Try to time the feeding during the lunch break. They should have a room that you could use in your location. Otherwise go to your car. Just have your husband and baby around the testing center for the whole day. You should contact the CFAI with any concerns though. But I do not think this should be a reason not to take the exam if you are planning on studying. Good luck
Alex, babies don’t get hungry around CFAI’s testing schedule. Time for daddy to step up and do it himself so mommy can progress in her career. It’s definitely tough when you have a baby, but it’s doable. We all have challenges and obstacles to overcome during our CFA studies; you just have to figure out how to overcome them and find people to help out.
My daughter was 6 months old when I started studying for Level I back in January. Balancing work, family, and CFA was tough, but like others on this forum will tell you… it is not impossible. I would study late into the night when Mommy and Baby were asleep and early on the weekends. It was difficult to stay focused but I had a few little tricks: - Take a quick shower before you start studying. - When you feel yourself starting to lose steam… put on a new shirt and socks. It sounds weird…but it makes you feel fresh. - Take five minute breaks … walk around do some jumping jacks to get the blood flowing. - Eat Hershey kisses. Gets the taste and smell of coffee out of your mouth. Try to find things that work and go with them. Good luck!
Zizoubleu, I do not want to get too much into feeding the baby subject because some people might fell uncomfortable. However, you need to understand that if the mother is breastfeeding, she cannot go for 8 hours without feeding the baby or pumping. She can either feed the baby at lunch break or pump at lunch break, but there is not way that she is going to be physically able to take the exam without doing one of the two… I do not think you completely understand all the implications.
Alex, I’m acutely aware of the implications of breastfeeding/pumping as we have kids. Point taken about pumping and taking the exam. The question, however, was about feeding, not pumping. If feeding is the only issue then daddy needs to step up and let mommy take her exam. I also wont get graphic, but if baby is being breast-fed there are ways to feed baby while mom is taking an exam. As it relates to the OP and some others who asked about the baby being a distraction, my answer is that a baby-even if you delay taking the exam for a year-will ALWAYS be a ‘distraction’. It’s normal to feel guilty or to feel like a bad parent b/c you are studying and not spending time with your child. We have a a young boy and another due in January. I really do get it because I’ve gone through it before, but I want to get this over with so I don’t miss anything more. The CFA (and other things that i’m doing) is too important to what I want to accomplish career-wise, and ultimately, to my family’s future to think about delaying another year. It’s going to suck spending all the time studying with a new baby in the house, but I know I’m doing it for the right reason. If that isn’t what you feel in your heart then I recommend not taking the exam this year and reevaluting next year. If your heart isn’t into it, then DO NOT go through the motions. Make it time well spent, whatever your decision.
zizoubleu Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > If your heart isn’t into > it, then DO NOT go through the motions. Make it > time well spent, whatever your decision. Agree.
I passed Level 1 with 2 year old twins while juggling a full time job and a MBA/MSF program. It’s very doable but yes you will sacrifice some time with your child. There is also something called a library you can go to for peace and quiet or do what I did, stay late after work and use my office as a library. I wouldn’t even attempt trying this at home full time unless I had a quiet room I could lock myself away in. Your partner better be understanding as hell too, something many new mothers won’t be as they’ll get overwhelmed with all the baby chores you can’t help out as much with due to the exam. Good luck
Passed LII 2008 with 2nd daughter born on May 23rd. Passed LIII with 2 kids (2.5 yr and 1yr) and the only thing I am sure of is that I am not the brightest star in the sky, so hopefully this is somewhat motivating! However, this is from the perspective of a father that could come and hide in the office to study & sleep and stay for a couple of nights at the hotel before the exam. I am afraid mothers do not have this luxury!
My son was 4 months old when I took CFA L2 on last June. I failed in that exam. However, I think the real cause is not from time spending with my son, but because I didn’t fully commit to the study. Now, I’ve already applied for L2 2010 and start some study now. This time I will try my best.
My wife and I had a baby earlier this year, and so I had decided to NOT register for the text this past June. I guess I dont have advice to how to do it, since I chose not to. Sorry. Thanks for posting though, since I just registered for 2010 (baby is now 8 months) and advice applies to me. Congrats on the baby!