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Mum, uni, baby?

I’m 30 and a mother to 2 children, 8 and 2.

I am wanting to go into a biomedical science degree either this September or next September. My children will be 9 and almost 3 by that time.
My youngest will be in up to 30 hours child care by January 2021.
I have found the time table for this current year and it is 3 days a week and around 4 hours per day.

I also work for the nhs doing 8 hour shifts 2 days a week. I can change my days to suit the uni course.

So in all that seems very doable in my current circumstance.

Now I want to throw a spanner in the works.... I want another baby. I’m not finished having children but I do not want to have children past the age of 34. I want to be able to get a full time career by that point and know that my children will be in school and childcare won’t be an issue.

So can any one help me with advice on if I can do it? I have spoken to some mothers who have had more than one baby whilst doing a degree so I know it is do able but I feel I need more people to convince me it is.
When would be the best to have another baby? Go to uni whilst pregnant right go to uni with a 7/8 month old who can go into a nursery whilst I’m at uni swing as it’s only 3 days a week.

I don’t rrally want to give up work even though it will be a lot easier as I am already with in the NHS and coming out of that could make it harder for me to get back in. It would be best if I stayed.

Any helpful advice please?

Many thanks
Original post by Abi1989
I’m 30 and a mother to 2 children, 8 and 2.

I am wanting to go into a biomedical science degree either this September or next September. My children will be 9 and almost 3 by that time.
My youngest will be in up to 30 hours child care by January 2021.
I have found the time table for this current year and it is 3 days a week and around 4 hours per day.

I also work for the nhs doing 8 hour shifts 2 days a week. I can change my days to suit the uni course.

So in all that seems very doable in my current circumstance.

Now I want to throw a spanner in the works.... I want another baby. I’m not finished having children but I do not want to have children past the age of 34. I want to be able to get a full time career by that point and know that my children will be in school and childcare won’t be an issue.

So can any one help me with advice on if I can do it? I have spoken to some mothers who have had more than one baby whilst doing a degree so I know it is do able but I feel I need more people to convince me it is.
When would be the best to have another baby? Go to uni whilst pregnant right go to uni with a 7/8 month old who can go into a nursery whilst I’m at uni swing as it’s only 3 days a week.

I don’t rrally want to give up work even though it will be a lot easier as I am already with in the NHS and coming out of that could make it harder for me to get back in. It would be best if I stayed.

Any helpful advice please?

Many thanks

How are you planning to study, full-time, part-time, distance learning?
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Avatar for Abi1989
Abi1989
OP
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Full time. The university is a 5 minute car journey from my house.
Original post by Abi1989
Full time. The university is a 5 minute car journey from my house.

I don't have personal experience myself, but a friend of mine had a planned pregnancy in what would have been her third and final year of a full-time course. She unfortunately had a difficult pregnancy and birth, so had to suspend her studies for a year to recover. Even if your other pregnancies/births were complication-free, you need to be prepared for any eventuality (and make sure your university is on board).

It's difficult to say when is best to be pregnant during your course (as generally it's easier not to be for the duration). In first year you need to be able to get up to speed with all the concepts and expected workload, while in third year you'll most likely be doing a dissertation which is very time-consuming. Second year is also the first year that counts in most cases, so disruption during that time might not be advisable. You may be willing to take a suspension though, so that's always an option.
Bio-med is a difficult degree.
On top of that you're a mother to 2 children already.
On top of that you're working already.

It might well be possible but it does sound like a LOT of stress. Think about your mental / physical health before fully deciding if you're up to it :smile:
Original post by Abi1989
I’m 30 and a mother to 2 children, 8 and 2.

I am wanting to go into a biomedical science degree either this September or next September. My children will be 9 and almost 3 by that time.
My youngest will be in up to 30 hours child care by January 2021.
I have found the time table for this current year and it is 3 days a week and around 4 hours per day.

I also work for the nhs doing 8 hour shifts 2 days a week. I can change my days to suit the uni course.

So in all that seems very doable in my current circumstance.

Now I want to throw a spanner in the works.... I want another baby. I’m not finished having children but I do not want to have children past the age of 34. I want to be able to get a full time career by that point and know that my children will be in school and childcare won’t be an issue.

So can any one help me with advice on if I can do it? I have spoken to some mothers who have had more than one baby whilst doing a degree so I know it is do able but I feel I need more people to convince me it is.
When would be the best to have another baby? Go to uni whilst pregnant right go to uni with a 7/8 month old who can go into a nursery whilst I’m at uni swing as it’s only 3 days a week.

I don’t rrally want to give up work even though it will be a lot easier as I am already with in the NHS and coming out of that could make it harder for me to get back in. It would be best if I stayed.

Any helpful advice please?

Many thanks

BioMed is one of the hardest courses out there yet it still doesn’t get its props like courses such as medicine or chemistry. Whether you want a bad or a degree both as much there’s a few things you have to consider

The most obvious one is time, how much are you willing to dedicate to uni, kids, work and family in general

Although doable, your time at uni might be one of the stressful ones (it is stressful alone without other commitments)

I hope you think carefully and come up with what’s best for you! Good luck

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