So I am not alone…YAY !!
I passed L1 and L2 9 years go(I cant believe its been that long)…Marriage, children, new job and all that later I finally decided to take the L3 and registered for June 2019. I am 31 weeks preggo and due Oct 22. So all in all its gonna get crazy but Im hoping to study for a solid 6m while on maternity leave…
Fingers crossed I can do this after a 9 year break…
Yes, you’re crazy. I didn’t give birth last year, but the simple fact I had a new child last year was for sure disruptive. But to each their own, so good luck on the pursuit!
Best of luck to you ladies. I admire your determination. It’s already hard enough with a full time job, can’t even imagine it with a newborn, but it’s possible!
Well let’s nail it!
Congratulations on passing level II and in advance for the birth of your first child!!
I’ve taken a CFA exam pregnant (L1), nursing (L2), and with two crazies running around at home (my kids are now 3 and 5 and I just sat for L3 for the first time in June). I think they lived on Lunchables for four months… winning. I’ll also jokingly say that they provided such a distracting environment during my practice exams that when it was the real thing I finished an hour early on the MC section and then just sat and enjoyed the most silence I’ve had in about five years. I’ve never been so uninterrupted, haha!
I agree with others that it will depend largely on your child’s overall temperament and health. My son was easy, my daughter wasn’t at ALL. There’s a lot of luck here. Unfortunately with my kids I’ve never gotten more than 3-4 hours of sleep before my CFA exams; I swear you get used to functioning well with limited hours of sleep.
I’m actually surprised no one has brought up nursing 6 months in. I distinctly remember trying to pare down nursing sessions before my L2 exam – at 6 months you may or may not be nursing often during the day (depending on when and how often you choose to introduce solid foods or formula) and if you skip a session and/or don’t pump… (apologies for TMI) you’ll graciously engorge. I remember being legit ready to explode after my exam was over. I mean… it hurt to put a seatbelt on. It can be so incredibly uncomfortable that it’s distracting on a whole new level. I’m sure there is someone who has pumped at half-time to avoid this reality.
The last thing I’ll say is momentum is definitely behind you, mama! If you have a village that will support you as well, there’s not a damn thing that is impossible J
Good luck on all fronts!!
Why not? there is no right time for the right thing
I agree but it depends on how well the baby sleeps. The first baby is like Boot Camp. It is tough to adjust to the new lifestyle with no sleep and nursing is not easy for many. I would definitely push forward with level III in 2019 but I would start in the fall and then allow yourself to take the first few weeks with the baby and just enjoy them without the stress of fitting in study time. Some babies do sleep a ton and even when they are awake you can read your materials to them or have a class on in the background. It gets harder as they get older because they demand and deserve your full attention and they nap less.
This year was tough for me because my 4yr old stopped napping so I was never able to study during the daytime. I view the CFA as a marathon. Although it may take longer to make it through as a working parent if you can’t find time to study you need to stay at it and finish. I am making level III a marathon. I failed band 8 when I was 7 months pregnant and then band 9 when I was 8 months pregnant. it was even harder to find time to study this year with the 4, almost 2 and almost 1 year-old at home. I didn’t get to see the kids much during the week because of work so when the weekends came around I really felt like I wanted to be there for them and be a mom. I don’t regret trying though. I know the material better each year and look forward to the day when I can be finished with this forever. I will be proud of this achievement eventually but they grow up quick and I don’t want to miss out on seeing them grow up. I studied when they were asleep… good luck!!!
I didn’t read all the posts but I noticed the first few pep talks are from dads. So I’m gonna share from a mom’s perspective. I have a 3.5yr old son, who was never a good sleeper. The first 3mon was sheer hell for me as a first-time mom. Studying for CFA? H!A!H!A! Guess who is your best friend? “baby-whisper”! “Practical sleep-training” “child psychology” “you are your child’s first teacher”. On contrary to what the world might assume- we don’t naturally know how to be a mom once “it” pops. You find yourself sleep-deprived, hormone-driven, nursing all the time and the baby still cries for nothing. Well, that said, Things may get easier if you ended up having an “angel baby” who actually sleeps. But there’s definitely going to be a hectic stage for any new parents, especially moms because we nurse! I’d say don’t get your hopes up too high and don’t be too hard on yourself. CFA is important, but taking good care of yourself is also VERY VERY important.
Now I get that why among all the smart dedicated people that managed to sit L3 still fail at 50%. It’s not because you beat 50% of the smart people, but because many of the smart people got into new stages of life. You didn’t beat them. Your schedule beat theirs.
I agree with this. You’ve come so far enough. Make that your inspiration to go through it all once again. Sometimes mom’s can do things unimaginable specially when they do it for their children. Think of it. Be inspired with your little ones and somehow enjoy growing yourself for them.