Starting PhD post-baby

Cameoette

I did find a thread here similar to this but it was kinda old so anywho...

I've just finished my undergrad and I'm due my first baby in a couple of months. Before pregnancy I had been giving PhDs some serious thought. I'm in the area of biological sciences, and I would know a potential supervisor already.

Has anyone here begun a PhD with a young family, especially in a similar area? My main worry is that I would be taking on too much after just having had a baby, but I feel that if I leave education for a few years, that I'd be less likely to return to do a PhD. I am 30 so my age is another factor, too. My partner is very supportive but money would be tight. However, I would be able to avail of subsidised childcare at the college. I would probably be beginning the PhD when baby is 8 months to a year old.

If you've been in this position: how did you find the balance between baby and PhD? What were your weekends like in terms of having time for your family? If you've recently submitted, do you feel like you managed ok, or with hindsight would you advise someone like me against it?

CharlieCrann

I'm a mum of two v young children (4 & 2) and I'm just at the end stages of writing up an MA thesis. Now I know Masters and PhDs are different beasts but here are a few thoughts about postgraduate study with young kids in general.

- you will need to be completely dedicated, nearly passionate about your chosen area of research, as this is what will drive you to do your work when you are exhausted and believe me you will be.

- you will need extensive support structures in place - babysitting etc. I have limited access to babysitting during the day so I do most of my writing in the evening. Organised childcare, a crèche or similar, even one day a week is something I personally should have looked into.

-prolonged study of a minute detail of a specialist subject invades your every waking thought. If you are the kind of person who can switch it on and off, then it won't be such a consideration but for me, particularly now at the end stages, I find it nearly overwhelming and will be glad when I can officially let it go.

-you will have to be organised about your approach. The best thing I did over the whole year was to do a few hours every day. Even if only one article was read or synthesised, just daily plodding along with the research means that deadlines will never be an issue. Children's needs will always override deadlines so don't get yourself into a position where you have to make a choice.

-make sure you are fit and healthy this might sound a bit daft, but looking after small children all day while having the workings of a PhD in the back of your mind at all times can be very draining and your general health may suffer. I certainly suffered from more colds and minor ailments this year than I ever did and I think it was just sheer exhaustion.

Anyway, those are my two cents worth. Despite the caveats above, I actually loved researching my topic and undertaking a postgraduate course was the best decision I made. I have been approached to follow up with a phD but I think I will wait a couple of years tilli recover from this MA first!

Good luck with new baby and with your future studies!

Cameoette

Thanks so much for taking the time to write all that out, super advice and exactly the kind of info I was looking for. Good luck with the last stage of your MA writing!

avalon68

You should speak to others in the lab you are thinking of going to and see what a general week looks like for them. You mentioned biological science, so I assume its lab based - which can be significantly harder to juggle than a non-lab based PhD. It is doable, and I know plenty of people who have, but it depends on the nature of the project.