when dd1 was four months.. and continued to study throughout maternity leave, went back to work fulltime, and studied parttime in the evenings, including doing live online seminars at four am.. no dh/dp, I managed.. so it's doable..
mind you,I didn't have a two year old as well.

I did my masters with a 3 year old. You can definitely do it. Good luck.

What a lovely supportive thread, and so great to read how many of you pursued their goals.

Go for it, OP. Sounds like you have good support at home and that is half the battle.

Thank you so much for all the helpful and positive comments. It is so good to know that others have been there too - and in much more challenging situations - and have managed to do it.

I think in some ways studying is easier than much other work in this way as you can fit a lot of it in around a baby - but I am starting to remember how sleep deprived I was at that point last time, and self motivation is a big factor.

It won't be easy but I do have a lot of support and enjoy my course, so as long as I can be around for my baby lots too it should be ok... I hope :)

Good luck! I actually really enjoyed studying, and I was even able to study with three children at home. It's hard at the beginning but gets easier with practise.

Sounds doable to me.

I did my degree when DS was a toddler as a single parent and commuted 2 trains away to a different city and back again, daily. And got a first.

Hard work but was it worth it? Absolutely!

If you have supportive parents and a DH at home, you will do it no problem. Good luck.

I had ds as a student, one department was closing so couldn't defer but did go part time and left modules that were not closing until the following year. I was back in lectures when ds was 10 days old so I'd say doable! I bf too. You already know how to juggle the study around children with your 2 year old, you'll be fine. Knackered but fine :)