Searching for fellow PhD students

[youngblowfish]

Hello,

I find myself badly in need of company as a newly pregnant PhD student. I am about to start my second year and, all being well, I should be 12 weeks by the beginning of October.

Are there any pregnant/parents PhD students out there? I could really do with a thesis writing support thread and it would be lovely to chat to people who are in a similar position.

Ahem, not the only crazy one, I meant.

NNT - I'd ideally like to have a portfolio career (if that doesn't sound too pretentious) that mixes the kind of consultancy work I do now with a bit of academic work. I have a professional role model who does similar work to me and has done stints as a full-time academic and is now a visiting professor. That's maybe a bit ambitious, but I have at least 25 years left to work, in spite of my already advanced age, so worth investing time now. But to be honest, it's as much about taking the opportunity while I can, and trying to get my long-neglected brain back into gear (Trying to lose weight and get my body back into gear too - must be a mid-life crisis!) I couldn't do it part-time, though, so admire you for going for that - I find it hard enough to juggle everything as it is so am putting consultancy on hold and hoping just to do one or two projects a year if interesting (and lucrative) things come up.

That's really interesting, dotty - yes, the idea of a portfolio career sounds attractive, and if one aspect doesn't work out, it's always comforting to know that you still have other roles open to you. I have at least 30 working years ahead too, and that's a helpful way to look at the 6-year investment now.

Hold off on any admiration for my doing it pt till I actually get started on it!

For me it's not just about what I can do after the PhD, I actually want to do it for itself - it's a fantastic opportunity to get paid (not much, but enough) to spend 4 years doing interesting research, having my own project and managing my own work and time, and hopefully producing some significant and useful results by the end! Regardless of what happens next, I want to do it.

Obviously I hope it will open up some more possibilities for me afterwards, one of those is an academic career, though I'm not depending on getting a permanent academic position as these are difficult to come by at the best of times, and probably only going to get more so with research funding being cut :(

One of the other possibilities I have in mind is medical writing, for which you usually need a PhD in a life science/medical field.

Ha, NNT - at least you're giving it a go. And I agree, Ephiny - it's too big a commitment if it's not at least partly for its own sake. I am so looking forward to sitting and reading and being paid (even if not v.much) for it...

I agree with doing it for its own sake - I think that's healthy. Given that I'm self-funded, it seems like a weird mixture of self-sacrifice and self-indulgence...

Popping back over from the TTC threads to say hello to the other folks on this thread. (Glad I'm not the only one who doesn't have a child yet and still lurks.) I'm also patting myself on the back for having a proposal accepted to the panel of my dreams at a huge conference in Canada in the spring... Figured not many on the TTC threads would share my enthusiasm on that one. Now back to the chapter which I've promised to my supervisors on Tuesday next.

I also really appreciated reading through your various career aspirations. I would love to go the academic route, but with U.S. universities going bonkers in this economy, I've started to fantasize think carefully about all the hybrid positions and opportunities that might suit me.

Hi there,

I was planning to have a baby towards the end of my PhD, but will give birth in December (hopefully) with nine months left to go - not much chance of getting it all written up before then! Having been a researcher before (free-lance and on short-term contracts) the PhD (ESRC funded) actually offers the best maternity leave I could see myself getting, so I will be milking that for all it's worth. Has anyone else found it difficult to study and write with a pregnancy brain, though? And how does that change (or not) after the birth? I had a good few months where I didn't have a constructive PhD-worthy thought in my head :)

Hi all

I would really like to do a PhD but I'm really unsure about a few things - I wonder if you might be able to help me?

Is full time feasible with a child in tow? Would p/t be better?

For those of you with funding, when did you apply for that? Before or after your PhD proposal? I'm just not sure if I can afford it without funding, but am aware that often you are advised to wait until you have started before funding applications can commence. Does anyone have any advice?

Am I being totally unrealistic of thinking of applying for this year? Would it be better to scrap that idea and plan better for next year?

Many thanks. :)

Hey Loopy

Am currently distracting myself from knuckling down to mine so maybe not the best advisor!

As far as f/t question I can't answer that as don't have children yet.

