Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

I feel like if I don't go to school and make the change now that I never will. I will be done next summer. We planned on TTC next spring.
Am I setting myself up for a disaster? I won't even be settled into my new career for more than a year by the time we have a baby (that is if I don't have trouble getting pregnant).
Any advice?

Re: Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

i dont have any advice, but we're in a similar situation. we'll probably start TTC next year, and if we did get PG right away, the baby would be born right as i was finishing school. I kind of wanted it that way so that i could have the baby Before i started my new job, But, who knows how things will work out. My biggest thing is that i dont want to put Everything on the backburner... like waiting to finish school to start thinking about a family, and then waiting to get settlde into a job to figure out the next step.... i feel like waiting for everything to work out perfectly will just Never happen, and i dont want to miss out on life while i'm busy planning for the 'next step'. Our mindset is to prepare ourselves as much as possible, and then when we feel the most comfortable, we'll start trying. from there, i really do feel like things have a way of working themselves out.

Re: Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

Julie, I am older than you, I thik by at least 5 or 6 years. We decided to wait until Spring to TTC and for me (us) it was the best decision. I feel so much better about things, like a weight has been lifted off of me. I am just not ready yet. And the reason I am not ready is because their are still a few things I want to do for myself and with Phil before having a baby. My question to you is are you ready? If you are go for it, but if you still have that nagging feeling that there are things you want to do, I would wait.

Everyone is different.

Re: Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

Re: Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

When I was in Grad School for Education, there were numerous PG women and those who already had children.

You have to do what's right for you and Ray

Re: Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

I think you should start the program and finish it. If you get pg before you graduate, you should still be fine. Even if you only practice in your new field for a few months before giving birth, it's experience that you have under your belt.

Believe me, your life changes so much when you have a baby and so do your priorities. There things you think you wanted that don't even matter once you have a baby. I am so glad I finished my MBA before I had a baby. Life is so stressful now, I couldn't image working, taking care of a baby and going to school now.

Good Luck with your decision!

Re: Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

My advice.... dont plan your life around TTC. Whenever it happens, things will work out. They always do. If you want to go to school now.. Do It!!!

Re: Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

I did a career change and I am graduating with my Masters on the 22nd of this month...baby is due the 27th. Don't wait around to live your life...just live it and everything will fall into place

Re: Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

My best friend made a career changed and graduates Mothers Day--she is due with her 1st baby May 21st. And she already has a PT (by her choice) job lined up for a few months down the line.

Re: Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

I think you should go for it. I went back to school for a career change (teaching.) I'm currently in my second year teaching and I'm pregnant. I am still going to school to finish up my masters, I'll have 2 classes left once the baby is here. I didn't want to put off TTC until my masters was complete, and I also didn't want to not start teaching either. It is all falling into place. It sounds like you want to go for it, so you should! Good luck!

Re: Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

Honestly, it's never a good time to TTC - there's always a reason, whether it's career, finances, etc. I say, when you're ready, just do it and things will fall into place. I have so many friends who got pregnant while in school and did just fine. And, I got pregnant only 4 months in my new job! I was FINE. And I'm a new attorney - talk about stress! It was a little bit of an adjustment coming back and juggling mommyhood with my career, but you'll find that if you've been on a job 3, 10, 20 years, or just 3 months. I say do what you feel you need to do for your career and your family. Pursue your dreams and everything will fall into place...

Message edited 5/7/2006 9:51:29 PM.

Re: Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

I think you should go back to school now. Get it done with before it hits the back burner. Like you said, you can't see yourself dealing with the stress of your present job with a family, so take the time now to prepare for a better situation.

Re: Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

I think I would do school now. I was in school, and had just started my masters degree when we got engaged. I did put my thesis on the back burner for a while, but did get back to it and finished (last week! )

I think if I had waited until after I got married to do grad school I would have come up with a lot of reasons to put it off, but since I was already in school and was more than halfway done, I pushed myself to finish. I think knowing you want to start TTC, it might be a good push for you to get the program done and ready for that next step ahead of you, whatever that may be. Does that make sense?

Re: Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

Man, I have this same debate. I am working full-time, will be starting schoolpart-time over the summer, and then for the next few years...AND we are TTC. It's everything at once, but there really is no good time, ANd my new career will allow me to work less and be home with children more. We feel ready, and both of us are willing to whatever it will take to make it happen, so we are just going to let it happen, and hope things fall into place nicely. You can't plan for everything of course, but you can try to be as prepared as possible.

GOOD LUCK!

Re: Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

I could have wrote the SAME post 2 years ago. I still have NOT gone back to school (too busy working!) and have had a lot of trouble with TTC. My advice is just start on both and it will all fall into place. You never know what can happen down the road....

