Pregnant and College - does it work??

Tanya234

Hi,

I am 26 years old and have just found out that I am pregnant with my first baby. I had planned on returning to full time education in September this year to study teaching. I am really confused now of what I should do? I know there is support out there but it is really feasible to return to study full time for 4 years while pregnant/with a new born? I will be due around April or May next year. I'm excited to have a baby but at the same time a little sad that my career goals might not happen. Anyone out there ever been in the same boat?? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Captain Flaps

First of all, congrats!

Secondly I've seen friends go through the same situation, and the honest answer is it depends on what support you have. Are you the sole caretaker, are you living at home, what are the hours like etc? If you're living at home and your parents can help out and mind the child during the day that's great, you should be able to manage, but you might struggle if you don't have a good support network

Tanya234

Thanks

I have a long term boyfriend but I still live at home with my mother. Was planning on moving out after Christmas to be closer to college (rent a room near Campus or something). My boyfriend lives about an hour away for work. But I know we would probably move in together for when the baby comes. My mother works so I don't think she would be able to babysit, so thats probably going to be the biggest obstacle, childcare!

Windorah

As the poster above said it depends on your support network.
My friend had a baby in our second year of Mary I (it was a three year course at the time). She was back at lectures less than two weeks later and her partner moved closer to college to help with childcare etc. it was extremely tough and she did miss milestones and time with her new baby but she has always said she did it for them both. She needed her degree to secure a better future.
I know of someone else who had a very supportive family who looked after her child full time while she was at college.
Ring the college u plan to attend or check their website and see what provisions they have in place for young parents. Most colleges would have a coordinator who could tell u what u are entitled to and what to expect.
Best of luck with it all and congrats

Diamond Doll

Any chance the college offers subsidised childcare? As far as I know, some of them do.

Considering that the baby will be due shortly before your exams, I think if I were you I'd defer for a year. Work your ass off to save as much money as you can (until the baby arrives.) Then enjoy your time at home with the baby, without the stresses of college and work, and start the four-year course in September 2016.

I know that adding another year on before you qualify seems like a lifetime, but it's quite possible you just won't do yourself justice in college if you're contending with the side-effects of pregnancy as well, and leaving at the most important time of the academic year.

If you do decide to go ahead with it in September, best of luck with it! It's definitely doable, but it'll be tough.

Tanya234

Thanks guys for your comments. I've only just found out so still have a lot of research to do. I will definitively be contacting the college to see what support they have available and timing of exams etc.. I was considering doing the first year. And then deferring second year. That way I'll have a year with the baby and plenty of time to organize childcare. I've handed in my notice at work to go back.. Really not the best timing. But I'm not going to stress too much. I have a great boyfriend and family so whatever I decide I know I'll have support.

niceoneted

I think the idea of getting one year under your belt best. You'll have established relationships within the college for added support. Best wishes with it all.

Windorah

I know in Mary I it is possible to get an i grade to allow u to defer exams should u need to. U could then sit the first year exams in August.
Exciting times. Enjoy it!

Neyite

If you could get some of your course work down when pregnant or in the newborn stages, then defer, it would probably work out better. Toddlers, compared to babies are non-stop, and more labour intensive.

With careful planning you might be able to even manage two years then defer for a year or two. It really depends on your course workload too so you'll have a better idea from talking to your tutors early next year.

And congratulations

Tanya234

Thanks everyone for your comments. Plenty of planning and research ahead!

LegacyUser

I worked and completed a Masters part-time during my pregnancy and with the new born (in the last 2 years)

It's tough. Very tough. Colleges will defer exams etc - I deferred my thesis by 3 months because the baby was due before it was due to be handed in. And I had great support from my husband and extended family. But having said that, I did not need to attend lectures full time - although I worked and did exams early in the pregnancy. It's very tiring, very tough and my God does your time management become a fine art.

You can do it, but make sure you have a good support network there, that fully understand what you will need by way of help. Do not expect to do anything much for at least the first 4 months of the baby's life, if you can avoid it. You're tired, they're helpless and really, you just don't want to leave them either.

Talk to the college should really be your first step. I don't know how your year is divided up, but you might get 2 semesters done and dusted, and defer second year. It's an incentive to go back once you're started, too