Baby during first year at Touro

[medNYC2013]

My husband and I are thinking about starting a family soon, within the next couple of years. At the same time, I am starting TouroCOM this upcoming fall. I have read other threads on the topic, the pros and cons, and that that some suggests to defer. We have already made decided that if I get pregnant, I am not going to defer, and we are confident that this is something my husband and I can do (he works from home most of the week and is very supportive, and we have family in the area).
However, I am concerned about how the school may handle my pregnancy.I read in one of the forum posts that a pregnant student at Touro was forced to withdraw from classes and take a year off (something I really do not want to do). Does anyone know if there is any truth to this? How family friendly is Touro?

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[darklabel]

My husband and I are thinking about starting a family soon, within the next couple of years. At the same time, I am starting TouroCOM this upcoming fall. I have read other threads on the topic, the pros and cons, and that that some suggests to defer. We have already made decided that if I get pregnant, I am not going to defer, and we are confident that this is something my husband and I can do (he works from home most of the week and is very supportive, and we have family in the area).
However, I am concerned about how the school may handle my pregnancy.I read in one of the forum posts that a pregnant student at Touro was forced to withdraw from classes and take a year off (something I really do not want to do). Does anyone know if there is any truth to this? How family friendly is Touro?

Are you going to Touro-NY?

Also, anyway you can carefully plan it so that you can have the baby during some kind of break? like if you have a ~3 month summer break (not all schools have this, but some do) maybe you can "get busy" around 9 months before the summer/long break?

 

[gyngyn]

Pregnancy is a "protected class". Nobody will make you do anything based solely on your gravid state. However, I have never seen an intercurrent pregnancy that had no effect on the mother's medical school progress (time wise).

 

[NontradCA]

You should probably ask this on the Osteo forum.

 

[medNYC2013]

Thank you.

Yes, TouroNY. We did think about planning it so that I would give birth during a break, and have some time with the baby. Hopefully all with go according to plans.

Thank you gyngyn. I thought so, but it was mentioned in another post about such a thing happening to a pregnant student, so I wanted to ask just to make sure.

 

[gyngyn]

Thank you.

Yes, TouroNY. We did think about planning it so that I would give birth during a break, and have some time with the baby. Hopefully all with go according to plans.

Thank you gyngyn. I thought so, but it was mentioned in another post about such a thing happening to a pregnant student, so I wanted to ask just to make sure.

I assure you.

 

[DrMeows]

In grad school all women were forced to sign a form that we were not pregnant as there is something negative about pregnant women being around formaldehyde in the anatomy lab. Therefore, if we were pregnant we weren't allowed to take the class. I don't remember exactly what because as an unmarried 20 something woman the last thing I wanted to be was pregnant lol. Anyways, that should be something you should look into if this is a common practice at schools OR harmful to a fetus.

 

[drshark]

I'm sure she could wear a mask if that is the case in anatomy.

 

[DrMeows]

I'm sure she could wear a mask if that is the case in anatomy.

It might just have been my school being extra cautious. But there is a DO school there and I'm sure they'd treat it the same way. Good news is it isn't Touro NY

 

[touchpause13]

i wouldn't get pregnant on purpose during pre-clinical years TBH

i've heard 4th year is a better time to start having your family

 

[hallowmann]

My husband and I are thinking about starting a family soon, within the next couple of years. At the same time, I am starting TouroCOM this upcoming fall. I have read other threads on the topic, the pros and cons, and that that some suggests to defer. We have already made decided that if I get pregnant, I am not going to defer, and we are confident that this is something my husband and I can do (he works from home most of the week and is very supportive, and we have family in the area).
However, I am concerned about how the school may handle my pregnancy.I read in one of the forum posts that a pregnant student at Touro was forced to withdraw from classes and take a year off (something I really do not want to do). Does anyone know if there is any truth to this? How family friendly is Touro?

I could imagine doing poorly or missing classes because of a pregnancy being a reason to be forced to take a year off (if the alternative would be failing).

That being said, I would strongly recommend planning pregnancy so that it won't interrupt basic sciences and Step 1. 3rd and 4th year would give you more options in terms of taking a leave.

i wouldn't get pregnant on purpose during pre-clinical years TBH

i've heard 4th year is a better time to start having your family

Some parts of 4th year might be hard because of residency interviews, but a lot of people I've talked to have said that once your primary core rotations are done (middle/end of 3rd year), you can basically take a break without too many issues. Obviously, this is probably school specific, and wherever OP goes, she should consult with her school.

