Having a baby at uni?

[Josiemac93]

Not sure if this is the right topic choice! But just wondering, has anyone here had a baby whilst at uni and continued to study without taking a leave of absence? I think 3rd year with a newborn would be impossible but I'm so bloody broody I just wish it was my turn.

I had both of mine at uni but I had a supportive partner so it was fine.

Also to the pp, if I were to have a baby, my contact time at university is 8 hours a week so I wouldn't be sending a baby to nursery all day every day. 4 of those 8 hours are likely to be online for the foreseeable as well.

I think you are looking at new parenthood through rose tinted spectacles. Unless you have a lot of support at home who is going to look after your baby when it needs attention when you are in the middle of a seminar, or when you have to complete an assignment to meet a deadline? 8 contact hours a week means that you have a lot of self study and reading to do.

You won't get a proper maternity leave like you would if you were working. You won't get maternity pay, which you won't get at all if you are working and haven't worked for your employer for long enough.

I did this. My baby is six months old, born in the summer and despite being stubbornly sure I wouldn't defer, I deferred. I tried to go back into my third year when he was 5 weeks old but it was exhausting. I go back in September when he will be a year old. I'm dreading it so much.

I thought it would be fine, he can stay home with my husband who works flexibly or go to childcare, I'll pump and leave bottles for dad to feed him. Nope. Now he's here I can't imagine sending him to childcare so young and he just isn't keen on his father at all! He also started to refuse bottles early on and I didn't want to give up breastfeeding. Also, I was VERY naïve about what motherhood would be like as I was so broody. It's HARD. My baby is six months old and as of last week has stopped waking every 45 minutes day and night. I haven't slept much longer than that in six months, except a magic three hours once.

Don't be me. Wait!

I am in this position now, although it is a 2 year masters I am doing. We planned it this way due to our age and didn't know how long it would take to conceive. I am going to be deferring part or maybe all of my second year so I am not splitting my time with my newborn. However, this will mean writing a dissertation with a one year old whilst working.

What I didn't realise was that I would have morning sickness from literally getting a pregnancy test. Everyday I am either sick, have severe headaches or exhausted. I have struggled to study since and really felt the pressure. I would wait and TTC part way through your final year, which means you'll be finished by the time you give birth.