Pregnancy Stats
Gender: Boy
Name: Isaiah Zachariah
Name Meaning: Isaiah means “YAHWEH is salvation” and Zachariah means “God has remembered.”
Due: Dec 25th, Christmas Day
Why now? Isn’t graduate school not a great time?
After graduate school, I will do a post-doc, most likely, and after that, my goal is to be a research scientist in industry or academia. A research scientist is basically like being a permanent, fancy graduate student. Time just doesn’t come easily in any of these positions.
Because of this fact, I decided that my cut off factor for waiting to have kids was getting through the 2nd year report of my PhD – the pass / fail point – and moving into candidacy. Then, all bets were off.
I also really wanted to have kids before I hit 30. I turned 29 this year.
Won’t having kids hurt your career?
Dr. Weinert's Thoughts. As Dr. Weinert told me, when I told her the news, there are a good number of professors at Emory who have children and others continue in their science careers and also have kids – some even with three or four. She advised that one should not give science so much that you had nothing left without it, and wake up at age 60, with no family and nothing outside of it. That was a lonely life. One had to live, and family was part of that. I really appreciated those thoughts.
Wishing does not make it so
Even so, one can’t necessarily count on pregnancy happening right away. It could take time – even years – to get pregnant, which I think one should factor in, especially if one hopes to have more than one child.
Emory is an incredibly supportive environment
When I told my PI the news, he gave me a hug and congratulated me. You can’t get more supportive than that. He has two kids himself. He also said he’d be willing to work with me, if I needed more time off than 8 weeks, and I could arrange to work at home for a few weeks.
All my labmates are so excited about the coming baby, will “Ooo and ah” over ultrasound pictures with me, and even gave me some baby things. Everyone I’ve met has expressed nothing but congratulations, even though many would never consider doing so themselves. I respect that, but appreciate that they can still congratulate me anyway.
The reality – fears and insecurity
I have trouble feeling insecure, and really hate *looking* pregnant, as it’s a constant reminder to everyone of my condition, and I feel really open and exposed. Being at social events is particularly hard.
However, I tend to hang out with my graduate school friends who have kids and bring them to events. It helps me feel better, and their kids are downright adorable.
Other worries: Motherhood. Am I going to be a good mom?
My faith helps me in the midst of my fears
“Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. 2 He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.”
Also excited! Being pregnant is a unique experience
I also look forward to having a baby to hold and take care of. There is just something nurturing about it that I really look forward to. I cannot wait to introduce my son to the Lord Jesus, who is forming him, and to so many books and adventures! And it will be so cool to relive my childhood and watch him experience life for the first time. We are going to have such fun.
So much family support, and excitement: arrangements after birth
We have made arrangements with my mom, that she will watch our son while we are working. John gets Thursdays off, so he will take over on that day. And my mom, who works at Gwinnett Medical part-time as a mother/baby nurse, will work on Thursdays and Sundays, in her new schedule. If my mom needs a break, I’ll take him to daycare at Emory. Such is our plan right now. My mother-in-law will also be available to watch him some in the summers, when she isn’t teaching.
My mom is so excited about having a grandchild – her life’s goal and dream was always to have children, but she could only have two. I hope that my brother and I can give her many grandchildren for her to enjoy.