Hi everyone, I rarely post, but have been lurking on the board for the past four years or so. I'm currently writing up a humanities phd, and am four and a half months pregnant; the thesis HAS to be finished before I give birth in the summer, as the idea of trying to finish whilst caring for a newborn and toddler (I have a 2 year old as well) is just too awful to contemplate. Plus I need to have completed before the end of the academic year so that I can apply for the next round of post-doctoral funding, etc. On top of that, I'm trying to organise three different conference-type events (including filling out long funding applications), and co-ordinating a book project. I'm so tired - I keep wondering if it is all worth it, and have been fantasising about being hospitalised / put on bed rest so I have an excuse to take some time off. I know some people on here have managed to finish whilst pregnant or with young children - please come and tell me that it is all worth it!

Hi GibsonGirl

I have a wee boy who is about 30 months old. I'm scheduled to submit my thesis in 3 months' time. I've written some 65K words but there are still some holes in my thesis. No to mention, my references /bibliographyare all over the place !

What I've done for the past 6 months or so is maintain 2 hours of work per day. Sometimes I disappear to the library, other times I just try to write at home. If you can afford a babysitter, perhaps that would allow you a few hours to focus on your work.

I am a slow writer actually and I tend to procrastinate but if I keep up this momentum, I think I would be able to have some 80 K words in two months' time.

If you are working full-time, maybe it would be advisable for you to get some unpaid leave to enable you to complete your thesis?

Hope that helps !

Word of advice: if you have any problems contact your university's Equality and Diversity Office - they should be able to identify support for you if it all gets a bit too much :)