pregnant while studying

[gm88]

im posting this on behalf of my sister in law who is worrying and in a complete state. after studying pharmacy and doing the pre-reg year this summer she married my brother and in september started the year 1 of a standard 5 year course. she found a couple of weeks ago that she is pregnant and my brother and her want to keep the baby - they feel it is the perfect addition but she has serious concerns and worries about being able to raise a baby whilst studying. my parents have agreed to help out as much as they can (i.e look after baby whilst she is at uni/clinics) but when we were talking today she doesnt want to become a parent who is not there to see her child grow up so she is now thinking that she mught have to take a year out from med school or pack it up completely. i didn't really know what to say to her because she is the most deserving person i know. 6 years ago she had an offer for medicine but couldn't take it up and i know that deep down she doesn't want to lose medicine again. obviously ill direct her to this site but are are there any experiences of parents in med school where this has happened and how they have coped with raising children?

[welly]

I'm not sure if 'coped' is the right word - but I'm surviving!

Had my first little one during the book part of the course - pregnancy was fine due to sitting on my behind most of the time. I managed by doing work up front that I figured I might miss during the birth time and the weeks afterwards.

I'm pregnant again and it's a bit tougher this time as I'm on clinical placements and spend most of the day on my feet running around getting in the way of the junior doctors!

I could have taken a year out, but for various reasons I decided to try and push on through. Time will tell if that was a wise decision or a really stupid one.

As for not seeing the kids. Yes, I have to admit, there are days when I don't and won't see them at all (out before they are up and back after bedtime). But isn't that what happens to dads up and down the country every day. Is it detrimental for them.... who knows. Will they benefit in the long run from me doing a career that I am interested in and want to do? Probably. The future can't be predicted, but I can't chose between a family and my career. I'm greedy and want both - and am lucky enough (so far) to have both and the opportunity to have both. For some people there isn't the option.

The support of you parents will make a huge difference to her... I know I couldn't do this without the support and time and patience of my own.

Best of luck to her!