Dear all,

I am about to enter my final year of my full time PhD and although it is a little (a lot) behind schedule, I am fairly sure it will get done. However, as a brand new father, I would really appreciate any tips on combing research and the demands of a new baby. Tips is a bullet-point format are always appreciated.

Thanks is advance,

hi - congratulations! The only tip I have (and I had twins a year into my PhD - but I haven't finished - yet!) is to always have a list of stuff to do that includes short, mundane tasks too so that even if you only have a quarter of an hour you can still use your time efficiently!

Many congrats on becoming a father :) I have children too and it can be difficult. It's so hard to give tips about studying as all babies are different! so i'll do some general stuff.

* Sleep, take it in turns to have a lie in, there's no point 2 people up!. Tired brains don't work well adn your partner will need sleep too.
* Babies are usually easier between 3 months and when they get mobile. If you get relatively nothing done in the first 3 months don't worry, Try and do as much as you can in those quieter months..
* Childcare - see who you can rope in to help. From 6 months old babies can go to childcare. See if you can afford it for a few hours a week. You might qualify for child tax credits that might help with this. Childminders more flexible with hours and cheaper than private nursery. If you think you want childcare book now for when you want it, good places go fast. I booked mine when still pregnant!!
* Don't get distracted by all the 'goings on' at uni e.g conferences, speaches, training events. Only attend stuff that you feel you will get use out of as your time is now more precious than ever.
* You can't plan time management, babies are the boss but you can have more general targets like by the end of the month I want to have done such and such. Like pp says, have a list of tasks and go through them as you can. It's a lie you can plan out study time with children.so don't try to it'll just drive you nuts.
* Check your uni policy on paternity leave and holiday leave and take it. You're better off taking all your due in the first few months as you'll get no work done anyway.

:-)

Congratulations!! I had a baby whilst doing a PhD. The advice above is great. I would take wowzers advice and seek to suspend for as long as you are allowed now - because (as I found) you cannot put in an application for extension (should you need it) for suspensions you should/could have had at an earlier date. Also, there are only certain criteria under which you can ask for an extension.