Having a baby while at university probably wasn't on your list of things to do before your degree ends, but would you change it for the world? Absolutely not.
You might find yourself quoting Peppa Pig in your essays from time to time and that's not all. We've made a list of things about what it's like to have a baby while at university.
Baby at university
1 of 81) Coffee becomes your favourite drink
There are plenty of late nights with a new born so throw in the added bonus of writing an essay and coffee quickly becomes a go-to drink to help keep you awake. Instead of 'when baby sleeps, you sleep' it will be 'when baby sleeps, plan an essay!'
2 of 82) You budget a lot more
Being a student can be expensive as it is; living away from home, weekly food shops and maintaining a social life, all while you’re trying to juggle a part time job AND assignments. A baby makes it all the more expensive, with baby furniture to buy and nappies, wipes, you have to learn to budget more than before.
3 of 83) You sometimes have to take your child to lectures
The dreaded issue of not getting any childcare will always be a problem at some point. You email the lecturer and ask if it’s okay to bring your little one in and they reply “yes”. It’s a huge relief, but maybe slightly distracting to others cooing over your little one…
4 of 84) You see more 9ams than most of your class
With those early morning rises (or should we say those sleepless nights?), you'll have seen more 9am lectures than most of your class combined and maybe your little one will have tagged along too.
5 of 85) Split screen comes in handy
Even if your child refuses a nap you don't have time to put off deadlines, so you sometimes have to dedicate half your computer screen to work and the other half to Peppa Pig...
6 of 86) It changes your work perspective
Whether you're due date is creeping closer or you have a little one, it might have been easy to not show up to lectures or start an assignment a few hours before your deadline at one point but you can't afford to do that now.
You sometimes find it gives you more of a purpose to do well and get that job you really want and not just for you, but it sets a good example to your little one as they grow up.
7 of 87) Asking for help is okay
Whether you have a baby or not, asking for help is okay.
It’s sometimes scary asking for help in case the answer is no, but when you have a little one you have to ask or at least keep your lecturers in the loop. Let them know if your little one has the chicken pox so you can’t make it in to the seminars, your tutors will be grateful and more understanding when it comes to your work submissions!
8 of 88) Your graduation pictures will be a little different
While there might be the cliché photo of throwing your graduation hat in the air, there is nothing cuter than a graduation hat on a baby, so of course that’s what we’ll do!