PhD and planning to start TTC?

[SarahH12]

I've posted a few times about starting a PhD in a few weeks. Have also asked this in "Student Parents". One of the things influencing us the most with my decision is our desire to start a family - well technically extend our family as we have DSD (5). We really don't want to wait another 4 years but I am no stranger to the world of academia and so know how much of a slog it can be even without DC. Has anyone got pregnant / had DC whilst doing a PhD? Can you go part time at all? DP is in a professional job with reasonably long hours (and significantly more pay than me) and so if we had DC it'd either mean me going part time or us putting them full time in nursery. If others have been in a similar situation I'd really love to hear your experiences.

It's really sad to read about the negative experiences of other women in science. My experience has been very different. I had my first dc during my (hard sciences) PhD in a different (very child friendly)country. I took a 3 month leave by choice and was very dedicated to my work. I never experienced any negativity due to being a mother. I would be very surprised to learn that someone questioned my dedication because of this. That said I have a very supportive partner who bears an equal share of childcare. We are both in academia.

I am now a postdoctoral researcher in a leading U.K. university and just had my second child a few months ago. Everyone here has been extremely positive about me being a mother as well, and we get top quality childcare through the university which really makes all the difference with respect to my work. It's sort of in fashion to support women in science now so I am surprised so many people encountered backlash.

@lovetowasteitagain - I think the issue with the sciences is that in the most part, you are doing practical experiemnts in a laboratory of some kind for most of the time. My PhD is in chemistry and that's where I spent 90% of my time. It would be dangerous to have children in a lab and thus it just isn't possible to have them with you. In my lab there were a host of noxious chemicals, heat sources, radioactivity, UV, magnets, lasers, liquid nitrogen etc. - just about the most unsuitable place for kids on earth!

@user149 - happy to hear that you have had support, gives me some hope that not all of science is like this. Although at my last place (large, international and well-respected organisation), the top management always had lots of posters and 'policies' about supporting women in science, but this was not translated into practice at the coal face. It was just lip service really and I told them as much when I left.

For balance: I'm about to have my second DC, submitting my thesis by March. But, I'm social sciences and have RC funding so have had 6 months paid mat leave a piece, a flexible work schedule and a supportive supervisor and department. And it's still been bloody hard!
Wouldn't have done it differently though, hoping to persue a career in academia and others in my field have suggested it's easier to fit babies into the PhD than around short term postdocs etc

But, I'll have to report back a) Post viva and b) in 5 years once we see if my career's gone anywhere!

How many hours would you be in the lab? If you could get try and get it down to 40 hours a week, then you could write up at home.

Perpetual thanks for the balance I'm RC too so would have 6 months paid.

Summers I'm not sure. I think generally expected to be there about 50 hours a week.

Bridget I don't really want to discuss our (potential) plans to TTC with my supervisor. Nobody would do it in industry so I really don't think it should be expected as a student or in academia either. I think TTC can be deeply personal and not something I would discuss with my friends let alone essentially my boss.

What I do find interesting is that nobody encourages people to give up on a PhD if they find out they're pregnant but if you're contemplating it and deliberately planning it it is seen as a big no no.

Also the gender divide makes me feel quite sad. My DSD (who was planned) was born when my DP was just finishing his PhD. It's not even remotely been seen as a negative thing for him but when the genders are reversed it's really looked down upon.