Pregnancy in Residency

[fiatslug]

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Wow, I haven't posted here since I was cutting psychopharmacology (Hi Kim, Hi Lilycat, Hi Stinky!). I'm a soon-to-be PGY-3 in Psychiatry, and I wanted to get some wisdom from fellow residents about pregnancy & residency. I am very lucky, in that (a) I'm a psychiatrist, not... well... virtually any other specialty that works long and abusive hours 😉 (b) We have enough flexibility in our call schedule that I can front load most if not all of my call before the baby's due in early December; (c) as a 3rd year, we're all outpatient, and I have a lot more control over my schedule; (d) no more weekend call! and (e) since I'm done with inpatient coverage (with the exception of call), my pregnancy won't have much of an impact on my colleagues, except that they may have a bit more call in the spring. Had I been pregnant as a 1 or 2, it would have been a lot more dicey (and more prone to understandable resentment on the part of my colleagues!).

So... how did it go for you? How much harder was it to work in the final weeks of pregnancy? How much time did you take off? Did you work up until your water broke, or take off time before? (I'd love to take off a week or two before, but damn, 6 weeks of disability is not a lot of time, even if you add on 4 weeks of vacation... back to work in 2 1/2 months... 🙁 ) Was your administration supportive? How about fellow residents? How was it going back--terrible to leave the baby, great to be among adults again or a mix of the two? What about childcare--anyone lucky enough to have on-site options? Were you able to breastfeed and/or pump at work? I realize folks with inpatient responsibilities will have a vastly more complicated experience than I likely will, but still--would love to hear from all!

Thanks in advance...
Slug out!

 

[MBK2003]

I feel somewhat qualified to answer since I had kids beginning PGY-1 and beginning PGY-3 in psychiatry.

So... how did it go for you? How much harder was it to work in the final weeks of pregnancy? How much time did you take off? Did you work up until your water broke, or take off time before? (I'd love to take off a week or two before, but damn, 6 weeks of disability is not a lot of time, even if you add on 4 weeks of vacation... back to work in 2 1/2 months... 🙁)

Took off 1 week prior to due date, scheduled an induction, returned to work at 4 weeks to see a couple select 2x/wk pts and then full-time at 6 weeks.

Was your administration supportive?

So-so. Not really happy but didn't kick me out.

How about fellow residents?

Very supportive, picked up the slack and vented their anger about the administration's inflexible policies in a productive way.

How was it going back--terrible to leave the baby, great to be among adults again or a mix of the two?

I have 3 kids, so maternity leave with 3 kids at home is more stressful than returning to work (for me at least), nonetheless it was difficult to leave the kids after being with them full-time for nearly 6 weeks.

What about childcare--anyone lucky enough to have on-site options?

We have the option, but I have in-home childcare.

Were you able to breastfeed and/or pump at work?

Yes, pumped for 4 months, just became cumbersome to schedule that 20 min twice a day into my increasing caseload without getting resentful that I was arriving home 1 hr later because of pumping.

Congratulations and good luck!
MBK2003

 

[fiatslug]

Thanks MBK--sorry you had an unsupportive experience with your residency, but congrats on getting 2 kids born during residency!

Since no one else is replying to this thread, can I assume that only psychiatrists have time to get knocked up during residency?

 

[outofhere]

I am also a psych resident. I took six months for my child. I had originally planned for three, most of it unpaid, but I realized I could not go back at three months and simply needed more time. My graduation date is postponed because of this...alas, you can't have everything. My RD was super supportive. He called to make sure I was fine, set up a meeting with me to talk about my rotations, bought a gift for the baby...etc. Even after I returned, I had to take time off when the baby was too ill to go to daycare. I remember telling him one time that, "I am not going to make it, it is too hard." He said, "Yes, when we had little ones, we thought it was nearly impossible." I realize fully that my experience is not the norm and my RD is exceptionally supportive.
What I want to address isn't just about you and your leave. What I experienced with my patients was interesting, to say the least. They started showing up at random times or not showing up toward the end of my pregnancy, in a way, looking for mommy and making sure she is still there. Then, I had patients that were very ambivalent about this baby. I saw a patient at the store while I was on leave, she promptly went back to see the sub resident and told him that she needed a new doctor permanently, because, Dr. Me have a baby now, and won't have any more time for her. Some patients never even asked about the baby when I went back. I also found that I became a target for more projection than I ever bargained for... All in all, a great experience, and helped me to grow as a psychiatrist.
However, it has been hard. I know that I have nothing to whine about, given that I only have one child. However, I think about quitting residency all the time... Alas, the end is VERY NEAR and I think I will make it!

 

[outofhere]

One more thought.
As hectic as it is to have a child in residency, my supervisors still all tell me it is easier to have a child in residency then out in practice. As a resident, you have coverate, supportively or not. In private practice, you will lose a lot of $ and patients when you go on leave. Moreover, RD cannot fire residents for being pregnant, but in other work places, who knows what they can do...not making you partner, making your life miserable...etc.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Thanks MBK--sorry you had an unsupportive experience with your residency, but congrats on getting 2 kids born during residency!

Since no one else is replying to this thread, can I assume that only psychiatrists have time to get knocked up during residency?

Oh I have the time to get knocked up, its the after care time that I don't have!

BTW, did you get yourself hooked up with that nice young man frm the hills of Santa Cruz? 🙂

 

[fiatslug]

Indeed, I'm now Mrs. nice young man from the hills of Santa Cruz! How ARE you?!?!? Looks like things have been booming at SDN... I feel myself becoming addicted again... 😛