Re application - I think you'd be too late to start this academic year as term is/has started. Worth getting started on putting together a proposal for next year though. And sometimes I think you can start a PhD midway through an academic year?

WRT funding, when I applied, I wrote a project proposal and made it clear from the offset when I approached the dept that I could only do the PhD if I got funded to do it. I imagine the funding situation varies across fields but my experience is that you can negotiate your funding if your department is keen on your research idea. I was encouraged to apply for (but missed out on) the AHRC grant for my dept, and they offered me a scholarship to cover my fees instead. I said I couldn't do it without a maintenance grant, and they subsequently offered me one of those too, so I accepted the place.

So in my experience you write a proposal and that is the key to getting the funding, but you do both before you start the course if that makes sense? I'm sure it varies though.

Hope that helps.

Ah, thanks Quod.

I've spoken to the uni now and clarified a lot of things. There is a January intake but no funding for this year, however there is a fee bursary for p/t students, so it is affordable. I'm going for it!

I've even written a draft of my proposal, but I'm finding it quite tricky to figure out exactly what to include and to keep it short enough (3 pages they say).
My area is Education. Do I need to be really specific in terms of how I plan to collect and collate data?
Thanks for your help. :)

Excellent - glad that you've made a decision.

I couldn't really help with what you do and don't need to include. Might be worth trying to arrange a meeting with whoever you'd like to supervise you to discuss it with them?

PhD student here - did my upgrae c.7 months preg and now one finger typing while feedin my v lovely mnth old baby girl! Will try to post properly when she has a sleep (not often enough).... any of you others in london area?
Sxx

Hello Pamplemousse - congratulations. Is she your first? How long are you taking off?

I have 2 DDs already, not ruling out trying for another DC another mid-PhD, but am slightly cross to see that the AHRC have changed the terms of their maternity leave for this year. Down from 9 months paid to 6. Still quite generous but seems rather bad form to post the terms and conditions only a few days before people start, if you're changing them from last year's.

I'm in the Midlands.

Here we go..... one sleeping baby - the best sort (well, not quite!).
dotty AHRC have been a complete bugger about their maternity terms. They actually changed them for current people with so little notice that it meant that it was quite possible to already be pregnant when you found out the terms had been changed to six months, and that this applied to you. It was suggested to me that I was likely to be the last AHRC person who got the 9 months.....
Yes, she's my first.... hard work but so worth it! I'm an Archaeologist in my second year (well, I'd just have finished my second year if Scarlett hadn't been born). I'm taking the full 12 months that I'm allowed. With tax credits / child benefit/ a bit of saving I figured I could top up the last three months. How old are your children? V brave to have a third during PhD (but I'm sure completely doable.... already I get the impression that having a baby makes you pretty self motivated!)..
loopy depends entirely on your subject. In the Arts and Humanities (which there was a government leak that suggested all governmental funding is likely to be withdrawn, the buggers) you need to apply for funding concurrently with your proposal. In Science based subjects you often apply for a place (with funding) on a pre-existing project....
HTH

Pamplemousse - that's terrible re. the maternity leave. How shoddy - good that you scraped in, though. DDs are 5 and 3. I had thought we would try for another some time this year, but I didn't feel ready and was too much in 2 minds about whether I really wanted another one or not. Then the PhD opportunity came up and I thought I should go for it (dept had 2 studentships this year, only one next so thought I shouldn't wait to apply - and given the general HE funding cuts situation that seems like a wise decision.) So I think, realistically, the PhD might mean no no.3. But we'll see. I'm 37, so time is not entirely on my side. Enjoy your time off. Are you planning to keep any reading going or just to put it all to one side?

First day today! I have my library card, have met the other PhD students in the department and had my departmental induction. All terribly admin heavy today, but did get some useful reading done on the train. Next step is to meet my supervisor and formulate my plan for the next few months. Already thinking though that my optimistic plan to do it all on 3 days of childcare a week won't wash, and it will have to be 4. (DD2 will be at school next year, so will have 5 then but I had hoped to ringfence a bit of time at home with her before it's too late!)

hi everyone
I started my PhD last week. I have a nearly 6 month old daughter who will be in childcare 4 days a week. My PhD is fully funded but will involve some fieldwork (probably around 6 weeks spread over my second year) in Africa (!) Is anyone else in that position and thinking of trying to take little ones along?? I would only do it if it were completely safe and my partner would join us.

