Has anyone done a FT degree with a baby?

[MeadowHay]

Hello, me and my partner are thinking of ttc in the not-too-distant future. This would mean giving birth sometime during the winter term of my final year. I'm aware that I would have to take at least some time off but I think it would be doable especially if I try to get a head start on the work of that term in the summer before? My degree normally has around 18 contact hours a week, my partner would be at home with the baby and perhaps also doing a part-time distance learning masters. Would like to hear from other student parents as to whether this sounds doable or too far fetched? :)

Me I'm just embarking on my nursing degree. I do 2 days classes so far and start 2 12h placement days next week.

I am not very organised and I'm 20+ years out of education. My baby is 10 months.

Some days I do great. Others. I'm treading water.

Why not delay TTC for six months so that you'll be finished with your degree? It seems a bit silly to time it this way if you have another choice and it will. Be very stressful trying to study for finals and deal with a newborn.

I have . Twice !

I started my first degree when dd was 5 months old. I completed it but never used it. I'm not half way through a nursing degree and pg with dc3. So I'll be taking a year out and going back to uni when this baby is about 11 months.

It's totally doable.

Finish your degree & then get your job sorted & start ttc when you've been there long enough to qualify for mat pay??

Now half way through

Finish your degree, get a job, then get married. Those three things will offer you security which is the magic word before having a baby.

The career that I am aiming for will necessitate further study and after that further study there is a limited time period where the qualification remains valid, so realistically I have to take time out before I start that extra study. Either that or do it significantly later down the line and if I manage to break into my chosen field I will be technically self-employed anyway and it will seriously harm my career to take extended periods off to spend time with babies. It would be that or take tiny periods off and go straight back but I would like to spend some time with the baby(/ies). So I figure I would rather have the children and then break into my career, I think this way around would be better to be honest for the reasons outlined above.

We are considering waiting some time longer and aiming for the birth sometime after I've graduated, but this will mean being pregnant during final year which I think could potentially be a lot harder than having a newborn if I have bad sickness/fatigue/whatever? Because my partner can do most of the childcare with a baby, but he can't take my illness during pregnancy if I am ill, so i think that would be more damaging to my degree result potentially, if you see what I mean? Also, dp would not get to experience being a SAHD to a newborn if we delay it until after I graduate because financially he would have to be working full-time, and this is something he would like the experience of.

Just thought I would write all that to justify why we are considering this. :)

P.S. We are married! :)

I started Access with two dc who had just started school... I finished Access with three dc, and started my fulltime degree when dc3 was 2 months. I started second year pregnant with dc4 but a tough pregnancy meant I had to leave after half a semester and redo it the year after, I'm now in 3rd year with 4 dc and dh has had the snip :D

Its totally doable op, the very worst that could happen is you have pregnancy complications and you have to take time out, you can catch up! I have found studying with babies quite good, its meant I am home far more than if were working full time, or even part time tbh. though I hardly sleep to ensure I fit it all in!