How To Succeed In Nursing School With A Baby – (10 Biggest Challenges & How To Overcome)
Written By:
Kelsey Bader
Kelsey Bader, BSN, RN
Kelsey Bader is a registered nurse from Louisiana. Kelsey has a diverse range of experiences. Some of Kelsey’s work experience includes bedside nursing in ICUs at various hospitals in COVID and non-COVID units, emergency rooms. Read Full Bio »» , BSN, RN
Okay, so you’ve been blessed with a precious little bundle of joy - the true center of your universe - and now you are contemplating becoming a nurse. Along with tons of other questions, you may also be wondering if it is possible to juggle school with a baby. You may ask, “Can someone tell me how to survive nursing school with a baby?” If you are anything like me, you have probably typed that question into your Google search bar at least a time or two. Information that is generated on the web can make the challenges of nursing school seem daunting.
It's okay, though, because in this article, I am going to tell you about the 10 biggest challenges you will face in attending nursing school with a baby and how to successfully overcome them. The key here is the “overcome them” part because you can do this! I have been exactly where you are now, and while it is not an easy accomplishment, it is definitely one that you can achieve!
Is Attending Nursing School With a Baby Hard?
Let's be real for a second: attending nursing school without a baby is nothing short of challenging! I mean, think about it; you are being trained to ultimately have another human being’s life in your hands. The curriculum and the courses must be hard to adequately prepare you for what you will face in the field.
Attending nursing school while caring for a baby is going to challenge you in ways that you never anticipated. You will be pushed mentally, physically, and emotionally past anything you ever imagined, but you will come out on the other side as a much stronger individual because of the experience. Although it may seem easier said than done, do not panic! Succeeding in nursing school with a baby is possible, if you know beforehand the possibilities of challenges you will face.
How to Succeed in Nursing School With a Baby?
(The following are the 10 biggest challenges you will face while attending nursing school with a baby and ways you can successfully overcome them.)
CHALLENGE #1: Creating a Healthy School-Life Balance
About the Challenge:
Being a mom is a full-time job in and of itself! Being a nursing student is also a full-time job! Not to mention the fact that you may also have a spouse, be keeping up a household, or maybe even trying to keep up with an outside job - whether it be part-time or full-time. That is a lot for anyone, and feeling you are being pulled in a million different directions is enough to leave you overwhelmed.
I remember when I was in nursing school, I constantly felt like I was spreading myself too thin. I was either in class or working, which left me missing my family terribly. By the time my day ended and I could finally spend time with them, I felt like I had nothing left to give. To top it all off, there was always the looming feeling that I should be studying or preparing for the next exam.
I was never one hundred percent present. That is, until I became intentional with my time!
How to Overcome:
Get yourself a planner! Even if you were not a “planner person” before, go ahead and buy one. Be very intentional with your time and schedule. It may seem silly at first, but I literally scheduled windows of study time, family time, and time to rest. This helped me to overcome the challenge of balancing my time, allowing me to remain present in the moment and focus on the time being spent rather than worrying about everything else I needed to be doing.
I found a great planner on Amazon designed
especially for nursing students, but any planner will do. Also, if you do not like the idea of carrying around another book, you can always use a digital planner on your phone or tablet. The most important thing is to find one you like and make good use of it.
CHALLENGE #2: Making Sure You Have Dependable Childcare
About the Challenge:
One of the most crucial factors to consider when deciding to go to nursing school when you have a baby is whether you have dependable childcare. Even if you take some of your classes online, most nursing schools require campus visits for seminars and the completion of in-person labs. Additionally, all nursing programs have an in-person clinical component. You must complete a set number of classroom and clinical hours, as determined by your
State Board of Nursing, to be eligible to sit for your licensure exam. If you add work into the mix, you can see where you will be in dire need of a babysitter.
How to Overcome:
Having dependable childcare in place with someone that you are comfortable with before you start school is the best way to overcome this challenge and a vital key to succeeding in nursing school with a baby. Whoever you leave your baby with, whether it be a family member, a babysitter, or a daycare, it needs to be someone that you are completely comfortable with and someone you fully trust! You need to know your baby is with someone who will show up when you need them and who your baby is comfortable with. This is important not only for your baby but also for you. It will give you peace of mind so you can concentrate on your tasks instead of stressing about your baby.
You never know when a daycare may close because of the weather or your regular babysitter may get the flu. Just because it’s raining cats and dogs or your babysitter is sick, that does not excuse you from completing your required hours. Therefore, I seriously recommend having at least two backup babysitters.
CHALLENGE #3: Juggling Finances
About the Challenge:
Anyone who ever said babies are not expensive clearly never had one! Babies are very expensive, and so is nursing school. When you add up what you will spend on tuition, books, scrubs/uniforms, and equipment, it can feel like a fortune. When you add in the expense of paying for childcare and other necessities, the financial side alone can make nursing school seem impossible.