Re: Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

I would say definitely start it now, as soon as possible. Once you have kids, it will be extremely difficult to go to school. Your priorities will change as well as the time you have to do hw, projects and other stuff school requires you to do.

I posted this same post around a year ago - I think Im the third on this thread!
I wanted to TTC, and start the MBA. I knew I couldn't do both, since the MBA is 2 years, and between full time work, and school - when would I have time to take care of a kid? For us, we decided that we were not ready to start a family, and that I really wanted to have the MBA before taking the next step. Thus, I started school (and now finished 2 full semesters :) I will be moving 7/2007 and will be starting new job, probably TTC. As you can see, TTC doesn't fit in well - but as someone said you can't plan your life around TTC. If school and career change is what you want, don't wait, and start now. You will be almost done by that time by the time you start TTC.

Message edited 5/14/2006 3:05:39 PM.

Re: Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

I agree with what other posters have said-- that you have to do the right thing for you... If I remember right-- you are fairly young-- so IMO you have tons of time...

My person feeling on TTC is to wait until I have reached a point in my career where I am happy with my role and responsibilities, and my salary-- because after I have kids-- I will be leaving on time every day and my family will come first. It depends on how demanding of a job your new career will be-- but everyone and every job is different.

I am going to be 31 in two weeks-- and a lot of my friends are pg or have babies already. I feel a little pressure in regards to that-- but, I am nowhere near ready to have a kid in terms of what I want to accomplish in my life before *I* don't come first anymore, nor do I feel that DH and I are ready as a couple to bring a child into our family yet-- when the time is right, it will be great-- but not now.. So, really at the end of the day-- it comes down to when is the RIGHT time for YOU.

Honestly-- go back to school and do what you need to do for yourself now. When you feel that the time is right to start TTC, everything will fall into place. You can't make plans a year ahead when you make a big life change- like going back to school. Your life a year from now will not be the same as when you originally made those plans.

Re: Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

I would say go ahead and go to school now and get it done. If you don't want to be flexible on when you start TTC, that's fine, just keep in mind that if you are PG when you finish your program and start looking for a job - it could be difficult to get one while PG, and then expect maternity leave with less than 6 months under your belt at the new job. So maybe make plans to look for a job in your new career after the baby arrives.

What is the new career path you are pursuing?

Re: Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

Thanks for all of your advice!
I decided not to go for many reasons.
The #1 reason is because I felt too rushed into making a decision. I had only 1 week to decide and since this is a new program there were too many unanswered questions.
Also, money. With the position I am in now, I can afford to be a SAHM for a little while or just work p/t ( I would just get any p/t job), which is ideal for me, once the kids get here. If I went to school and spent all that $$$ on tuition (Very expensive IMO) plus will be losing my salary I make now, I will definitley not be able to stay home at all (not even p/t) and that is something that is very important to me.
So I decided to stick it out here as long as I can, and I am currently looking at jobs I can get with the degree and training I already have.

Re: Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

Sounds like you thought about what YOU want and didn't make your decision based on outside pressure, that's good.

I'm much like randella, 31 and waiting so I can set myself up a little better career wise plus my husband will be gone for a year starting OCT so that makes the decision for me. All I know is that I've had a lot of friends have kids at various stages and everyone of them makes it work and would never change what they have for an easier life. But some of them that were a little more prepared as far as timing (not necessarily money) enjoyed the experience a little more and didn't feel stressed or rushed because too many events were overlapping, like moves, career changes, etc. Just something to think about.

Message edited 5/16/2006 4:00:03 PM.

Re: Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

Message edited 5/22/2006 12:08:27 AM.

Re: Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

Posted by julz33

Thanks for all of your advice!
I decided not to go for many reasons.
The #1 reason is because I felt too rushed into making a decision. I had only 1 week to decide and since this is a new program there were too many unanswered questions.
Also, money. With the position I am in now, I can afford to be a SAHM for a little while or just work p/t ( I would just get any p/t job), which is ideal for me, once the kids get here. If I went to school and spent all that $$$ on tuition (Very expensive IMO) plus will be losing my salary I make now, I will definitley not be able to stay home at all (not even p/t) and that is something that is very important to me.
So I decided to stick it out here as long as I can, and I am currently looking at jobs I can get with the degree and training I already have.

Re: Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

All I know is that when you and your hubby get pregnant..those kids are gonna be GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!! Little models!
P.S. Thanks again for the toothbrushes....I didnt forget that!

Re: Going back to school & making a career change and also thinking about starting a family?

I just wanted to say Good Luck! Everything will work out!