Any nontrad with babies? How do you carve out time for study?

[lilyzoo]

It's a long story here.
I finished all my pre-reqs last summer (GPA 3.79), and registered the MCAT for 2017 spring. However, then, I discovered that I was pregnant. The morning sickness and fatigue of 1st trimester made me too sick to study.

Almost at the same time I got a new boss who is a super annoying micromanager. After I announced my pregnancy, she became very nitpicking and tried really hard to get me fired. I had to start job hunting at 6 month pregnant (I need insurance!). While I was experiencing the most stressful days of my life, my husband was having a really hectic residency interview season. For about two months, we were living in fear that both of us would be jobless and bankrupt and with a newborn baby.

Fortunately enough, I got a job offer within one-and-half month. Higher pay and better title. And my husband got matched into his top-choice residency program in the city that we are living in. We welcomed our little precious baby, and he's absolutely adorable!

Now there's the new challenge:

I have returned to work. Baby is in daycare. My husband has crazy work hours as an intern, plus weekend shifts and night shifts. Our parents are in another country and are not available for help. I have long commute everyday and the job is demanding. I'm struggling to carve out time to study for MCAT. Any fellow nontrad with babies? Do you have any experience? How did you juggle work, family and study?

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[futuremdforme]

A few ideas.
- Hire a babysitter for a few hours on the weekends so you get solid, uninterrupted study time
- Sleep train baby to go to bed at 6 or 7pm
- commute by train so you can study on the train
- Look for a job that is closer to your location
- Consider moving if it doesn't put your husband significantly further away from the location of his residency
- consider putting it off for a year until your husband has a bit more time to participate in childcare.

 

[Annerb]

I'm currently in a similar spot to you with my husband working long and crazy hours as a law enforcement officer and I work full time, take classes, and am studying for the MCAT with a my now 15 month old at home. One of the biggest things I have had to come to terms with when carving out time for studying has been realizing that I can do it all. By that I mean, if my son's toys aren't picked up or the dishes are still in the sink or the house isn't as clean as I would like to be that's okay, because I don't have enough time for all of those things every night and still have time for studying. Also, once your baby starts sleeping through the night or even for 4 hour chunks, study when they first go down to bed that way you have some quiet, uninterrupted study time. Another thing I do, while it's not active studying like full length test taking, is to listen to MCAT review podcasts or podcasts discussing topics related to the MCAT that I am not as strong in while I am commuting to and from work. One last tip, if you're job allows for it study on your lunch break, even though it's only 30 minutes to an hour I have found you have to take all time you can get as new mom to study.

 

[nrs2doc]

It's a long story here.
I finished all my pre-reqs last summer (GPA 3.79), and registered the MCAT for 2017 spring. However, then, I discovered that I was pregnant. The morning sickness and fatigue of 1st trimester made me too sick to study.

Almost at the same time I got a new boss who is a super annoying micromanager. After I announced my pregnancy, she became very nitpicking and tried really hard to get me fired. I had to start job hunting at 6 month pregnant (I need insurance!). While I was experiencing the most stressful days of my life, my husband was having a really hectic residency interview season. For about two months, we were living in fear that both of us would be jobless and bankrupt and with a newborn baby.

Fortunately enough, I got a job offer within one-and-half month. Higher pay and better title. And my husband got matched into his top-choice residency program in the city that we are living in. We welcomed our little precious baby, and he's absolutely adorable!

Now there's the new challenge:

I have returned to work. Baby is in daycare. My husband has crazy work hours as an intern, plus weekend shifts and night shifts. Our parents are in another country and are not available for help. I have long commute everyday and the job is demanding. I'm struggling to carve out time to study for MCAT. Any fellow nontrad with babies? Do you have any experience? How did you juggle work, family and study?

I can totally relate to your story as a mom of 3 who built a successful business with a new born and a toddler. If you are not ready to quit your job so you can focus and study, here are my suggestions;
- Plan a study schedule for 6 months
- Ask for all the support you can get from husband and friends. This is #1 secret to my success
- Be ready to study while your child is asleep
- Train your body to be okay with 6 hours of sleep
- Be ready to study everyday no matter how tired you are, you just have to keep pushing.
- Don't worry about the dishes in the sink, the dirty laundry and messy house.... Okay maybe once a week.
You just have to be able to prioritize and understand that if you really want to do this you will need to make a lot of sacrifices. Good luck OP!

 

[valid username]

Study by audio. You have to make the most of your commute. Also consider hiring a neighborhood older child to watch the baby while you are in the room. Use earplugs.

Mom of six here--one born during medical school.