PhD and TTC?

[PiggyMad]

Hi All,
I'm hoping for a bit of advice/experience from student mums. I'm currently about a third to halfway through a full-time funded PhD and my partner has a decent job. I am desperate to start a family and don't want to wait another two or three years to start trying. (I'm 25 so not too worried about age, but just always wanted to be a young mum.)

I suppose I am just a bit concerned abut getting back into the swing of the research and writing up if I do have a child and maternity leave. I am entitled to six months paid and up to a year altogether and can go back part time, but I'm worried that I might struggle to finish. Half of me thinks that I might really look forward to getting back into academic work after, but another half thinks that it might be putting pressure on myself.

I'm also a bit worried about how it might look to people and the university as I'm in a redbrick uni and fellow postgrads and staff are very career oriented and I feel I might be frowned upon for starting a family mid studies and at a relatively young age - if that makes sense?

Any opinions?! I know it probably seems like I'm over thinking it, but just want to make sure I am prepared!

I had 2.5 children during my PhD (was 17 weeks pregnant at my viva lol )

It is actually a great time to have children if you are thinking of working in academia. Presuming you are not lab based, you set your own hours etc and can be flexible when the baby is born. In hindsight I found it a lot easier than having a full time academic job.

In terms of other peoples reactions - depends on who you work with really. Yes some people will think you are mad for having children at all. Luckily I worked in a department where having children was the norm so no one batted any eyelid.

In terms of time off for mat leave etc - yes you will have the time off. However in reality you will not. You might not write anything for 6 months but if you just drop it it will be very hard to pick back up again. You would probably find it very hard just not to think about it for that time as well! I have lots of memories of breastfeeding whilst reading papers etc, often popped into my office.

If you are comparing not having children during a Phd to having them, of course having them will be more stressful. Your fellow postgrads will come in at 9 am saying how early they got up at 8am when you have been up for hours and up in the night. They will go out and get drunk and you wont. They will spend the weekend in bed when you are trying to work whilst the children nap. Its not easy but being a mum isnt at any stage

I am so happy I did it this way - hard work but great.

Thanks so much for your positive reply.
I suppose there is never a right time for a baby and if you're thinking of an academic job then a PhD is actually more secure than waiting around for postdocs (am in humanities so few and far between). I'd just hate to wait until I'm in a 'proper' job and then found I've left it too late or have problems conceiving etc.

Lots to think about, but was also considering waiting until the writing up year too - so nice to know the viva is doable in pregnancy!!

The writing up year is probably the most stressful part and when I wouldnt really advise being pregnant or having a young baby. I waited until I was very close to submission to try for this baby.

If you are thinking about permanent jobs in academia that can take such a long time (sorry!). Really the three years of a phd are one of the most guaranteed and safe times of early academia.

If you want to wait, great. If not then I dont think the PhD is really an issue in the grand scheme of things and certainly easier than having a job in terms of flexibility.

You've definitely reassured me pp - I was a bit worried about struggling to get back into it if I had a break, but since you can work from home, go back part-time etc then I suppose it would be easier than a job. I just wanted someone to tell me that it's ok to have a baby when a student/doing a funded phd as I suspect my childless supervisors wouldn't be too impressed if they thought I was considering it (I know I shouldn't care what other people think!)
Thanks again for your opinion.

Sod 'em

I had a baby at the end of the second year of a funded full-time PhD. I took one year out, but started to do a bit after about 7 months. There was no official part-time option to my funding so after that I came off the register completely for one year then back for my third year, so unofficially converting one fully funded year into 2 years part-time. I arranged childcare 2 days per week the first eyar then 3 days a week. I also ran over into half of the next year

So my final 'year' actually took 2.5 years with one year's funding and some teaching. Full time in my dept is very full on - I couldn't have managed full time after dd was born - there just aren't enough hours in a week.

Thanks for your reply Acinonyx. I've done a bit of clandestine research on the regs and you get 6 months paid, 6 months unpaid maternity leave and you can switch from full to part time at any time so I suppose there is flexibility there. Don't want to put my life on hold for another 3 years!

Peppapig, am confused - did you have your first two children during your PhD or before? Do you have positive things to say about having a second child mid-PhD too??
Also, for anyone, what are the laws about maternity leave etc or does it totally depend on your university/funding body? Not really sure where to find out.

Hi amachori,
I think with ahrc and ehrc (is that it!?) you get 6 months paid and maximum twelve months off in total. I think university regulations vary, but with mine you get a maximum of a year off. Are you in the same situation?

Yep, checked on the internet and found that ahrc and esrc give 6 months paid and optional 6 months unpaid but my studentship is part of a large grant so I don't know if different rules apply. My fear is that as the funding for the whole project stops after 3 years mine might be bound into the same time scale... Don't know how to check with out admitting to someone official that I'm thinking about it!

Oh right I see what you mean. Could you email someone official at funding body or at the registry of your university rather than asking someone directly related to what you're doing? Maybe someone with more insider knowledge will see the thread and be able to answer!