Don't Drop Out of College Because Your Pregnant
Towards the end of my junior year of college, I got pregnant. At first, I thought that my dreams of a degree had been destroyed, but with encouragement from my friends and family, I continued attending school through my entire pregnancy. My baby is now almost three months old, and I am almost half way through my last semester of college. In just a couple short months I will have my bachelor's degree- and it has not been delayed even one semester! If you are pregnant, here are some things you should know that will help you finish strong- baby and all!1. Work Ahead
Pregnancy comes with a lot of ups and down in your mood and energy. Sometimes you will be so tired that you just want to sleep for hours. Other times, you will feel like you just have burst of energy. Take advantage of these bursts of energy and try to work ahead on your schoolwork, or on other things you need to get done. Taking care of errands and chores while you have lots of energy will free up time for you to do homework later. Working ahead on your schoolwork will reduce the stress of having an assignment to do last minute when you happen to be having a really bad day.
2. Get Tested for Anemia
The first trimester you will be overly tired, and that is to be expected. Just take lots of naps, try to eat well, and cut yourself some slack. However, during the second trimester, you should start to feel pretty good, having lots of energy.
If your energy level does NOT increase after about the 14th week, tell your doctor and see if they can test you for anemia. I kept waiting to start feeling better, and did not get tested for anemia until around week 22. They called me within just a few hours of my blood test to tell me that I was very anemic and should start taking iron supplements. Once I started taking them, I felt so much better!
Why is this important? Because going to college and doing college homework tends to require a lot of energy, and if you don't have any, it will be hard to get through it.
3. Don't Hide Your Pregnancy From Your Professors
It really is to your best advantage to tell your professors that you are pregnant. If you are feeling uncomfortable with this, then you may want to see your professor in private during office hours and just let them know that you are pregnant.
There are several reasons for this. If you are in your first trimester, you will probably finish the current semester before having the baby, but it is still helpful to talk to your professors. This way, they may be able to be more lenient with their attendance policies and due dates if you are feeling sick or just too tired.
In your second and third trimesters, it will get harder to keep attending school, but it is possible with some understanding from your professors. Depending on the timing of your due date and your school schedule, you may need to miss some time to have the baby. Try to talk to the professors for the classes you are planning on taking before hand to let them know of your circumstances. If possible, it is nice to know before registering for a class that the professor will understand that you may need to make special arrangements when the baby comes. Most professors will be happy for you that you are becoming a mom, and will be even more accommodating than you may expect.
4. Look into Off Campus Study Options
Check with your school to see what off campus options they have for classes. Some schools offer internet classes, video classes, or independent study. Try to take advantage of these options as much as possible, especially towards the end of your pregnancy. One difficulty that I did not anticipate towards the end of my pregnancy was that I had to go to the bathroom about every 10 minutes. With a baby sitting on your bladder, it can be really difficult to drive long distances to school and to sit through even an hour long class. While professors can try to be understanding about your need to leave class, you are still going to be missing information, which will be difficult on you.
I solved this problem with independent study. Even though there was nothing listed in the course schedule about independent study programs, I contacted the professor who was teaching the course I needed and explained my situation. She was more understanding than I expected and worked out an independent study program that allowed me to finish the class, even though I had to take two weeks off when I had my baby.
Even if you school does not have anything specifically listed about independent study, you should still ask individual professors or your academic advisor to see what they can suggest.
5. Take Advantage of Summer and Winter Sessions If Available
It is truly in your best interest to get as much school as possible out of the way before you have the baby. As hard as it is to go to school nine months pregnant, it is that much harder to study with a newborn at home. While I was hesitant to go to summer school during the last three months that I was pregnant, I was able to finish two classes, which has made it possible for me to go to school part-time now that the baby is here.
6. Look into School Subsidized Child Care
Once you have the baby, you will have the fun new challenge of finding child care. Many schools offer child care on campus, and often it is at a much cheaper rate than what you find elsewhere. Sometimes there will be a minimum age for child care. If you cannot find a family member or friend to help out until your baby reaches the minimum age, then you may have to take a semester off. The important thing is that you set goals, and stay on track. Just promise yourself that you will go back!
7. Solicit the Support of Friends and Family
If you have people around you who are willing to help, take advantage of it! Even if you feel like you may be able to get schoolwork done at home with the baby, I guarantee you that you will get more done if you do not have to worry about taking breaks to change diapers and feed the baby. Even if it is just for an hour or two, leave the baby with a family member and go somewhere like the library or Starbucks to study.
8. If you are breastfeeding, invest in a good breast pump
Pumping is a must for breastfeeding moms who must attend college. After about a week postpartum, you can start pumping once extra per day and freezing it for future use. As your milk comes in, you can pump more and more to have a store for when you need to attend class. As far as pumping while you are at school, talk to the student health center, or to your advisor, and see if they can provide you access to a place where you can pump at school. Milk can be stored in a little freezer bag (an insulated bag with ice packs in it) for a few hours until you get home and get it in the freezer for future use.
9. Remember that you are doing this for both of you!
Sometimes, when your baby is crying or just having a rough day, it can be really hard to leave the house, close the door, and drive off to school. The first time I left my baby screaming in my husband's arms to rush off to class, I was overwhelmed with this feeling of guilt and I cried halfway to school.
Every time I leave for school, I try to remind myself that a college degree is going to be a major benefit for our entire family. People will college degrees make more money and have better careers. A college degree can allow you to have a job where you make sufficient money to support your family without working ridiculously long hours.
I am going to school to be a teacher, and I know that my son is going to appreciate the time I am able to spend with him when I have summers and holidays off with him during his childhood. Thinking about that makes those hours away from home now all worth it!