Also, is anyone else finding it hard to socialise? I find that all gatherings take place in evenings and at weekends. I'm not too bothered but days can get quite lonely. That said, I'm really enjoying it so far. Feels so luxurious to sit in a library and read all day and then such a treat to come home to a lovely little baby.

Hello Dolster - yes, absolutely re. the socialising. Especially since am just over an hour by train from the uni, and the trains get infrequent after 5.30. I was going to do for drinks yesterday, but then the lure of the 4.30 train and being home for a bed time story was too strong. On the one hand, I don't mind too much as I am at a different lifestage to most of the other students. But there are also lots of semi-work things early evening - informal discussion groups, followed by pub. Which I would really like to be able to go to. Think I might try and do one thing a fortnight in the evening, and see how that goes.

re. the fieldwork. No - I will have to do some, and probably be away overnight a fair bit in my second year, but all in the UK. Hope I might manage an international conference or two in due course, but that's subject to negotiation with DH. We don't have grandparents who can help (old and too frail) so it's all down to him when I'm not around. One of the other new starters in my department, however, has moved from South Korea with her son (I think she's a single mum, though not quite sure) - which seems incredibly brave and just shows it can be done. Obv depending where in Africa, there are different considerations for you, I guess.

Officially started last week as well. I might have do some fieldwork in Africa , but I don't think I'll take DD. I might be doing some politically-sensitive interviews, and I'd rather not have her along.

I mentioned above that I'm working full-time. My contract only goes till next May, and I'm not sure it will be renewed. Anyone know whether it's possible to access some grants/bursaries when you're already some way into a PhD?

nickname - ah, that's interesting to know. I'm a bit worried about the logistics of fieldwork (!) Would only take DD if my partner could come along too but I'd also hate to leave her for too long (she is now 6.5 months and I'll need to do about 2 months of fieldwork all in all, but spread out over 2011/2012 academic year). I'm not sure about funding opportunities mid-way through but I bet there are some. Are you in London?

dotty2 - how's it going? I totally agree, I don't necessarily want to go out partying but I'm missing a lot of useful seminars/lectures/discussions - all of which seem to take place in the evenings. It would also be nice to be able to have lunch/coffees etc with other students during the day, just so it all feels a bit less lonely. Everyone, understandably, seems to be bonding through evening/weekend drinking sessions!

hi i am a phd mother also! i have a 2 years old girl crying and asking form me to play all day! I go to work from 7.30 - 16.00 and the afternoon I play with her! finally at 22.00 I have to find some energy to write my PhD thesis :(. the last 6 months i didn;t write anything. I am very dipressed. I want to have a normal life with no worries.... but I have been studing for 5 years! Who can I start writiing?? Please helpppppp...... meeee

Dolster, sorry, only now saw your reply. No, not in London. Oh well, I suppose I'll have to cross that bridge (funding opps part-way through) when I come to it.

Annimummy, yikes, what a punishing schedule! There are plenty of times when I also wonder how I ended up signing up for all of this.

Hi everyone - sorry just saw the replies on this thread.

Annimummy - that sounds so hard. I don't have any helpful suggestions, I don't think -but it sounds like you really need some proper support. Does your university have any PGR support?

Dolster - it's going OK, though I feel like my honeymoon bubble has popped. Have had a hard couple of weeks with various family illnesses and half term eating into study time. And I had a rather discouraging meeting with my supervisor last week. I'd written something for the first time (nearly 4000 words) and his only real comment was that I needed to "focus more". Well, yes - but that was what it was about really, taking an overview and identifying areas of possible focus. So I felt a bit disheartened by that. Still, onwards and upwards. Hardly been in the department so have missed a few seminars etc and even more have the feeling that everyone is busy making friends without me! Ah well - at least the work itself is really engaging.

I wouldn't take it personally, dotty2. Sounds like a generic supervisor sort of thing to say - some of them don't want you to get complacent, so will always find something to criticize. 4000 words is a great start!