Prior to going to nursing school, I had completed two degrees without ever paying out-of-pocket for my schooling. I was fortunate enough to have scholarships that not only paid my tuition but covered my living expenses. So, when I first started looking into nursing school, I felt overwhelmed by the cost alone!
How to Overcome:
If you have been contemplating nursing school for a while now and you’ve managed to put back a nest egg to help offset the costs, that is awesome! However, you could be like me, and you wake up on a random Tuesday and decide to finally go after your dream career without any financial planning. If that is the case, do not allow yourself to fall into despair!
There are many resources for financial assistance to help pay for school, such as grants, scholarships, private loans, and federal financial assistance. I personally chose the path of federal student aid to help me overcome the financial burden of going back to school. Even though taking on student loans was not the ideal scenario, it was definitely a much more feasible option than trying to pay out-of-pocket! For me, not having to stress about where the funds were coming from or how I was going to pay for each semester was worth the commitment to paying back the loan after graduation. Plus, if you qualify for a subsidized loan, interest does not accrue while you’re in school! You may also qualify for federal grants, which never have to be repaid. Be sure to fill out the
Free Application for Federal Student Aid as soon as possible!
CHALLENGE #4: Feeling Guilty (a.k.a. “Mom/Dad Guilt”)
About the Challenge:
Let’s face it, if you have a baby and you are going to nursing school, there are going to be some events you’re not able to attend and some moments you will miss. As a parent, it is really easy to let the narrative in your head become one that is focused on the guilt that you feel for not being as present as you feel you should be. This becomes an even bigger challenge when the “little moments” you miss are the “big firsts.”
How to Overcome:
Overcoming guilt as a parent can be a huge feat, regardless of the situation. For me, I had to constantly remind myself of my reasons why. Why did I decide to go to nursing school to begin with? Outside of the medical field, which is something I am very passionate about, my main reason for wanting to go to nursing school was my little one. I wanted her to grow up knowing that chasing your dreams was a possibility, no matter what stage of life you are in. I wanted her to know that hard work pays off in the end. So, on the long days and nights when the voice in my head wanted to whisper echoes of guilt, I would force myself to refocus on my reasons why, and I would remind myself that this is all just temporary.
You can do the same thing. Keep reminding yourself that although you may miss some things and that may make you sad, there are going to be other opportunities. Also, you are doing this not just for yourself but for your baby, too. Stay focused, and you can succeed in nursing school with a baby (and for your baby)!
CHALLENGE #5: You Will Be Exhausted!
About the Challenge:
Going to nursing school without a baby is exhausting, but when you go with a baby, you will reach a new level of exhaustion that you did not even realize existed before. Between attending classes, completing assignments, preparing for exams, tending to your household, and caring for a little one, there will be days when you feel like a zombie. Overcoming pure physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion is one of the biggest challenges of succeeding in nursing school with a baby.
How to Overcome:
Despite the overwhelming sensation of feeling you cannot take on one more task, you can succeed and overcome this challenge. The first bit of advice I can give you is to accept help when it is offered! It is really easy to fall into a pattern of wanting to soak up every spare moment that you have with your little one. However, when someone offers to watch the baby, take them up on the offer! If you have time to rest, even if it is just a cat nap, you will have more energy, and you can be more present for the time you have with your little one.
At first, I was so reluctant to give up even a few seconds with my baby. Our time was already so limited, and I did not want to miss out on anything else! Eventually, I pushed myself past the point of exhaustion, and I quickly realized that I was a better mom for her when I took the time to rest. It is like the saying goes, you cannot pour from an empty cup.
CHALLENGE #6: Stress and Anxiety are Major!
About the Challenge:
Even if you remove every outside factor,
nursing school is still extremely stressful! It is designed to be that way. When you add in trying to maintain your grades and all the challenges that come with raising a little one, it’s easy to see how you can become consumed by stress and anxiety.
How to Overcome:
To some degree, you must prepare yourself for the fact that things will not be perfect during this time in your life. There are going to be things that you are not prepared for and curveballs that you didn't see coming. That's okay, though; you will survive!
Remember, to a certain degree, stress and anxiety are healthy emotions and should be expected when taking on a challenge like nursing school. You can learn to channel your stress and anxiety into something productive. Prepare for what you know and plan ahead as much as possible to help reduce your stress and anxiety. I was always the student that worked better under pressure. The more stress I felt, the more drive I had to study hard and ace my test. The trick is to identify what works for you and go with it!
CHALLENGE #7: Limited Flexibility
About the Challenge:
Attending nursing school usually means that you have a set schedule that includes designated times when you are expected to be on campus for class or in clinical settings. While some programs may offer online classes, you must still complete your assignments and participate in in-person requirements. When unforeseen circumstances like a sick little one or a canceled babysitter occur, it can create a major challenge.
