Hey all,

Would like to start a family before it's too late but don't know how practical it is to be pregnant & in the lab. Obviously the safety requirements differ from lab to lab & that's something I need to look into here.
But are there any researchers out there who've gone through this & who have some pearls of wisdom?

Thanks

I had a baby during postdoc. It's something feasible. you have to organize a little bit so that some experiments are finished before you are out of the lab to take care of your baby. And when you come back to the lab you have to be very very well organized. But you will learn very fast how to become organized !
If you wait for the best time to get a baby, you will be 50 years old and it will be too late.

Thanks for that feedback. Did you find you struggled physically or were constrained by what you could do in the lab while pregnant?

No, because I finished the experiments with radioactive compounds, and switched to a safer part of the project (it was already planed) as soon I changed the protocols, I planned to get a baby.
you can expect to be working until the last day, or you could be less lucky and have to stop to work earlier. Nobody can predict that right now. I know several persons that were pregnant in a lab, they were working at least until the beginning of the 9th month

Katedoc on Jul 9 2009, 01:12 AM said:

I would avoid or have extra caution in..

1. working with radioactivity, or having a desk next to hot sink, hood etc.
2. working with carcinogens such as EtBr.
3. working with infectious agents (BSL2 upwards).
4. working with exotic animals, birds, cats.

Many postdocs have babies working till the last day/week in the lab, so as such it is not too risky or anything. Use common sense measures to reduce any risks. Best wishes!