Studying with a newborn baby, has anyone done it?

[anniz91]

Hi

I'm currently doing a uni course, which can hopefully give me a promotion after maternity leave.

I'm torn between deferring my studies for a couple of months to take care of my newborn baby or keep going.

Has anyone studied whilst taking care of a newborn? I feel like I'm asking for trouble....

I'm not sure you'll get a lot of studying done in the first couple of months, but if you get a good sleeper, then your could potentially study for a couple of hours a day. I very much depends on the nature of the baby.

My colleague wrote her MSc dissertation on mat leave. I could have written a novel with DS, but barely a shopping list with DD.

Agree with PP.
also if it is your first you cannot predict how you'll feel after the birth. I know women who are out and about within a week, write thank you cards all day and just look completely normal.
I am pretty much out of action for 6 weeks, and then very limited the next 6 weeks. It's a hormonal rollercoaster....

My newborns tend to sleep well at night but no that well during the day.

I started my OU degree after dc2 was born and continued after dc3 arrived. Studying with small kids was manageable.

(Studying with alcoholic & abusive twat xh made it challenging. I'd take the newborn over that anyday)

I'm an academic and I worked through a lot of my second mat leave but you have to work every nap they have, work during night feeds. It won't be easy. First baby had a range of health issues and cried 18 hours a day. No way I could have done any work at all.

Speak to your uni and ask how they can support/defer your studies

It's the day time sleep you need from your baby @Orangesarenottheonlyfruit. One baby slept for 3 hours at a time, several times a day, and slept straight through from 10 pm to 6 am at 2 months. The other baby slept for 45 mins - 2 hours, then was awake for much the same round the clock. She didn't sleep more than 3 hours in a single sleep until she was over 3 years old.

Don't dismiss the idea, but don't rely on it either. Depending on your birth and your recovery, you might not feel up to it.

Have you had your baby yet @anniz91 ?

Yes, I'm still unsure. He is currently a bit unpredictable but not sure if deferring a course for a couple of months will make much difference...

I got pregnant whilst a couple of months into the second year of my degree. I was a mature student and married but shocked to find myself pregnant. I had baby and put baby in Uni crèche whilst I went to Uni. It was hard going but I had my Mum helping me out with older 2 children. DH was good too. I did pass my degree with a high 2:1. Very occasionally I wonder if I might have got a first if I'd not got pregnant. My baby is now in his mid 20's now.

Currently (and have been since DD was born) undergoing self-directed study/work, with a deadline of the end of my maternity leave so that I can become self employed and not have to return.

It's significantly easier in the earlier days, or so you realise when DC gets to maybe 5-6+ months and needs your attention/supervision constantly. How much time you get depends on either, how well they sleep, or what your support network looks like (partner/parents) for childcare. If you have just one of the two it's possible, neither and you'll most likely struggle.

I think on average it’s probably easier to do some work in the very early days. I would have struggled, DS was far too unsettled and wouldn’t sleep unless he was in the sling being walked around. Some of my friends had newborns that ate and slept in their Moses basket and little else. - if you have one like this, then it’s probably pretty easy. They were sleep deprived…but to be honest most of us were still pretty sleep deprived at 6 months + and as babies grow they sleep less and need more engagement and interaction, meaning time for work drops. Good luck whatever you decide.

I could have done this easily in the first 3 months, managed it for the next 3 months, and struggled from 6-12m. After that, no chance for a good while unless you've got good childcare.

It's far easier IMO to juggle studying and a baby whilst they are tiny and immobile. End whilst your get used to the sleep deprivation, it's probably still going to be a factor for a good while (my 3yo has been awake since 10pm... )

Im currently studying and pregnant, baby due in July and this course will end in September and i will be enrolling in my masters for October so i would be studying with a little one after July. Im with the OU however and it is quite flexible and currently my assignments are spaced apart so i have plenty of time in between. I planned to do my masters as full time so i can cut off an additional 3 years however only after the baby comes will i know how do-able it all will be. I have my partner to help me however we are both at uni so i guess we will see. However i know it is do-able and even my tutor was telling me she studied with her daughter so thats encouraging.

Very doable if your a strong organised driven person. I couldn't , but wouldn't have wanted to. But to even consider it is amazing , shows how much drive you have!

@hailer Thank you! I have been feeling like my life is stagnant and the lack of anything to do is driving me insane! Im unable to work due to illness so it really makes all the days merge into one! Im really hoping after all this i would be able to continue on with a career that would be more stable than me picking something up now and loosing it due to illness. But then again like i said i don’t know how do-able studying with a fresh newborn will be until i have gotten there so im hoping i haven’t bitten off more than i can chew.

My boss managed it. Gace birth halfway through her final year at uni and cracked on to graduate on time. She had a lot of help from her parents, though.