Should I take classes next semester? Help me decide

[merrick]

Preregistration is going on right now. I am taking classes right now, but only two because full time was just too much with all the morning sickness and fatigue. I'm feeling better now, but still not great.

I feel like I could probably handle a couple of classes, but it will be added stress and I'm not sure I want that. Also, I'm due May 2 and class ends April 27. So that would really be cutting it close. I'm not really expecting to go early, since ds was late but you never know. I'd really rather just focus on ds and getting ready for the new baby. Plus we will probably be house shopping and moving during that time.

However, I'm probably going to be taking a substantial amount of time off from school after the baby's born, so it might be better to get a few more classes out of the way. And not taking classes just means I'll have to start paying off my loans that much sooner. Another thing is, dh already feels like I'm lazy because I'm not superwoman and don't claim to be. He gave me a hard time for dropping some of my classes this semester even though I was so sick some days even taking a shower was a struggle. His reasoning was that if I had to work then I'd have to get up and go to work, so I should be able to go to class. He works all the time and when he's not working he's in class (grad school) or working on homework. So he feels like if he can do all that I ought to be able to keep the house spotless, cook dinner every night, take care of ds, plus everything else that goes into running a household, and still manage to get A's in my classes, pregnant or not. He just doesn't understand and I fear he never will. So I know he'll probably have something to say if I don't take classes in Spring Semester.

So what do you guys think, besides the fact that my dh needs a swift kick in the butt?

[ChattyCat]

I'm kind of in the same boat. I'm registered for Calculus II and Linear Algebra/Matrices right now. I'm trying to decide whether to take both or just the calculus. I'm due on the 12th. I think the final for calculus would be on the 4th, and I could probably arrange to take the other one early. But, I'm just not sure how much stress I want to deal with. And, if I schedule my csec, it could be as early as the 5th. That's up to me. But, there's always the chance that labor would start sooner, and I'd have to have my surgery then. And, then what do I do about the finals. AUGH!!!

[Throkmorton]

Um, how about a swift kick for DH and a couple fluff classes? No advanced calculus, but Analysis of 20th Century Film would probably be ok.
I took a couple classes when i was pregnant with DS, but placenta brain set in hard. i could barely remember my own name some days, much less physics formulas.

[lilmissimpatient@c]

I would start by looking at internet courses...Or your school's independant study program. How many credits do you already have under your belt?

If you want to the the more traditional classroom time, then pick your courses, and email the prof, explain you're pregnant, and when you're due...and ask questions such as "If I deliver two weeks early, how would we handle missed class time and finals? Are you willing to work with me if I (god forbid) get placed on bed rest?" Many professors are very accommodating, others aren't.


Good luck with school, Mama. What is your major?

[NurseLaurie]

I'm taking classes next semester because it's the last one I need to graduate. It will be intensive and stressful, but my instructors have promised to be as helpful as humanly possible when scheduling my clinical hours. I will be graduating two weeks before my due date (whatever that may mean). I anticipate going beyond my due date (1st baby, mom was late with me).

Said all that to say this: If I knew I wouldn't be finished next semester and I knew I wanted to take substantial time off after the birth I'm not sure I would subject myself to a strenuous semester. I like the PP's idea of online classes. Nothing too study intensive. Good luck whatever you choose!

[Happypants]

i was going to vote "no" to the classes, but i like the idea of taking an independent study if they offer one that you need. that way you can go ahead and get it done and have however much time you want to get ready before you go into labor/have a new babe.

i'm taking 5 classes this semester (and luckily graduating in 4 weeks--woo-hoo!) but i just don't know if i could handle staying in school so close to my due date. for the last two months i've had a major brain fog hanging over me, which doesn't make it so exciting to do school work. it's finally starting to lift now, but still, i think i'd just be too excited in april/may to concentrate on anything too serious. just my $.02.

[Mom2Adam]

What do you want to do? It sounds like you are feeling worried about the possible house move, baby and classes all at the same time.
I feel strongly that mommas need to take care of themselves especially right before baby is born (better birth, breastfeeding etc) - so you might need to ask yourself some questions:

Are you the type of person that will thrive with being that busy - or will you feel overwhelmed?

