In school while pregnant or nursing?

lizerspitz

I am seriously considering a masters program - considering part time, but I need to get my head in the game.  Anyone working and taking classes or just taking classes to further their career goals with a little one to think about?  What are your best tips and advice?

syang5

I was in law school which might be a completely different story from your masters program, but I dropped out a few months after I found out I was pregnant. I didn't want to split my time between school and my LO. I was also working so I think when I calculated it all out I would be gone from 7:30 am until 10 pm M-TH, so I'd basically see him when he was sleeping and the weekends.

I don't want to discourage you and again law school is a totally different animal. I think it could have been doable but would take a lot of coordination and help.

My cousin-in-law did her masters program with 3 little kids. My siblings and I were a lot older than her kids so she would ask us to babysit and lock herself in their office to get school work done. I was only a teenager then but now I understand how hard she truly worked for that degree. I wish I could have done it and maybe I will one day, but currently I have no regrets.

Good luck!

okieamy

My baby is only two weeks old, but I am going to school and working full time. It was pretty easy to do both while pregnant (this is my first child). I am current on maternity leave & plan to finish the semester before I go back to work.
I'm going to school online & the school I'm going to offers 9 week courses in addition to traditional 17 week classes. I find taking two 9 week courses at a time more manageable than taking 3-4 17 week classes. I guess it just depends on if your masters program is available online.

annibes

I'm a long-time bumpie, rare WM lurker, but here is my experience:

I finished my bachelors degree while pregnant and started my master's degree when DS was 3 weeks old. Fortunately, the women's center was next door to my main building and I was able to pump between classes/my office hours. School was much more flexible than any of my jobs have been and I lived close, so I was able to get up, nurse, go in for a few hours to study/take a class, go home and nurse, and go back to campus if I had to (DH had a flexible schedule too). I always left some pumped milk in the fridge for DH to feed, but DS didn't really like the bottle and just cluster fed at night. It got much easier when DS started eating solid food around 6 months.

NatHolmes75

Started nursing school when oldest was 9 months old and still nursing her. Finished nursing school 5 months pregnant and worked until the day I gave birth to the second kid. Not ideal, but that's my story. I'd love to do my masters, but I'm going to hold off for a bit yet.

mamaskittles09

I think it will make a HUGE difference if your able to complete your program on line or not. I'm working on my bachelors (I know, probably not nearly as time consuming as your masters) while working full time and it hasn't been terrible. I'm able to work on school after my LO goes to bed every night and on my lunch breaks at work. Sure, sleep is few and far between but we all have to make sacrifices to get to where we want to be sometimes. Kudos to you... I know how hard it can be. It will all be worth it in the end