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  4 0 Don't do it until you're out of medical school. You already know why. "Cagey" answered in Parenting Q&A about 1 year ago | Report 1 comment by MLP… 0 0 Yes, yes, and yes. MLP commented about 1 year ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question New comments are not being accepted at this time.

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  3 0 What a painful and difficult decision. I think the biggest question will be that of childcare. What is available to you? This involves knowing what is out there, wait lists, costs and accessibility (especially proximity if you want to stop by and breast feed regularly). Look at some of these issues and work back from there. Is a grandparent nearby and able to commit to regular caregiving? A nanny share? Work schedule tweaking for you or your husband? Your child will need good, stable care in the first years of its life and how to provide that are basic questions that need to be answered. And don't forget,there are many ways to be a parent - including adoption if you decide waiting is a must. Best of luck to you. Roslyn Ann Duffy answered in Parenting Q&A about 1 year ago | Report 1 comment by Stiny… 0 0 That is the big question. My parents are out of state, and his parents live in Japan. If we scrimped, we could afford a nanny, but my best option is the affordable day care available on the university campus for students. It's about half the cost of private day care and far less than a nanny. But the waiting list is likely to be long. Stiny commented about 1 year ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question New comments are not being accepted at this time.

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  3 0 You will ABSOLUTELY not be a bad parent if you have children while in medical school. I just finished a surgical subspecialty fellowship at the UW and I can tell you that while I was in medical school there was more than one female med student who had children during school or had young children prior to starting medical school. They all managed their studies and clinical rotations with aplomb and never complained that they felt they were neglecting their children. There were also several female surgery residents who had children during their residency and seemed to enjoy the satisfaction of motherhood and the rigors of surgical training. Being a man I'm not sure how they managed because I am incapable of that level of organization, but they managed. It is almost a necessity that you have a supportive spouse however. Residency will demand more of your time (unless you do rads or psych or something like that) and you'll need someone who is flexible and has a high frustration threshold. And, as already stated by ChrisMcCurry, there isn't going to be a lull in the action any time soon, so there's no better time than the present. The other thing to consider is that children may change your perspective on medical career choices. Some people can't decide between their passion for orthopedics or radiation oncology, but when children enter the picture lifestyle decisions become more relevant. Also, I've known folks with PCOS and it can take awhile (as you already know) to conceive, so I would not postpone the matter. three_fourths answered in Parenting Q&A about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question New comments are not being accepted at this time.

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  2 0 Your residency is going to be worse then medical school. There's never going to be an "ideal" time for you - unfortunately, despite the growing number of women going into medical school and residencies, the system is very slow to change to accomodate families and women in their reproductive years - but maybe, as more women with kids (and men who want to be involved with their young childrens lives) enter the field, this will change for the better. It's an antiquated system. My neighbor has 2 under 5 and just started her first year of residency this year, but they were financially secure enough that they could afford a great nanny. And she is also the calmest person I know. I don't know if there's going to a perfect time, but there rarely is for most of us. Penny Lane answered in Parenting Q&A about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question New comments are not being accepted at this time.

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  2 0 For most people in their late 20's, I would tell them that there was no rush, and they had plenty of years of fertility left, so it would make sense to finish school first. (In addition to your worries about whether it would be fair to baby, I would also add in the fact that newborn babies take far more of the parents' energy and attention than any parent was prepared for... most new parents find it difficult to juggle baby and work; or baby and school. So, would make school that much more challenging for you) But, the fact that you have PCOS, and have already had fertility issues makes you a more complicated case... I would recommend that you consult with an allopathic fertility specialist, and also consider meeting with an acupuncturist and/or a naturopath who specializes in fertility to get their thoughts on the matter. For more general thoughts about ways to enhance fertility whatever your age of health status, see http://www.transitiontoparenthood.com/ttp/parented/pregnancy/preconception.htm Janelle Durham answered in Parenting Q&A about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question New comments are not being accepted at this time.

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  1 0 This must be very anxiety provoking. Consider this- Will it be any easier to have children during residency or when you're finally done with training and trying to join or establish a practice? I'm wondering if there are medical students or graduates who have been through this before you? Women, and their partners, who could share their experiences and coping strategies with you and help you get a sense of what it might actually involve to have children during one's medical training. Is there a national association of medical students with a website and a question board? Someone perhaps among the faculty at your school? Get some idea of what that parenting/medical training life might be like. Kids are very resilient. If this were going to hurt your child it would most likely be through your own stress level and/or the negative impact it could have on your marriage. ChrisMcCurry answered in Parenting Q&A about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question New comments are not being accepted at this time.

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  0 3 no, you are not a bad parent and healthy children born during medical school will be fine. I suggest that you and your husband focus on doing what you can to support the marriage through stressful times. bellen answered in Parenting Q&A about 1 year ago | Report 1 comment by MLP… 0 0 And if it's not healthy? That's not a box you get to check. MLP commented about 1 year ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question New comments are not being accepted at this time.

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