I agree with BE, go with as early in 2nd year as possible. Your grades in the preclinical years don't matter a lick compared to Step 1 and your clerkship grades. I had a baby just before 2nd year and the timing was pretty good. It's hard to leave her now that 3rd year is taking up so much time, but infinitely easier than it would have been if she were a newborn. Good luck.

And mellowing is a very good thing!

And....many women have babies, mellow out, and STILL get good grades.

Very true asunshine, very true I think the key is not to *expect* that you will stay at the top of the class after having/mothering a child. But if it happens, well good for you! Doesn't make you a bad mom either!

Ok guys - newest plan....

Get pregnant next month ( WOWOWOW) - and give birth over Christmas. Time it so I give birth around 12/18 or so, and then induce a week early and test early (I know my school would let me do), so I can control the time. (I'm not Type A typical med student gunner or anything...lol). Obviously, this is if the baby is healthy and green means go. Then go back a week late, which I know my school would let me do. This gives me four weeks at home. Hire a live-in nanny. My personal study group already smiled and gave their thumbs up to me and the baby studying with them with the Ergo.

This would alleviate prego during boards, and it would alleviate pumping during intern year problems. I would have a 2.5 yr-old. Who would learn to use Skype. And come see Mommy with Daddy for five minutes to get a good night hug.

Thoughts??? Again, I am 99.9% sure I am going to go IM.

Hubby and I looked and searched, and Christmas is honestly the only break that I'm not going to be either consumed with Step 1 or consumed with Step 2. And then my school has this fun activity of community medicine, which puts me 45 minutes away when I'm not doing either one of those, rotating or in classes....so really - this is the biggest break I get til - second-year of residency. Honestly.

Oh - just in case you doubt my gunner-ness...yes, I have already charted my fertility days, and I am fertile during a time period that times me giving birth around 12/18-12/20. It's amazing I have friends being who I am.

Southernmd-I hope it works out for you in terms of TTC! Good luck-we will be on pins and needles for you! Do you think your Dr would induce a week early?

LOL about child using Skype-my DH used to bring the baby to my call room so I could nurse her when I was on for the weekend. I had another friend whose hubby moved into her call room with the baby and slept there so she could nurse him. There are so manyc reative ways to do this! Good luck!

Ok, so I think we are going to start TTC NOW! I had my last glass of wine tonight. I wanted to talk to it and pet it - I know I will miss it! And I had a salad with bleu cheese in it! Bliss!

Please reassure me this does work itself out. Nanny is still the plan. I met with the Dean of Students, and they even reassured me to stop worrying - they would accommodate me. I know in my heart this is the right decision, but why is it so stressful to be a woman in medicine trying to "have it all"? Hubby is ridiculously supportive - pledging to do whatever it takes to make it work out. We have plans to move this summer to accomodate a live-in nanny...Things that will work are there, but why am I so nervous when my heart says go? Is this the type A in me that can't stand not having every single plan in place ahead of time? I remember applying to medical school - I knew what to do, what I needed, and when to submit it, and I was one of the early submitters with all of it. It felt so good to check things off a list that I planned ahead to do/have. Kids are NOT like this!

Tell me that things do work out...I am nervous, but we are going for it! I have determined I'd rather let the school accomodate my pregnancy than the hospital during shelves/rotations, because it really is easier since I am on PBL/only 3X a week class schedule. All systems plus hubby say go, but I think I am just nervous! What if my child thinks I am a terrible mom? Ok...when they are self-aware enough to think.

Southern-you don't need to say goodbye to blue cheese as long as it is pasteurized (I ate it, and sushi that was fresh during my pregnancies !!)

Kids supposedly don't form lasting memories until age 3, so whenever I yell at the younger ones I try to remind myself of that!)

Docmom - thanks for quick comments! Made me smile!

And YAY on blue cheese! I have also found that spicy V8 is a nice antidote to substituting for Diet Dr. P. I have weaned down to one cup of coffee a day. I can't believe I have even done that. This will be a fun journey...I'll keep you guys up to date. Our goal is to not lose that two weeks at xmas I still have as a second-year to spend with a baby/giving birth. Goal = pregnant with a due date before the end of Christmas break. Then I'll start plotting rotating the in-laws and family members in and out. PS - I can't wait to mellow. I am seriously too type A. Sidebar: I want to go into internal medicine with a fellowship in ID or Hem/Onc...my Dean said the way I plan and plot - I should be an anesthesiologist. So unexpected - here's to third year with a little one trying to figure out my life!

Just relax and enjoy TTC! It will all work out for the best

So I didn't conceive this month. My period started yesterday, and I was incredibly disappointed.

My non-med friends I confided in about this just don't understand. They are telling me how it can take so long to have a baby (I know this already), and that I need to just be patient and it will come when it comes.

That's all fine, but there are plenty of times that are not ideal for it to come due to my school schedule + the fact I'm on a military scholarship (can't travel when I'm over 20 weeks). So I have narrow windows. I also would prefer to not miss lots of time on Step 1 by having to run out and pump as a brand new mom. Six months out from giving birth and taking Step 1 next year was my ideal. We are kicking it up a notch next cycle with ovulation strips, a cervical mucus increasing supplement (i'm chronically rather dry anyway), Softcups aid to hold the sperm near my cervix after sex etc. However, I can't help but feel frustrated. I feel like it is just so much harder to time a baby and actually conceive when you are in medical school or a similar situation somewhere else.

Does anyone have any tips/encouragement/help?

I'm pretty dejected right now. We did all the right things. Sex during fertile days and everything.