Trying to get pregnant while studying

This post is prompted by a friend of mine, who recently faced some difficult decisions should she pursue her PhD as she had planned for years, try to conceive another baby so that her son would have a sibling relatively close in age, or both at the same time? After being under the impression that she could do both for a while, reality sank in. Taking care of small children, being pregnant or both, while also studying is difficult. It can be done, but there are some unique challenges. If you, too, are thinking about trying to get pregnant while studying, here is some food for thought.

Some schools and universities offer cheap childcare. If your educational institution is among them, that would certainly make life a lot easier. If not, what are your childcare options? Will your partner be able to stay at home and look after the baby, or is your family happy to jump in and offer childcare? Can you afford commercial daycare facilities while also studying? And during pregnancy itself, how will prenatal care and pregnancy signs and symptoms affect your study time? Will you be able to come in for exams, and even study for them, while you are throwing up, unable to sleep, or suffering from bad back pain? For some mothers, the answer is YES, absolutely.

Being pregnant, and being the mother of a young child, is entirely possible while studying. But not without either a good support system or a lot of money. There are advantages as well of course. If you get pregnant while you study, and graduate while your child is really small, you will have an older child and be able to concentrate on your career much more easily later on in life. There is no doubt that having the relevant degree opens up many job opportunities that you might not otherwise have.