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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think I can still do my Masters...

13 replies

notgivingin789 · 17/08/2018 19:19

If I’m pregnant ?

Hello,

I’ve had a contraceptive failure and I took plan B. However, I have a feeling it wont work as I was a couple of days away from the start of my Ovulation period. I could of taken the emergency IUD, but I was on the copper coil previously and it was like my body was rejecting it, re-occurring infections, it was horrible, so I didn’t want to go through that again.

As it stands, I don’t know if I’m pregnant, it’s too early to tell. However, I’m getting all the pregnancy symptoms which I had with DS but I’m hoping it’s just from the side effects of Plan B.

I’m planning to start my Masters from September, it’s a 2 year course. The course would lead me into a very good profession and I’ll be financially secure to support my DS, who has special needs.

Is it naive of me to think, if I am pregnant, that I can still do the masters ? Has anyone become pregnant at the start of the course ? How did it pan out ? Especially if you already have pre-exsisiting children. Am I being a bit too ambitious or unrealistic ?

OP posts:

Camomila · 17/08/2018 19:32

If you are only just pregnant you'd be due in April I'm guessing? What's the assessment structure like? If it's exams in May that'll be tough, if it's long essays due end of June it'll be tough but more doable.
There's always summer resits, ours are in August.
And then for the 2nd year both DC can go in childcare.

I'm going into the 2nd year of an MSc and trying to figure out when to get pregnant again :)

boredmaman · 17/08/2018 19:36

I did masters with 3 children, one of them was born halfway through the first year. It was fine.
2 years is part time usually, you'll only be probably twice a week.

Original poster

notgivingin789 · 17/08/2018 19:37

I have assessments in May but resits in the summer.

OP posts:

bridgetreilly · 17/08/2018 19:40

Talk to your tutors. They'll know how people have managed before.

shouldwestayorshouldwego · 17/08/2018 19:41

Not really the approach but generally masters are considered to be mainly pass/fail. Ok there are merits and distinctions but it is not the same as an undergraduate where the distinction between 2.2/ 2.1/ 1 grades matters more.

Medea13 · 17/08/2018 19:58

If the plan B didn't work there is a plan c.

But regarding your Q:
Most taught Master's degrees are 12 months with assessments in Jan and May and dissertations due in September. You could potentially defer May assessments till August session but that would put a lot of pressure on you with a dissertation and a newborn as well.
Still, wait and see what your options are (you may not even be pregnant) before worrying about it...

Medea13 · 17/08/2018 19:59

Oh, sorry, i missed the 2 yr part. Is it part time?

Original poster

notgivingin789 · 17/08/2018 20:01

*Medea13

I won’t have an abortion.

This particular Masters is two years full time.

OP posts:

JessBradleyTheBusStopWanker · 17/08/2018 20:04

You will be fine OP. I just completed a full time MA. I have 3 kids ( one SN), several serious health issues and am on chemo. I breezed through it ( so much I am going to do a PhD next year) and am expecting a merit. The tutors are very understanding regarding adult learning and I even took my kids to class once or twice as I couldn't find childcare. My attendance was 60% so less than perfect but I worked my arse off at home. Could you possibly do full time for the first 120 credits and then get an extension for your write up period? that would make more sense tbh.

Good luck!

user1471426142 · 17/08/2018 20:12

Mine was 2 years part time and I was pregnant at the start of the second term. It was hard, especially as I was working part time but I just about managed it. I had my last exam on the Thursday and went into hospital the next day before delivering on the Monday. Where it went slightly wrong is that I was expecting to be overdue so I thought I’d have a month to sort out my dissertation after exams. I was early. Doing the dissertation with a newborn was quite frankly hellish but I managed it. My university was shit at dealing with pregnant women though. There was no real accommodation for a delayed hand-in for the dissertation. It had to be then or wait a year with no library access past the original deadline. I also had to argue why I needed extra time for loo breaks etc at 38 weeks pregnant for the exams. The ‘welfare’ officer that contacted me sent me a load of links for abortion services rather than doing anything useful like explain what would happen if I went into labour early (like I had asked). This was a v established and highly sought after university so they had no excuse for being crap. I just don’t think they knew what to do. I made a complaint as I was old enough to navigate round it. I would have been appalled if they had treated a young 18 year old with no financial support etc how they had treated me.

insideoutsider · 17/08/2018 20:47

Of course you can. I was pregnant and working too through my first masters degree. I did it over 2 years. Unis know that postgrad students have very adult responsibilities and they will work with you.
Good luck!

OldGreyBoots · 18/08/2018 00:39

I can't really help regarding the masters, but I definitely had all the main pregnancy symptoms after I took plan B. False alarm thankfully!

SilverBirchTree · 18/08/2018 00:53

I'm finishing my masters this year. I did part while pregnant, took a break when he was born and resumed study when he was 5 months. I think how the baby sleeps is the crucial thing, it's impossible to study when you're sleep deprived.

But you're jumping the gun even worrying about it. Do a pregnancy test. You don't even know if you're pregnant

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