Pregnant and in final year

Hey guys!! Just found out I’m newly pregnant (only 6 weeks along) I’m in my final year of nursing, but I’m worried about continuing while being heavily pregnant. I will be due sometime in July, I graduate in October 2024. Has anyone gone through this and can give me advice? I don’t want to defer another year as I’ve done that already due to poor mental health. There always is the option of open university once the baby arrives if I can’t continue.

Reply 1

Chillypanda23

I'm currently on mat leave from second year adult nursing. I managed on placement until 34 weeks although I was on an Ortho ward and had to stop and my patients really had no confidence in me and I was having bad spd and Braxton hicks walking around. My placements were fantastic with me although I knew myself I wasn't able to learn as much as the other students because there were things I couldn't do. I stopped uni 2 weeks before giving birth as most of my classes were online and I was still able to do assessments etc from home.
If you're able to have a straightforward healthy pregnancy you'll be absolutely grand. I had HG and SPD which made it a real struggle but I was amazed how supportive my placements were. Good luck x

Reply 2

Tracey_W

Original post by Kirstymcalpine

Hi Kirsty xx
Hope everything is well with you 💗🙏

You'll go on maternity leave around 11 weeks prior to the baby due date. So you are due in July so approx April sometime you'll be on maternity leave but as long as you are fit enough you can continue with things upto when the baby arrives into the world 🌍 . You need to discuss with your university course leader and placement officer about things like when you are wanting to go on maternity leave, and what date do you want to return back to your course - it's been known for students to come back after few weeks to a month after the baby was born. You'll be occupational health assessed to see what they can do for you.
Depending if you are on university study weeks around the time you are due to give birth perhaps you can do online work like what the person said in post #2. If you are on placement then you need to make up the lost hours before you qualify.

if you are capable of going on as long as you can do so and get soon afterwards and get yourself qualified and then you can take time out before you apply for a nursing job. I wouldn't want to have to do another year if I was only few months away from being a qualified nurse. Discuss all your options okay.
The only thing that could stop you getting back after the baby birth is you had to have a C-section as you'll need time to recover from this.

I had a student who did exactly this and she's now back working as a qualified midwife.

Best wishes for everything ahead for you 💖💖

A NHS registered midwife