starting a family

One of my big concerns about going to law school involves children. I'll admit it, my biological clock is ticking. I've never really thought of myself as the kind of person to be a stay-at-home mom, but I do want kids. And I'd honestly rather have them sooner than later.

So my hairbrained law school urge sort of throws a big monkey wrench into the whole idea of having kids. Is it wise to have a child while in law school? I can only imagine the impact on my career if I try to have a child as a first-year associate, at any firm. How long will we have put off having a family?

It's not that I mind waiting until the time is right, it's that I'm afraid of waiting too long. I'm afraid if we keep saying, "oh no, next year," that we'll look up and find ourselves approaching forty, without ever deciding to just go for it.

This is part of the reason I find transmogriflaw so interesting. And that lunch I had today? She also had a child while in law school. Obviously people are taking the plunge—but how scary it must be! I have all sorts of other questions that relate, too. For instance, I guess it's not so difficult to be a student and have a child, since your time is a little freer, but what about after school? If you don't live near family, who takes care of the children? I really hate the idea of day care—too many bad memories—but how else can both parents have careers? With student loans to pay off, how can you not work for several years? These are all the questions that plague me, even as I start to become more and more certain we'll probably start our family while we're in school.

I know there aren't any easy answers, and I know that the answers vary for each person. Still, I'm curious and interested to know what other people think, what they'd do or have done.