The parent trap

“Have babies in grad school,” several female professors advised me at a department reception during the first year of my Ph.D. “If you fall behind, it doesn't matter like it does when you're a postdoc or new professor.” I think I laughed at this suggestion; the idea of having a baby seemed absurd at the time. But as I thought about it, their advice began to make sense. I want to pursue an academic career. Grad students have a lot more flexibility in their academic timeline, and they're generally young and less likely to face fertility challenges. Fast-forward 2 years and I was pregnant. “It will be fine,” I told myself. “After all, this is the best time to do it.