Am I being overly ambitious? question for those working/students

skibi83 · December 2010

I am a grad student and am due Jan. 20th. The school semester starts jan. 12th. I am taking two classes one MWF and the other TTH. The MWF will be 1 hour, and the TTH is 90 min. Am I being overly ambitious thinking after taking one week off from the day I deliver being in class the following week?

Also I live 30min. away from school and can't park on campus because the parking decal is too expensive and there isn't parking right outside the building I have class in.

arte79 · December 2010

I believe so. But it is plausible. You just have to make sure you have tons of help, decide not to breadtfeed, pray that your LO will sleep through the night, try not to get too attached with your LO so you can step out the door, etc.

I thought about registering the semester I had DD. I'm glad I didn't because it would have cost me $3500. There was no way I could have taken a class with DD who was nursing every 2 hrs and not sleeping more than 2hr at a time for a few weeks. And that's with no help since we have no family closeby.

But maybe you can do it. Good luck!

Spenjamins · December 2010

Can you skip a semester or make up a class or two during the summer? It could be done but it's pushing the envelope for sure.

mrstarawalsh · December 2010

I think it can be done but I personally wouldn't do it. One week PP I was severely sleep deprived and still falling asleep randomly.

financialdiva · December 2010

Do you plan on breastfeeding? If so, bad idea.

If not, is there anyway you can park closer? I had a pretty easy labor and delivery experience and there is no way I could walk for long distances one week PP.

Good luck.

emberlee3 · December 2010

There is no way I could have done that. One reason is that I had a 3rd degree tear and could not sit for more than a few minutes at a time, much less walk long distances. Hopefully, you will not have to deal with something like that, but there is no way to know ahead of time.

I think you would need at least 2 weeks to recover post-partum, even if you have a problem-free L&D. Could be longer if you end up with a c/s or other complications.

madhatter2003 · December 2010

So you'd be walking 30 minutes each way 1 week pp - you are insane. There was no way I could do that, and I had easy births with easy recoveries. That would have seriously hurt, big time.

KRB8 · December 2010

Personally, I wouldn't do it. Can it be done, sure. Although I would consider waiting a semester and then starting. Adjusting to being a Mom will be tough enough, let alone adding school so soon afterwards. Plus, you may go late and end up delivering once school has started.

Best wishes if you do decide to do it!

tan110180 · December 2010

It depends on how disciplined you are and how much help you have. I was in nursing school and had one of my sons on a Tuesday, schedule c-section and I was back to school the following Wed, eight days later! My instructors were amazing though and allowed me to being my son to school so that I would be able to nurse him! Anything is possible! Good luck in your decision!

ShufflerChick · December 2010

I would take the semester off. Docs won't clear you to drive for 2 weeks. It took several weeks for me just to wear jeans again rather than sweatpants because it was uncomfortable. You'll be sleeping for 2 hours at a time, if that. I spent the first few weeks on the couch and I couldn't fathom anything that required higher brain power than Oprah. And I had a very quick and easy delivery with minimal tearing and no complications. DD also slept and ate great for a newborn.

Sure you can do it, people do. But it won't be easy, and your grades will likely suffer due to the sleep deprivation alone.

MammaBear81 · December 2010

I went back to work full time 1 week after my last DD was born (not because I wanted to, but because I had to) so I think that it's totally possible for you to take 1-2 hours a day for a class. I do think you are being quite ambitious but I think in the end only you can really know if you will be able to handle the stress... and it will be stressful.... no nice way to put that, sorry!

P.G.&A.M. · December 2010

Frankly there's no way I could have done this. I was so sleep deprived early on I would not have gotten a thing out of a class at that time in my life.

mandarod · December 2010

Yes, I think you're being way overly ambitious. I had dd in April and took the entire summer off from my night school classes (I also work FT). There was no way I was physically or emotionally ready to jump right back into school (and all the driving/walking/etc that you mentioned, too).

skibi83 · December 2010

Thank you for all your replies. I know its going to be stressful and if i need two weeks I know my instructors will grant it. I also will be having mother/mother in-law visiting in those first couple weeks, so i will have the help and my husband is home. I do plan on breastfeeding, but I think to accommodate this we may end up using bottles a little earlier. I also am hoping that with all the help I won't have to drive in by myself. (if this is the case i wouldn't have to as far. Normally I walk about four to five blocks to my building.)

Here's hoping and praying everything goes smoothly.

Incase things don't work out as I hope, I will be sure to know what I need to do to drop courses and take the semester off if absolutely necessary.

heatherglen814 · December 2010

Have you thought about the option of taking some classes online? That's the only way I was able to survive this semester. I'm finishing up my classes tomorrow and everything is really on your own time. Maybe look into taking all or one of them online. I really enjoy it, plus I get to be home with DD more often.

skibi83 · December 2010

Unfortunately none of the classes I need to take are online and these two courses are offered every other semester, and I don't want to fall too far behind on my courses that is why I decided two is the limit.

sprky79 · December 2010

Get your doctor to write you a scrip for a handicapped parking sticker for a few weeks?

2-Step · December 2010

Not a risk I would be willing to take with tuition money. What if you have an emergency c-section? You will not be in class one week after delivery if that happens. I didn't think it would happen to me, but I was bearly driving two weeks post, definately not walking or thinking about anything other than sleep.

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