pregnant and studying or wait till baby arrives - opinions pls

[mixedmamameansbusiness]

I am planning to go back to college to do an access course and am wondering how to time this best. I will (fingers crossed be doing a degree and PGCE after) so a long committment.

I would like to have another child but do not want to wait until after all the studying as once I start my new career etc I dont want to take time out and would rather do it now.

We plan to start trying in Sept/Oct with a view to baby hopefully being born Julyish (I know it may not happen that way).

My question is, is it better to start my access in sept 2009 and complete whilst pregnant or wait till i have the baby and then start sept 2010, I would do evenings as i will be on mat leave and at home with baby in the day.

I also have a 3 yr old and 1 yr old who will be 4.5 and 2.5 and both at nursery/pre school at least half a day every day.

I started a degree when I was pregnant (home based course because I worked full time). I started it about six months before I got pregnant with my first (and only) child. Once child was born I found it difficult to fit in looking after him, working and studying as well as housework so I had to give it up. I waited until my son was about three (he is now five) and took up an open university course opening course and then went on to do an ILEX course in Family Law (degree level). I found it much easier when he was a little older than when he was a baby. I think if you should either do it whilst you are pregnant (on the basis that you will finish it before baby comes along) or wait a couple of years. As you are going to college on an evening, however, it may be the break away from the children you need. Whatever you choose good luck

Thx for that. What you say makes complete sense.. especially when they get to the crawling stage and dont sleep so much. i am thinking atm that if i go for evening classes in 2010... yes it will time for me and i will be at home all day to do school runs, be with baby etc and DH will be home in the evenings.

I had fairly bad morning sickness all through my second pregnancy up to 28 weeks so am worried that if i get it again i will take time off from the course and then mess it up.

mixedmama you are doing almost exactly what I'm planning to do.
Degree and PGCE while having a young family/starting a family.

My intention is to start my Open university course in October this year which will be a 3 year course. Currently TCC our first, there have been some issues so this may take awhile. I have been deliberate in chosen open uni over a brick build as it can be more flexible.
Then possibly a part-time PGCE so that I still manage to get some time at home when child is little.
Then start looking for my first teacher job once DC starts school.

Now I'm sure it wont work that neatly but I will give it a try that way I manage to TTC-baby-study-qualify while DC is young but never having been working/busy full-time.

Personally (I have nannied for many years) if you get a baby/ young child into a routine early as possible you will have some (not much but every little will help) time during the day but I plan on doing it mostly in the evening and the odd weekend. Admittedly it will become a lot harder when toddling at which time I might consider one full day with a childminder.

I look at it as there is never a 'right time' life happens there will be problems but if your committed and determined then you will have a better chance at success.

sleepy that is so true you can wait for the right time forever cant you. FWIW my toddler is actually easier than my 1 year old, he is happy to occupy himself a lot of the time whereas my one year old needs constant attention and just crawls off.

I am not committed enough for home study i dont think.

I went back to work full time with my first when he was just 4 months and part time with my second... this time round i definitely intend to stay off for the fullyear of maternity leave so think that popping out in the evening wont be like spending day time away from them.... plus i can give more time to my other two aswell.

I had my fourth child in the second year of my degree. We timed it so I had him towards the end of the academic year and was then able to have the summer hols off, although had to return three months after having him to sit law exams. The most difficult part was not being pregnant at uni and on placement but afterwards, going in for a full day after feeding every couple of hours during the night, thought I would never get through it - but I did and you can. Its amazing what you can achieve if you want it badly enough!!

study whilst pregnant.

Thanks ladies, very helpful stuff. Am still toying with whether I should wait till next year, but am just so eager to get going and really looking forward to just getting started.

The thing that has occurred to me now is that even if I do my access this year (Sept 2009) and get pregnant have baby in summer etc, I will then need to defer uni for a year as I would not want to leave baby so quickly and would not consider evening uni, so is it better to just do it all at once

Access Sept 2010
Degree Sept/Oct 2011

Or

Access 2009
Year off with baby and kids
Degree 2011

I went back to work very early with both DSs and am adamant that I want to be off for a full year this time and make the most of the time with the kids, who as I said will be at nursery/school, but baby will be at home.

FWIW I did an access course, got pregnant while studying, but after I'd been accepted at Uni. The particular university I applied to allowed me to defer for up to 2 years "no questions asked" (I wonder if this implies I could push it further if necessary).
I'll be starting next year.

oops I've just seen how old this thread is!

I wonder what the OP chose in the end.