Do you feel compelled to take the classes because of how DH will react? Maybe you need to have a heart to heart with him and let him know how you feel.

Do what is right for you and your baby! Good luck with your decision!

Traci

[merrick]

Thanks. I think I've made my decision. I'd like to take some classes if I could find some that are "fluff" classes as well as internet courses.

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like that will be possible. I've checked out the schedule book and there are no internet classes that I really need. And the most "fluffy" class I could take is statistics. I could probably handle one class for sure, but I'd have to pay for it myself and we really want to save money for buying a house. So I think I'll take the time off and focus on everything else that's going on. DH is perpetually stressed and it is not good to have two stressed out parents in the house which is what has been happening with me in school full time and him in grad school. So that on top of being pregnant, buying a house, and moving would not be a good combo I don't think!

I am in school to be a dietician. I am almost a senior, but since i just changed my major to dietetics last spring, I've still got a ways to go. Probably a year to a year and a half left if I take full loads and take classes over the summer. After that I have to do an internship for 9-12 months. I think I would like being a dietician, but I really want to be a lactation consultant. Now that I'm pregnant, I'm thinking after the baby gets a bit older I can work on my LLL certification and do that for awhile to build up some hours, then when both kids are in school I can finish up my degree and go straight into working on becoming an LC. I'm not sure if that'll work out exactly, but I'm hopeful. From what I understand it takes about 5 years of being a LLL leader to build up enough hours to take the exam.

[Unreal]

any way you look at it, being 9 months pregnant and HAVING to be somewhere or something it a HORRIBLE experience

Our due dates are kind of rough because we can almost squeeze in a semester of class.

But..
can you imagine squeezing into those AWFUL seats at 9 months?

If you are working and your Dr puts you on bed rest, work kind of has to go along with it.
School doesn't...not without you making jump through a ton of hoops. I know they do allow medical excuses, but all the students I had who got one said it was a major pain

Besides, I'd much rather be sitting around thinking baby thoughts than final paper thoughts come April and May

If I *had* to, would I do it? Yep. I did when I was pg last time around with ds2. But it was so so so miserable. Not to mention my department was full of jerks (and that is putting it nicely)

[shelbean91]

If you're worried about loans going into repayment- take the classes while pg, then you can take a 6 month 'new parent' deferment or something like that.

I was pg w/ds2 in the spring of 04- he was due end of June, but born 5/11. I had managed to finish all classes but one, so I took an incomplete and made up the final when he was 3 weeks old. I didn't do nearly as well as I would have if I had stayed pg, but that's ok. All of my kids were early, so I wasn't too surprised. I just hoped he would have stayed put the extra couple of days.

[Snowdrift]

Same dilemma here. I was registered for five classes this term, dropped to three bc of morning sickness, and was planning on taking four next term. (I'm not due until the 15th, and with a first baby I guess later is much more likely than earlier. I'm not counting on a baby until the end of the month.)

But with money the way it is, I may not be able to take off even a semester since my finaid pays towards our living expenses. It will really suck having to show up for class two weeks after having a baby. Law school requires missing no more than a certain numgber of credit hours--in my school that totals two weeks of classes, although exceptions can occassionally be obtained. Of course I want fluff classes this term and next term, but I only have four classes left before I have to take the unfluffiest class there is: reasearch and writing. Huge amounts of library time...and can't proceed to other classes until research and writing is done.

So I need to either be finishing my first law school writing project eight months pg, or with new babe, or take only two classes both next term and the term after. Sigh, it's such a mess.

Maybe I'll talk to the dean and see if I could put off research/writing for a term and go ahead with other classes. I dunno.

It also sucks that I live over an hour from the school. Hour and a half driving+three hours class+hour and a quarter home=nearly six hours. So DH and I were thinking maybe we'd drive out there with the baby, nurse, and then he would stay at his grandparent's house with the baby. I'd finish class, go meet him, nurse, and drive home. But that would make the sojourn like seven or eight hours long, which would be tiring for all of us, and I'm nervous about taking a new baby in the car so much, in all weathers, on crazy roads....

