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I'm so sorry you are faced with this choice (or lack of choice). Physically, I don't know how it would work to go back at one week pp. Your milk will be coming in and you will have to pump every two-three hours. It can take a few days for milk to come in too, so you may need to supplement until then.

Are you in the US? How is that even legal? Your doctor will probably want you off for at least six weeks for a vaginal birth, eight for a c-section.

That's completely shitty and I am appalled that 1 week PP is even an option in your company's mind. I don't have advice as I haven't been there. How much time til your due date? Do you get any time off before delivery? (Guessing no) I guess I would be getting all ducks in a row and be prepared to hire help and throw money at the problem (post partum doula, hospital grade pump, therapist, mom's helper). Or run the numbers and figure out if throwing money at the problem for a year is going to out me more in the red or delay my return for a year if I was guaranteed my job back at that time. Quality of life is super important to me (not a monetary quality, but mental health, time with family, etc) so I don't know that I could reconcile those work terms to be honest.

@pastemoo: can you get a nanny to help?

@BandDmommy: I was reading the part that said unless she wanted to take a year off with no money. I realize this isn't an option for a lot of people but faced with the extreme of going back at a week PP (I took 2 weeks off after I got my tonsils out!) I would seriously consider it. Otherwise, I would budget for hiring lots of help in all circumstances (nanny, cleaners, eating out, etc) to make sure I didn't fall apart during that time.

I know someone who's a grad student who had conflicts with returning to school within a couple weeks after her baby was born. I believe she talked to all of the professors ahead of time and tried to get as much as she could done before the baby was born. I think everyone worked with her on it.

But I don't think I could personally handle this timeframe. I went back part time at 8 weeks and full time at 10 and I was a mess. I was physically okay, but I was still nursing around the clock and exhausted. My work suffered from being tired and from being distracted. If you can return in a year, I'd take whatever maternity you can afford and then temp for the rest of the year until you can go back. You could do office work, you could maybe be a substitute teacher. There's other options besides a whole year without income.

I teach part time, and due to when my second finally decided to arrive and how close it was to my students national/state boards, I had to return within a week for my night tutoring sessions and return to teaching half days within 3 weeks. My boss was ok with whatever I decided, but being that I knew what to expect, I knew I would be ok with this schedule, ok, but tired.

Since I knew I would have to go back to tutoring within a week, I started pumping after almost every nursing session to get up to an oversupply asap. It sucked, but I had a teetering balance of just enough bottles fairly quick, and more than enough by the time I went back during the day. I also bought a few boxes of those single serve pre-made formula bottles, so it took some of the pressure off of me to have something to feed just in case.

I wouldn't have been able to do it full time by any means. I was lucky that I could work out mostly half days and one full day a week. On that full day, my husband was home with the kids, so he brought them at lunch, so I was able to nurse while he went and picked up my lunch. Father of the year to me!

I have a student who went back to school 3 weeks after her baby arrived- it was her third though, so she was on top of everything far more than I was with my second. She did a combo of formula and nursing since she was at school from 8-12 every day, then fortunately able to be home with her for the rest of the day and night. Her test scores weren't fantastic, but she passed and that's all that really counts.

@pastemoo: it's amazing you can do when you HAVE to. I'm sorry you are faced with this situation, and I'll keep my fingers crossed that the mandatory week falls at least a few weeks after delivery.

I have not done this, but I just want to say if I was in that situation, I would ask about an induction just to make sure you at least have a couple of weeks, and while I would try to breastfeed, if that came between me and my sanity, I wouldn't feel bad if it didn't work out. I can understand why you wouldn't want to miss one week to skip a whole year. You can make it work, just be sure to cut yourself some slack.

I've known some students to go back 2 weeks PP. Any chance you can reach out to some residents? Chances are, you aren't the first med student to have a baby. Any chance your dr will do a scheduled C at 40 weeks? Maybe all the stress will jack your blood pressure up and then you'll have to deliver before 42 weeks!

If it's at all hopeful, I thought life with a 2 week old was easier than 4 months old!

I would try to reach out to people in the field...you'll probably get a lot of encouragement that way. Doctors don't always get leisurely maternity leaves like the rest of us.

I would get comfortable with the idea of combo feeding with formula. I think the most important thing is that you get adequate rest after you deliver and take care of YOU. You don't want post partum depression and if you feel you might be at risk I would ask your MD to have an RX ready for you. Pumping is all fine and good but if you are up all night doing it on top of nursing you are going to be so exhausted. Eat very well and outsource as much work as you can. Let your husband be the zombie. Hugs to you.

@pastemoo: FWIW I think the first month or so was pretty easy since they sleep so much. You can do this momma!! Super mom!

You are a rockstar! I do agree with the others that if I were you I would schedule the C section at 40 weeks on the dot if your doctor thinks it is a good idea - and most are more than happy to get you on the calendar rather than wait for labor!

Also vet related, but great regardless, I always share with my students:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/erin-gruber/why-i-never-got-an-a-in-vet-school/436617256533573

Definitely be kind to yourself!

Lots of . My mom is self employed so when she had all 4 of her kids she was only able to take mere weeks off. I am in total awe of her. I think she went back after 2 weeks with me.

We went to work with her sometimes when possible, she bottle fed (not to discourage you from BFing ... she has always said that for her, she didn't really feel like she had a choice) and had my dad do a lot of the night feedings so she was functional at work the next morning. I know my grandma was also a huge help.

Good luck. I remember her saying it was very difficult, but it was a short period of time and everyone survived. she made it through the other side and you will too!

@pastemoo: You're bada**, don't let anyone else tell you differently!

Just some thoughts...
- I've read many times here on HB that if an OB thought a scheduled CS was necessary (for various factors), they'd schedule it for 38 or 39 weeks so as to not "risk" a vaginal birth...
- If it's a choice between early CS and going back to school at 1-3 weeks PP, my OB would be solidly 100% on the side of an early CS. He won't let me go on FMLA even a day early because he wants me to protect all my time for recovery and taking care of baby.
- Personally, I wouldn't even attempt breastfeeding in a situation like this. That being said, I'm PERSONALLY not in love with the idea of breastfeeding, though I know it's what's "best." Formula seems a lot more straightforward without any of the issues of pumping, mastitis, clogged ducts, low supply, oversupply, latching, leaking, yadda yadda yadda...

This just sucks for you
I'm a resident and can say that flexibility unfortunately isn't much increased. it will seem like everyone else is a "super mom" but try and make sure you are taking care of yourself. No career is worth sacrificing your physical and mental health for. Is your medical director supportive?

Do you have family nearby? These are the kind of situations where I would accept any and all help.

Pm me of you ever need to vent or talk. The pressure in medicine is sometimes hard to explain.

Everyone I knew in medical school that had a child took an extra year. I had a baby toward the end of my last year of residency and it was hard, but there was a light at the end of the tunnel where I took some extra time off before starting a new job.

3rd year of medical school is TOUGH and matters so much for residency. Your performance in clerk ships is critical. This is truly your foundational learning in medicine. Going back at a time when you are not physically or mentally ready for it sounds dangerous to your health, your relationship. Your performance in clerkships, and your education.

Can it be done? Yes. But that's a lot of sacrifices and corners will be cut in a way that you really may regret. I'd caution you to think really hard about delaying clerkships until later. Repeating clerkships looks really bad (I did interviews for prospective residents every year I was in residency).

Also, residency is unlikely to be flexible. Lots of rules and regulations governing it.