Prego, need advice on course selection

[LittleMama]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I just found out that I'm pregnant, and the baby is due this summer. I was planning on taking trig and Bio I next semester, but now I'm wondering if I should just take trig. I'm worried that if I take Bio I now there will be a gap between sequences (Bio I and Bio II) because I'm not sure if I'll be back in school next fall. I may wait until Spring 2009 to re-enroll in classes after the baby is born. But then again, it would be nice to get this class completed since I have to take the entire CHem, Orgo and Physics sequences (and maybe Calc).

What would you do?

 

[2008orbust]

Things will be A LOT harder/busier after baby. It would be better to get as much done pre-baby as you can. CONGRATS!!!!

 

[Kateb4]

Agree with 2008orbust. I just had a baby, and am just taking one class this semester. I took 10 credit hours over the summer to get things out of the way so I could take it easy now. It was well worth it. So, I'd say take the Bio now, and see if there is any way that next fall you could take just the second bio. Also, at my school, BIO I and II were not really continuations of eachother. You didn't even have to take them in order, so you should be fine. Good luck and congratulations!!

 

[TopDocChick]

I have done this three times and my advice is to keep going to school - don't take off fall if you can help it. If your baby is due early in the summer you will have plenty of time to bond and establish breastfeeding before school starts. Take at least one class and find a babysitter. Aside from keeping your momentum, you will look forward to the 2 hours at school as adult time for yourself.

My situations: I had a baby in March, start school the following September with 9 credits

Next baby came at the beginning of April, so i took an incomplete in the 2 classes I was in and finished them at the end of the summer, took 10 credits that following fall

Third baby (similar to you) born end of June. I only took 1 class that fall. It was Biochemistry. By the following spring I was taking full courseloads of science classes without a problem.

I breastfed my babies until 13 months and had college friends watch my baby at school while I was in class when they were still nursing every hour or two.

they meaning the babies, not my college friends

 

[LittleMama]

THANKS so much for the votes and replies, everyone! (And for the congrats 🙂 )

I will stick with the plan and take trig and Bio I next semester. I really appreciate everyone's input and the sharing of your experiences. Kateb4 - that's a good point about Bio I and Bio II not necessarily having to be in sequence. I'll have to check and see what my school covers between the two courses.

TopDocChick - The reason I wasn't planning on taking a course in the fall was due to my concerns about breastfeeding. If my second child is anything like my first child, s/he will be nursing every 1-2 hours, too! But knowing that you were able to get through is encouraging.

2008orBust - thanks for the congrats, and CONGRATULATIONS to you on your acceptance!!

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Congrats! I'll throw in my vote, too, for taking bio now. My school had 3 quarters of bio for the general biology sequence, and each section was a totally new class. Consequently, you wouldn't really lose anything by having a gap between the courses. Also, even if there is some overlap, I expect you could catch up pretty quickly.

 

[HanginInThere]

Congratulations!

One more vote for not waiting. Along with all the practical advice people have posted, here's another thought to consider. If your Bio I curriculum includes any of: genetics, the endocrine system, reproduction, or development, the material will be extra-interesting for you. My daughter was born between bio I and II, and my wife's pregnancy definitely added to my learning experience!

 

[ScubaEMT]

Congrats... My wife and I have a daughter due to arrive in December. I have just decided to continue my school schedule, as it will be good practice for all the stress we are going to have to deal with in med school 🙂

 

[TopDocChick]

TopDocChick - The reason I wasn't planning on taking a course in the fall was due to my concerns about breastfeeding. If my second child is anything like my first child, s/he will be nursing every 1-2 hours, too! But knowing that you were able to get through is encouraging.

I have low milk supply, and therefore I never supplemented feedings with formula or even stored breast-milk (there wasn't enough) because I was afraid it would compromise my already scarce supply of milk. I took 3 months off completely per kid so I could sit by a pump, feed them pumped milk with a syringe and then nurse them with half hour breaks every two hours (looking back I can't believe I did all that) in order to build my supply. I also took domperidone, a medication that increases breast-milk. Even after all that, I had to nurse my babies very very often. I know you can do it. Post an ad on your school website that you are looking for someone to watch your baby at school while you are in class. Make sure to run a background check through your police department. Also, make sure they have a cell phone so you can find them if they are on a walk with the baby. Good luck and feel free to PM me if you need to. 👍