Have a baby or finish college? Or Both?

Question

I'm 18 and a military spouse. My husband and i really want a baby. But i also want to go to college (for at least 2 years). I don't know what to do. Here's where things get complicated: I want to go to college( i love school) but i don't want a career. I want to be a stay at home mommy( at least until they start schol). So my ? is, does that make it pointless for me to go to college right now?? Once i finish my associates i will definitely start having kids so i won't be using my degree i just obtained. Is that crazy? OR...... should i do both? Is it possible for me to start school in the fall and start thinking about getting pregnant now? I'm due for my depo shot next month...Should i go get it or no?? What a delima!! Please help!

Answer 1

i got prego at 18 and im 19 gonna have her soon i plan on going to college so she can have a good life all you have to fdo is be a part time student and find a good babysitter and i plan to mostly breastfeed and some formula but when i go to school ill pump breast milk and leave it in the fridge breastmilk can last for 24 hours in the fridge and up to 6 months in the freezer so its very possible and would be very good for you and baby if you went to college i totally say go for it good luck  but you have the baby first then go to college

Answer 2

Go to school first, and wait until you have at least an associate's degree. Even if you don't work, it's good to have something to fall back on in case something happens to your husband.

Nobody wants to think about bad things, but disability, retirement, or life insurance checks only go so far.

Also, people grow a lot between the time they are 18 and 20-something. Enjoy those few years- you'll still be a very young mother even if you have children at 22 or 23.

Answer 3

Please go to school first. Please. As someone with kids that needs to go back to school, I just don't know how I will do it.  There is so much responsibility in being a parent and time for little else. Admittedly with enough of a support system you can do it but studying is so much easier and more beneficial when you can focus 100%.  If you can wait, I would wait. And another thing- you don't know what the future holds. You say you want to be a stay at home mommy. What if you have to work one day? Your education will be priceless then. You will be so glad you spent some time, two short years enriching yourself. Education is never a waste.

Answer 4

You have all the options so decide what's best for you.  I chose to finish college, get married, and then have kids (I'm 30 and just had my second child in April).  I think being a slightly older mom has made me a better mom and I'm glad I have college out of the way so I can concentrate on my children.  I work at home but when my kids are in school, I think I might consider pursuing a career outside of the home.  You have time so really sit down and decide what you want to do.

Answer 5

why not get pregnant, stay at home to take care of it, but do online classes...1 or 2 here and there.  you will have your associates done by the time the kid goes to school itself

Answer 6

you should get off the depo shot, it can take up to a year to conceive or even get your cycle strait again... i am 27 yrs old, i have a 3 yr old and a 1 yr old, i am a single mother, a full time student and i work full time, i started college when i was 7 months pregnant with my second child, i had her in the middle of my first semester and things are great, you just have to work a little harder sometimes...

Answer 7

Hard choice, I understand how important both are, and how EXCITING both are.

Have a baby and go to school later. You want the things you learn to be up to date. If you go to school now, then have kids, and not use your degree for the next 10 years, your education will not be as relevant as if you get your degree  right before  you want to actually use it.

Don't waste your degree by getting it too early!

Answer 8

Receiving a degree is more than just completing classes...you get to know yourself and gain an enormous amount of self-respect. I completed my 2 year in may and I am expecting my 1st in December. I chose to go to school first in hopes of having more to offer my children than just being me...I feel more prepared to help them learn.

In your situation I would say enroll, go to school for a semester you might not like it as much as you think. How long have you been on the depo? It can take up to 2 years after stopping the depo shot to become pregnant, so that's an issue to discuss with you doctor. You know in your heart what you want to do...listen to that. Good luck and best wishes.

Answer 9

I'm young, so I dont know much about this, but I would say go to college and then have a baby. If you go to college first, it is easier to get a job (whenever...), get more money, and support your family. My parents didn't go tocollege, and although I have a good life, it seems as if their lives, and my life, could have been better if they had gone to school. If you go to school and have a child at the same time, it will be hard and probably overwhelming...

Answer 10

FINISH SCHOOL!!!! It will be so much harder to go back if you have a child. Plus you are still very young and have plenty of time to have kids. And if you are newlywed (one year or less) then I would enjoy being married because it will all change once you have that baby. If you were 35 or older and asking this question, then I'd have to say have a baby. It's not pointless to have an education even if you don't use it right away. You have to think about worse case scenerios. What if god forbid something happened to your husband, you had a baby, and no education? Sure you could work minimum wage but it would be very hard to manage (this is you being independent and not going back to your parents to take care of you again). You have to think about your future without anyones help. We have several Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physical Therapist Assistant job openings at the school that I work at. It is only a two year program and you would make good money. I work as a Speech-Language Pathologist (with a master's degree) and they make close to what I do!!! I plan on working part time when I have my first baby at age 29 and make the same as a teacher working full time. Just think long and hard about it because it is a really big decision. Best of luck to you and your husband.