Between classes, homework, extracurricular activities and maintaining a healthy social life, students at the University are constantly trying to keep some sort of balance in their lives. For some, this balance can be thrown off by laziness, too much work, a tragedy, or, in the rarest cases, a miracle ? pregnancy.
Christine Herman, a graduate student working toward her masters in journalism and former Illini Media employee, is currently seven months pregnant and is expecting her son to be born on Nov. 26. Herman, 27, who has been married for three years, made the decision with her husband to try to get pregnant while she was finishing her Ph.D. in chemistry last spring.
?I got really lucky because I found out I was pregnant less than a week before I defended my Ph.D., but I didn?t start getting sick until four days after,? Herman said. ?Basically, I was pretty much done with school when I started to get sick around week eight.?
When Herman and her husband Geoffrey began trying to have a child, doctors emotionally prepared them by explaining that it could take some time. However, this wasn?t the case at all for the couple.
?It was planned but it still felt surprising because I was like, ?We?re just going to start trying and if it happens, that?s great and if not, it could take a long time,?? Herman said. ?But it was like, ?Oh wow, I?m pregnant!??
Professors have been very understanding of her situation throughout her pregnancy, Herman said. During this past summer, Herman was still working in a chemistry lab with a Ph.D. advisor who was accepting of her issues with morning sickness.
?I told him before I had announced it on Facebook or made it public knowledge because I needed to let him know why I wasn?t coming in at a reasonable hour in the mornings,? Herman said.
For the fall semester, Herman made a point of talking to each of her professors during the first week of class after reviewing each syllabus and proposing a plan for completing her coursework.
?None of my classes have final exams ? it?s all papers, stories or projects,? Herman said. ?So I explained to the professors that I would like to get all of the work for the semester done before Thanksgiving break.?
For many students, the idea of finishing all of their coursework before Thanksgiving break sounds like a complete nightmare. However, Christine is determined and up for the challenge.
?I guess particularly for me ? because I want to stay on top of my class work and eventually get ahead in my class work when the baby comes ? I can?t slack off or fall behind,? Herman said. ?In some ways, I?m glad I have the extra incentive to stay on top of things.?
Currently, there is no official University policy regarding coursework completion for pregnant graduate students who will give birth in the middle of the semester. Therefore, it?s up to the student and the professor to come up with some sort of agreement in regards to completing coursework.
Thankfully, Herman was able to come up with an agreement with each professor that will allow her to take an incomplete for the semester if she can?t finish her work before Thanksgiving break. Then, she can complete the coursework at a later time and receive her final grade upon completion.
Herman explained that students haven?t treated her any differently because of her now obvious pregnancy. Instead, many are just curious about her due date, the sex of the baby and what he will be named. In general, Herman has been treated well by the people she has encountered on campus during her pregnancy.
?People are really nice to you when they see that you?re pregnant,? Herman said. ?They?ll hold doors for you, they?ll let you go ahead of them in line or things like that.?
However, that doesn?t mean that Herman hasn?t faced some challenges with being a full-time student and a pregnant woman at the same time. Even after her morning sickness ended, Herman still deals with some discomfort while in the classroom and at home.
?Before I was pregnant, I could get through the day with just snacks or grab something here or there,? Herman said. ?If I was hungry, I could just wait until I got home to eat, but being pregnant, one of the worst feelings is being hungry.?
Herman also feels much more tired than she ever has before. This makes it difficult to concentrate during class and while doing homework. To combat both her hunger and tiredness, Herman makes sure to plan ahead by bringing meals with her to class and getting a full night of sleep.
Rather than stressing about balancing school and her pregnancy, Herman feels as though she?s lucky to only be worrying about class work.
?There were many times during the summer that I thought if I had an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. job, there?s no way I?d be able to keep it,? Herman said. ?I?ve definitely earned a lot of respect for women who keep a regular job during their pregnancy.?
Once the baby is born, Herman and her husband will get help from both of their mothers in taking care of the newborn. The baby?s due date is approaching quickly and Herman can?t wait, she said.
?Feeling him move around all day has just really made me excited to meet him,? Herman said. ?It makes me wonder what he?s going to be like, what?s he going to look like, what his personality will be like.?
Herman is an example of a person who is able to continue pursuing her career dreams through education while also pursing her dream of a family. It may be difficult at times for Herman, but becoming a mother was something she just couldn?t pass up.
Taylor can be reached at ellis31@dailyillini.com.
Source: http://www.dailyillini.com/article/2012/10/pregnant
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