Nursing Career Suicide for New Grad?

Maybe the title "career suicide" is being overly dramatic but I am about to start my last semester of nursing school and I would really like to have my 2nd child right now. If I get pregnant within a month or two (hopefully), I will give birth about the end of the year. I would then need at least 2 months with the baby and hopefully get him/her on a good sleep schedule (or hire some help so I can start working). That would only leave me less than half a year to find a new grad program. Of course, ideally, I would wait until after a get at least a year experience EXCEPT my daughter is already 3 1/2. I don't want the age gap to get any bigger. Would it really hurt my nursing career if I get pregnant right now? If I don't get in a new grad program in that small time frame, I was thinking of working outside the hospital. But my dream job is in the NICU, PEDS, or L&D.

Would love to hear the thoughts of working RNs with kids.
I am a firm believer that you can never plan kids. It is always the wrong time or at least there is always a better time. I hope you can work something out
It would not be ideal.
As far as career suicide, I hate to speak on that because it seems all new grads are having a hard time finding jobs. My advice is in regards to FMLA. I recommend you land a good job somewhere that offers good benefits and falls under the FMLA qualifications. (Look them up they may have changed.) One of the biggest things for qualifying for FMLA leave is being employed one full calendar year at the current place. I got lucky with my first child and was able to take 12 weeks without fear of losing my job. I don't know how familiar you are with FMLA but if you can qualify it will give you additional job security. I also advise you get a job and get through your probabation period before trying to get pregnant. You remember the narcolepsy of 1st trimester, right? The biggest thing is, get in somewhere, knock 'em dead with how awesome of a nurse you are so if you are more tired, have to pee more, or are sick a lot they know it's the pregnancy not just you being a slacker. I'm not saying they'll be more sympathetic to your fatigue, but at least you can say you have busted your hump for them so they know you have a great work ethic. When I got preggo with my first one and I had horrible back pain, the nurses that I had worked with knew that I wanted to work hard and if I was having a bad day they threw me a few more lifelines when I needed them. The ones I hadn't worked with before were more of the "I had a baby too and I was fine" attitude. (of course when I asked the nurses who had babies didn't work the floor when they were pregnant! figures!)Good luck to you!T
Thank for all your input! I wish I planned this better (maybe give birth right after graduation) but I wasn't mentally prepared to have a 2nd kid until now. And now the timing is all off! But I think it is more important to me to give my daughter a sibling than the nursing career. (Thank goodness I have a very supportive husband ) I hope there are decent jobs out there that isn't in the hospital.
Yes, it will hurt your chances of getting the type of job you want. Anyone who says differently is being overly optimistic for you. You need to decide whether you want to give your career the best chances of success and delay having a child a little while longer ... or to get pregnant now and take a career risk. Only you and your husband can make that decision, of course. Be prepared to live with the consequences -- which ever way you decide to go.
Seems like you have alot to decide, while no it may not be ideal for your career plan BUT you have to take into consideration it's a child your thinking of having not a puppy, its a huge gift from God and try as we may we can not plan every part of our life. Think of your pros and cons, yes if you get pregnant you may throw your career plan off by a year or two but in the long term scheme of things its only a year or two and you get a beautiful child out of the deal.Whatever you do decide best of luckSide note....if you decide the baby path, couldn't you use the time after graduation to take some specialty small training peds core courses to help land that dream job
Is there specialty peds courses out there that I can take after nursing school? I never heard of it. If there is, I would love too! I'll look into it. Thanks!