u/douevenyoga

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to transfer from PCC to Portland State this fall for the Art + Design program. I’m 31, married, currently work as a UX designer, and I’m also about to become a first-time mom literally any day now. By the time classes start, my daughter will probably only be around 3–6 months old.

One of the reasons I chose PSU is because it seems to have more nontraditional and older students, which made me feel a little more comfortable going back to school at this stage of life.

I originally went to college right out of high school, but my family went through financial issues and I wasn’t able to finish. I also didn’t grow up in a family that placed a huge emphasis on higher education, so going back now feels deeply personal to me. Part of it is wanting to complete something I started a long time ago, but part of it is also wanting to lead by example for my daughter and show her that education matters and that it’s okay to take a different path to get there.

At the same time, doing that while becoming a new mom honestly feels a little scary.

I’ve been feeling some anxiety around whether campus actually feels parent-friendly in practice. For example, if childcare fell through or I needed to bring my baby to class occasionally, is PSU generally understanding about that? I do plan to use family help and possibly the childcare center when needed, but she’ll still be really little in the beginning and ideally I’d like to keep her near me and o it of daycare where she will get sick when possible.

I’d especially love to hear from:
- moms who attended PSU
- older/nontraditional students
- anyone who went back to school while working full time or raising kids

Did you feel welcomed and supported? Did professors tend to be understanding? What was the overall vibe socially?

I know Portland likes to present itself as inclusive, but honestly as a pregnant woman I’ve sometimes felt a little out of place here, and I think I’m just nervous about entering a new environment while becoming a new parent at the same time.

Would really appreciate any honest experiences or advice.

I’m 36 weeks pregnant and trying to get a clearer picture of what the first couple weeks with a newborn really look like.

My partner has this idea that he’ll be able to cook nice dinners and fully take care of me while I recover and feed the baby. It’s sweet, but I’m not sure how realistic that is once sleep deprivation and constant feeding kick in.

I’m planning to breastfeed, so I know I’ll be up every 2–3 hours. I’m curious how other couples actually handle this:

• Do both parents wake up every time?
• Do you do shifts? If so, how does that work if mom is breastfeeding?
• Does your partner stay up with you during feeds or take over in other ways?
• What did days/nights realistically look like in the first 1–2 weeks?

Not looking for horror stories or negative views —just honest, balanced experiences so we can set expectations and plan a bit better.