How to Overcome:
I know that is way easier said than done, but the best way to overcome the challenge of limited flexibility is to always have a backup plan. Your backup plan may be one person that you know you can call in as a last-minute resource in an emergency. If you do not have a lot of people you are personally close to, your backup plan may consist of a local community resource like Mother's Day Out. Regardless of your circumstances, you can make succeeding in nursing school with a baby less challenging if you expect the unexpected!
CHALLENGE #8: Finding Enough Time to Study
About the Challenge:
With everything else that’s going on, it can be really difficult to find time to study. When you leave school at the end of the day, you will likely be transitioning from your role as a nursing student to your role of employee, spouse, and parent. While it can be extremely challenging to carve out time to study, to succeed in nursing school with a baby, you must find a way to do so.
How to Overcome:
The first thing you will need to do is identify the study habits that work best for you. Are you a person who learns best when you study a little each day, or do you do better when you spend hours covering the material in the days leading up to the exam? Whichever study habit works for you, schedule that time and be intentional about sticking to the schedule.
For me, I had to schedule 45 minutes to an hour each evening to study the material we were covering in class. This way worked best for me because I did not feel as overwhelmed by the material, and it helped reduce my anxiety about upcoming exams. During this time, either my husband, my parents, or my in-laws would have my little one so I could focus solely on studying.
CHALLENGE #9: Lack of Social Life
About the Challenge:
When you have a baby, scheduling time with your friends can seem almost impossible. When you add in the busy schedule of nursing school, your social life will most likely have to take a backseat. You will not have nearly as much free time as you did before, and it will be even harder to catch up with friends or attend social events with the crazy schedule that you must juggle. This challenge is frustrating because it can make you feel isolated, especially if you are used to having a busy social life.
How to Overcome:
The best way to overcome this challenge is to first establish clear communication with your friends. Be transparent about the challenges that you are facing in nursing school and why you have become less available. True friends will understand and recognize that this is just a season, and they will support you through it.
If close friends offer to come over and help with the baby, let them! I was always hesitant to have my friends over when I was in the trenches of nursing school because I would worry that the house was a mess, or I wasn’t prepared to host. Take it from me… Let them in! Even small visits can lift your spirits and make you feel like you are still plugged into your social circle. You will most likely be surprised at how many friends rally behind you and support you through your journey.
CHALLENGE #10: Building a Strong Support System
About the Challenge:
Remember the saying, it takes a village to raise a child. Well, it definitely takes a village to succeed in nursing school with a baby! Right now, you are probably thinking of the individuals that make up your village. Maybe you can list ten people off the top of your head who would support you through the challenges. Then again, you could be struggling to come up with just one name. If the latter is true, do not get discouraged! Sometimes, our village ends up being made up of the ones we least expected.
How to Overcome:
The first step is to identify the people you know who will support you in going to nursing school. These people need to be the individuals who will be there to help you through any challenge you encounter without leaving you feeling like you are an inconvenience to them. Once you identify the people you feel will be a good support system for you, talk with them about what nursing school means to you and why you have chosen to go despite having a baby. You need to be honest with them because you are going to need their support, even if it is just knowing that you have people in your corner rooting for you.
If you are struggling to
identify your support system, that does not mean you cannot go to nursing school with a baby and succeed. Consider looking into community resources. There are lots of programs available that can provide assistance and support along the way. You also may try connecting with other potential nursing students with similar circumstances. Also, many colleges and universities have childcare resources, student mentoring programs, and student support centers that you can use for free or at reduced cost. Remember, where there is a will, there is a way!
My Final Thoughts
If you have a baby and want to go to nursing school, it is completely normal to wonder how to survive nursing school with a baby. In this article, I shared some of my personal experiences about going back to school to become a nurse with a baby. By now, with what I shared, I hope you feel a little more confident about taking the leap of faith and pursuing your dream of becoming a nurse.
While every challenge may not apply to you, you now know the 10 biggest challenges you will face in attending nursing school with a baby and how to successfully overcome them. Being in nursing school with a baby will be tough. It will test you in unexpected ways, but with determination, you will learn along the way what works for you and what doesn’t. The most important takeaway from all of this is that if you take a step back, examine your own circumstances, identify the obstacles you'll encounter, and prepare accordingly, you can succeed in nursing school with a baby!
Kelsey Bader, BSN, RN
Kelsey Bader is a registered nurse from Louisiana. Kelsey has a diverse range of experiences. Some of Kelsey’s work experience includes bedside nursing in ICUs at various hospitals in COVID and non-COVID units, emergency rooms. Kelsey has worked in remote chronic care management, as a remote patient monitoring nurse, and has experience as an Assistant Director of Nursing.