Ft student and pregnant

[Starlight9]

I found out that I am expecting baby number 2 just before Christmas, who will be due in July. I am sitting exams at the moment and have not told my personal tutor. Has anybody been in the situation and can recommend some advice? My plan was to return to university and take the baby to lectures in October and Dh would have baby other days also (his working days are flexible). Has anybody been in a similar situation?

I also have a 2 year old, she is settled in to nursery 4 days a week (although I keep her home as much as possible).

Hi, first of all congrats :) im due in April and am 1/3 of the way through a full time law degree. Because of other issues im on a year out but plan on going back in Sept. If I was you id tell your tutor now if it is affecting your studies (morning sickness or anything) if not wait until 12w scan. Also talk to student finance people at your Uni and see if any extra funding available for next yesr and if you could get help with childcare costs :)

You can take a leave of absence from the university (anywhere between a few weeks to a year) which 'stops the clock' on your degree and student finance. Most universities should be quite supportive of student parents.

Whilst I'm sure most lecturers and fellow students wouldn't bat an eyelid at a baby in a lecture, I wouldn't take it for granted that this will run as smoothly as might seem now. You may get complaints, unsupportive lecturers etc. Probably best to clear this with Uni before you return. Also, there is a lack of baby changing facilities on campus, though most will now have a breastfeeding/expressing room (mine did). I know some student parents and they took leave for a year, then returned when DC was in nursery.
Congratulatons :)

Oh yes, one more thing, if the pregnancy is affecting your work - tiredness, sickness etc - you can apply for extenuating circumstances and obtain extensions or alternative assignments, e.g essay instead of exam of it's physically difficult to sit and feel nauseous in an exam
Hall for two hours.

Just replied on the other post but I second the above.

I told my adviser very early on just to see what the next steps were in terms of who to inform, what impact on placements and studies etc, but I'm lucky in that she is lovely and very supportive! However you may find that she might surprise you and be more helpful than you expect.
Definitely find out if there are any other financial implications/advice you can get, especially if you decide to take time out.

I've only had to take a very little one into uni once (during my previous degree) and they were fine with it, but that was a small class and we were all very close, and the tutors were brilliant.
My degree now (medicine) has almost 300 students in my year alone! So I don't know about the practicalities of bring a baby in to lectures, although at the stage we are at now we are almost always out on placement. One of the other PG students has brought her older kids into lectures and that has been fine.

Just make the use of the nursery time available when you have assignments/exams etc to get as much work done as you can. Same with family members if they are nearby. That's been one of the hardest things for us, as we moved cities for uni this time, so family aren't on hand as much to take the kids when the work takes over!

Good luck with your tutor :D

Im in my first year, we have around 200 students per lecture. (I'm studying Social Sciences at a Russell Group). I'm unsure how many will be in each lecture next year but probably around the same. Seminars have around 20students in each. I am aiming to take the baby to lectures but not seminars as they are smaller but all will depend on who my lecturers/tutors are next year. As long as baby isn't crying, I think all will be okay with taking baby in. If not, I will pay for the crèche full time but drop baby in before and pick up straight after.
I do have an exam next week at 9am and I am absolutely petrified as I know I will not be able to sit without something to snack on and some sort of caffeine drink for that long so early in the morning. I can barely get up with my daughter in the morning, my partner does all the getting her ready and feeding her and I just get up and watch - my sickness is horrendous. But I doubt there is enough time to change it to an essay before then :(

I am just so stressed at the moment. My brain is being very pregnant and not functioning at all..

Op don't worry about the exam being next week. At most universities you can apply for extenuating circumstances any time before the assessment as long as you don't take the exam. Ie you can simply apply then not turn up. You get a 0 but this is later amended when extenuating circumstances are considered. The only thing you can't do is sit the exam then apply for extenuating circumstances in retrospect. All universities have some variation of this scheme so if you are stressed it would be best to take advantage of it and not sit the exam if possible.

Don't worry. Universities are used to meeting the needs of a very diverse student population and they are genuinely there to support you!

Thank you Fleeceblankets! and those who mentioned the extenuating circumstances information earlier! I have contacted the University and have since discovered that Pregnancy and Maternity are one of the 'Protected Characteristics' so I will contact my gp about a letter on Monday and will 100% not be sitting the exam! It isn't even the sickness alone, nobody had a brain during their first trimester :( those who mentioned the extenuating circumstances have relieved me of so much stress today! Thank you so much. It is as though a weight has been lifted, so much that I began crying! Hormones pfft hahahaha xx

Glad it was useful op! I was a wreck for most of my pregnancy so I completely understand what you are going through. Good luck! It will all be fine :)