Pregnancy And Graduate School Flyer

Past research has shown that babies do matter in terms of

Useful Resources These are some readings that we have found helpful to give some insight into pregnancy, academia, and being a mummy.

Mama Ph.D.: Women Write About Motherhood and Academic Life.

time to graduate and future careers in academia and industry. Not only does bias play a part, but also having to deal with new responsibilities

This book gives a lot of good contemporary stories that are up-li(ing and provide a good amount of advice. There is also a blog with women who are still in academics and those who have moved on contributing. http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/mama_phd

Motherhood, The Elephant in the Laboratory: Women Scientists Speak Out

on top of work-life balance presents an entirely new set

What to consider when thinking about having a child in graduate school Laurian Vega & Mara Silva Center for Human-Computer Interaction at Virginia Tech & Graduate Student Mummies of Cameron and Thomas

While definitely not as encouraging as the last book, this one shows that not all paths lead to tenure, but they do all lead to happiness. The chapters are divided to give a sense of change across the decades.

of challenges in the generally laissez faire climate of graduate school. In this flyer

The Happiest Baby on the Block

we hope to provoke questions and provoke thoughtful resources about a) whether graduate school is a ‘good’ time to become pregnant, and

Baby Loading... Please Wait:

For computer scientists who like methods and procedures, this is the tool for you. People think we joke, but this DVD (the book isn’t as useful) changed how our babies reacted to sleep and crying. It will teach you how to swaddle, the power of white noise, and everything an academic needs to know about how to keep your baby happier and you a bit more sane.

Articles

b) what should future graduate student mothers

•Rosser, S.V. and M.Z. Taylor (2008) Expanding Women’s Participation in US Science. Harvard International Review 30. This article makes the argument for why women need to be more fully incorporated into science and engineering.

know before and a(er becoming pregnant?

•Mason, M.A. and M. Goulden, Do Babies Matter (Part II)? Closing the Baby Gap. Academe, 2004 (November-December). This article presents some of the statistics behind being pregnant in graduate school or while running for tenure.

Presented at the 2009 Grace Hopper: Celebration of Women in Computing

Timeline of considerations

When thinking about becoming pregnant

When you find out you are pregnant

Your timeline. If you have a chance to actually plan when to have a child or

Your advisor and committee. Figure out when is the best time to tell

children, thinking about your timeline is your number one concern. It is our recommendation to think about when you can

your advisor. Most people we know waited until their first trimester, but sometimes you can’t wait that long. Make sure to

be taking classes and the location of classes. For example, it might not be a good idea to take a class that requires walking across

know your rights by contacting you graduate school as well.

campus at night in the snow. The best time for us to become pregnant was a(er we had finished all courses and were “all but

are going to use a daycare or a type of childcare, we suggest adding your name to wait-lists as soon as possible. Start thinking

dissertation”

about your new needs as a family.

Your area. Make sure you aren’t working with hazardous materials when becoming pregnant Your Health. Start walking daily. Take prenatal vitamins (they are good for you even if you decide not to become pregnant).

Your childcare needs. If you

Your Funding. If you are funded, see what are the possibilities to defer funding for a semester or to only work part time.

Before giving birth

A(er giving birth

Your time off. Talk to your advisor and committee about how much time you

Your joy. Relish in how cute your baby’s toes are.

plan on taking off a(er giving birth. Even if you don’t take all that time, or if you need more, they will know what to expect of

Your facilities. If you decide to lactate, contact your staff and make sure there are facilities available for you. Contact a Le Leche league.

you. Your work. Prepare to put things on hold for a while. Know that you can come back to your work and feel comforted that it will be there when you return.

Your strength. Know that you are not alone. Returning to work is not like getting back on a bike...

Your support. If you can, we

unless that bike is highly hormonal, sleep deprived, and feels guilty about not paying full attention to it’s tricycle.

highly recommend joining a support group for new mothers - even one that isn’t formal. You’ll be surprised at how much

Your return. Talk to your advisor and reassess or reaffirm your plans for graduation.

comfort you find in the trials and tribulations of those in a similar circumstance. Also, a working mother’s support group might be useful.