So I dunno what we're gonna do.
Maybe try to convince DH to get a part-time job next summer, but i hate to deprive him of even more time with his new baby.

I dunno. sigh.
Money sucks.

[alliei]

hey tie dyed!

I am also pregnant and in law school? What year are you? Which school? I am at UCLA and am a 2L. I am taking the opposite approach - I am taking six units because I can always drop a class if I need to and it will be nice to be able to take 12 units a semester once the baby is born. This is my second baby.

Allie

[alliei]

oops

I meant 16 units!

[Snowdrift]

Originally Posted by alliei

I am also pregnant and in law school? What year are you? Which school? I am at UCLA and am a 2L. I am taking the opposite approach - I am taking six units because I can always drop a class if I need to and it will be nice to be able to take 12 units a semester once the baby is born. This is my second baby.

Hrm. A little jealous and a little remembering why I'm doing it the way I'm doing it. I'm at Cooley, the crappiest accredited law school in the country. But all my classes are once a week and the scheduling is incredibly flexible, plus with my scholarship it's pretty much free. I just don't like dropping classes. I had to this term--didn't find out I was pg until the term had started. Then ms kicked in and driving an hour each way for class five nights a week was out.

I'm still 1L for another few weeks. Started the beginning of the summer.

I'm more into doing the mostly stay-at-home thing and taking five years to finish my degree. I'm not even planning on getting a 'real' job until I'm done with babies, which I hope will be awhile! Another good reason to not have gone to a 'good' school--would have to get a full-time-plus job upon graduation.

Still feel kinda dumb though when people ask me where I'm in school. Are you feeling the huge inferiority complex? sigh. It's a sigh-y day. But I wasn't gonna move and UM is waaay too high powered top tier for what I'm doing, and the other schools are either too new, too identity ambivelant (MSU), or affiliated with obnoxiously badly run institutions (Wayne).

Cooley's not bad really. If one studies with the right people.

[Mamatoto2]

When I was pregnant with DD, I was just finishing up with my on-campus classes. I ended my last class in Dec. and was also applying/going on internship interviews through January (DD was due end Feb.), and doing a 20 hr/week assistantship through May. I remember being terribly uncomfortable throughout a lot of the interview process, and I was also on partial bedrest for a while in there (6 hrs. side-lying bedrest/day) which fortunately was after I finished classes in Dec.-I don't know what I would have done if I was still in classes at that time as I was only allowed to be non-lying down for 2 hrs. at a atime and my school's a 40 min. drive away.

My rambling point is, I was thankful to make it through Jan. when my interviews were over, and that was still a good 6 weeks before I was due (and I had no other children to care for). At the end of pregnancy, I couldn't sleep well, it hurt to drive/walk/move, and it was difficult to try to work at the computer-all things that are critical for my schooling. I wouldn't push it and schedule classes right up until your due date if you can avoid it....with regard to student loans, you can defer repayment for up to 3 years due to lack of income (and it only depends on your income, not DH's so if you're earning $0, you qualify).

With regard to your DH, I hope he can be more empathic, especially since he has worked so hard himself at times multi-tasking between job & school. Perhaps if he imagined doing that for 40 weeks solid while having mono or the flu, he could relate to your circumstance. I'm home full-time with DD while I wrap up my dissertation (finally) and DH works full-time and goes to grad school part-time. Right now the compromise is that I take good care of DD, he never has to miss a day of work/school because she's sick (which he did have to do sometimes when I was on internship and she was in daycare), our house looks like crap and we often have pasta or leftovers for dinner, and we both support one another in accomplishing our work/school goals (he doesn't even need to give me advance notice if he has to work late or he changes his class schedule-the built-in babysitter will cover). Right now, he's downstairs writing a paper and I was upstairs finishing up some data analyses for my dissertation (and now I'm going to bed )

My big stretch will be making it to graduation-which is 4 days before I'm due. After NINE years of school post-undergrad, I wanna walk (waddle?) that stage and be hooded dag nabbit! I've earned it!

[alliei]

tie dyed!

Removed post because of email address showing up on google search