Phd, working, and ....baby?!

[grad86]

I work full time (50 hours per week) and began working on a phd this past Spring.  I am, also, 5 months pregnant with my first child (due in October).  I found out about the pregnancy after beginning the phd program.  Do you think it will be possible to continue with a doctorate while raising a child from newborn on up and working full time?  One of my lifelong goals has been to get a phd.  Leaving my job is not an option as I will definitely need my income now more than ever.  I don't want to keep putting of the phd, however I also don't want to neglect my baby and family.  I just want your thoughts, especially those that have experienced or heard of a similar situation.  What should I do?

[Pink Fuzzy Bunny]

I have never been in your situation so I won't give any advice, but I will ask questions and state facts.

Q1: Do you have a partner who is willing to help out, or are you able to make accommodations for a nanny?

Q2: Imagine your typical day. Do you have the time and energy both at the beginning and the end of the day for a child?

Q3: Take the amount of sleep that you get now and divide it by two. Is this sufficient?

F1: If you look at this forum, there are quite a few people asking if it is possible to do a PhD while raising a child. Or to do a PhD while working full time. To the best of my knowledge (and I've only been browsing this forum for 6 months), no one has posted about wanting to do all three.

Unfortunately, sometimes in life we can't have everything at the time that we want it. Life happens. I wish you the best.

[sjoh197]

8 minutes ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said:

 

F1: If you look at this forum, there are quite a few people asking if it is possible to do a PhD while raising a child. Or to do a PhD while working full time. To the best of my knowledge (and I've only been browsing this forum for 6 months), no one has posted about wanting to do all three.

Unfortunately, sometimes in life we can't have everything at the time that we want it. Life happens. I wish you the best.

It I difficult to work full time and get a PhD. It I difficult to have a baby and get a PhD. It is difficult to work 50 hours a week and take care of a newborn.

You are trying to do 3 difficult things all at the same time, and while I really wish you the best, I think there will be a fast burnout in your future if one of the above 3 things doesn't change. When I was in college with my daughter, I was only working part time. My days were stretched very very thin and I always felt guilty in one way or another. There's no way I could have even fit another 25 hours of work time in there. And she wasn't even a newborn.

[SSFL]

I've never done a doctorate with a baby, but I do have 5 children and had all but one while working on my bachelors and MA degrees. I had my 3rd child the day after completing my MA comps. You can certainly do school with a baby. It's working and doing school which you may find hard. Honestly, I always felt torn. When I was studying, I wanted to be home with my kids, and when I was with my kids, I felt guilty for not studying. I think you may find it harder on the emotional level than the physical. That said, I'd find out about your maternity level options at work and if you can defer for a semester in school. Take your child's early months to just be with them, and then incorporate everything else slowly and see how it goes.