Is it possible to study with kids?

I am so keen to do midwifery but have 4 kids. I was just wondering whether its possible to study midwifery with kids.

Re: Is it possible

welcome to SMNET
anyone can become a midwife, with children or not
it is stressful so you will need reliable childcare if they are under school age but you can do it! i think there is help with childcare available too xx

Hi, I have 5 children so teh Degree will be quite stressfull. I do have 3 flexible family members that will help with childcare. My fiancee changed from a job with shift work to a 8-5 job. My youngest child wil be starting fulltime school this september, some my childcare requirments will be slightly easier. Im at college atm, and although the work load is alot easier than uni wil be im managing just fine. Providing you keep on top of assignments and dont leave things to the last minute youll manage. If you want something enough youll do it.
Good luck Yvette x

I have 4 kids and I'm in my first year. I agree with everyones comments about flexible childcare! You will work all days of the week and overnights, I have been on call over night a few times already as well. Your organisation skills will need to be good, I find that I do all my reading late at night when my 2 youngest are in bed. I also send them to childcare on my days off placement and study and read on those days. About half of my cohort have children, some as many as 5, so you will not be alone. Is your partner supportive?

I have four children and absolutely no childcare at all!! My babies are older though - the youngest will be nearly 9 and the eldest 16 when I start the training (I had to wait until they were old enough to be helpful because I have no childcare - though I seem to be unusual in this. I'm quite surprised by how many women manage to do the training with very young children. Hats of to you guys - that's hard work phew!!). I specifically went for Kings College London because they don't do any night shifts (well, they try not to) for 1st year students. So I figure I have a year to work it all out.

It's definitely worth finding & quizzing a 1st year student from whichever universities you're considering as to what their exact timetable was through their 1st year. It won't be exactly the same as whatever you'd be doing but it will give you a good idea of timings and what childcare you might need.

If it's something you "have" to do, like a lot of us on here, then you'll find a way, whether it's now or in the future.

Good Luck LoopyLoo4.

Thankyou for all the advice, I am planning on applying when my youngest ( now 1 ) starts school s I think childcare will be easier and less stressful. I am so eager to do midwifery and would start tomorrow if I could. x

We do work night and weekend shifts even as 1st years - that goes across all placement trusts as far as I am aware.

I have 3 children and commute 1.5 hours each way to uni and placement, my husband works shifts so we chose to have an aupair do that the children still have some sort of normality for the next few years. It's about being very organised but very doable. Good luck

Maybe it depends on which hospital you're at? One of my best friends is a 2nd year at KCH/ KCL and was very definitely told at the beginning of her first year that though night and weekends can't be ruled out, they try very hard not to give them to first years. This has proved to be the case for both her and those of her cohort she is close to.

Sounds like you just got unlucky

Au-pair out of the question for us - no space & no cash. Can imagine it could work very well though if you have both the above.