 

[MedPR]

i wouldn't get pregnant on purpose during pre-clinical years TBH

i've heard 4th year is a better time to start having your family

Yea preclin baby just sounds like a bad idea. I told my gf we are waiting until I'm a pgy3

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[gyngyn]

Yea preclin baby just sounds like a bad idea. I told my gf we are waiting until I'm a pgy3

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There is never a good time to be pregnant. I'm an expert.

 

[MedPR]

There is never a good time to be pregnant. I'm an expert.

She'll be an Attending when I'm a PGY-3. We think that will be a good a time as any

 

[Skeeks]

There is never a good time to be pregnant. I'm an expert.

Haha, I am a guy but I totally agree with this. My wife and I just recently had our second four weeks ago. Its always hard to have a baby, and it ill be hard no matter what you are doing, if you are in school you will fall behind, if you are in residency you will hate your life because you wont get ANY sleep for at least two months after they are born. People sometimes forget that babies will feed every two hours during the night.
Everyone has to figure out what they want. If you want to wait thats cool, but for others its a good thing to think about what waiting means. My wife and I plan on having at least four kids, the longer we wait the harder pregnancy gets on a woman's body. We didnt want to wait till residency or later because that will put my wife around her mid thirties and risks of complications become greater. But if you are thinking of only one or two kids waiting doesnt have those kinds of issues related to them.
Plus if we finish by 32 (the age we are shooting for) then all our kids will be out of the house by the time we are in our early 50's, and that just sounds golden

 

[touchpause13]

She'll be an Attending when I'm a PGY-3. We think that will be a good a time as any

That seems like a good idea. Our plan is just that when my IUD is no longer effective I'm not going to get another one

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[medNYC2013]

That seems like a good idea. Our plan is just that when my IUD is no longer effective I'm not going to get another one

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Thank you all for the responses. I agree that it may be best to wait until rotations, but who knows what's in store for us. As mentioned above, there is never a right time to have a baby, and the most I can hope for is that it we will at least be able to plan it.
And thanks for suggestions about anatomy lab. I read that you can double-glove, wear mask, etc., but I don't want any limitations (and I am excited to cut), so hopefully no baby until that it over!

The things we women have to consider when we want to be both a doctor and a parent.

 

[touchpause13]

The things we women have to consider when we want to be both a mother and a parent.

that feel

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[medNYC2013]

My bad!

 

[Goro]

There's no good time to get pregnent unless you're Professor Emeritus. I've had plenty of students have babies in medical school. The worst case scenario would be to take one more year to graduate. That's not a big deal. I knew a woman who had TWO children while in med school, and she graduated on time. Odd thing, she hated patients, and went into Pathology.

i wouldn't get pregnant on purpose during pre-clinical years TBH

i've heard 4th year is a better time to start having your family

 

[HalfListic]

There is never a good time to be pregnant. I'm an expert.

So true.

Also, OP, contact the school directly if you haven't. STRONGLY consider waiting until 3rd year (and why not during the summer in between 2nd and 3rd?)

I LOVE kids, but they are more of a commitment than anything you have ever done(or ever will do, IMO).


But, you know yourself and your husband. Its been done before, and you would survive.

 

[gyngyn]

That seems like a good idea. Our plan is just that when my IUD is no longer effective I'm not going to get another one

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Paragard is probably good forever.

 

[aburnet2]

BABIES!!!!!!! I am having my first kid about three months into oms1. Like you said, the other thread in the osteo forum brought up a lot of good points and inspired some encouragment. I am pretty sure it will never be easy or will there be a good time to have one IMO. Why not when your in school opposed to keeping ppl alive.

 

[Jupiter2012]

My husband and I are thinking about starting a family soon, within the next couple of years. At the same time, I am starting TouroCOM this upcoming fall. I have read other threads on the topic, the pros and cons, and that that some suggests to defer. We have already made decided that if I get pregnant, I am not going to defer, and we are confident that this is something my husband and I can do (he works from home most of the week and is very supportive, and we have family in the area).
However, I am concerned about how the school may handle my pregnancy.I read in one of the forum posts that a pregnant student at Touro was forced to withdraw from classes and take a year off (something I really do not want to do). Does anyone know if there is any truth to this? How family friendly is Touro?

Have you joined the FB group? I would ask some of the first years that are on there.