student:sheffield

For the majority of students completing their degrees this year, the next few months will be a stressful time as dissertations, exams and coursework take over their lives. One final-year Sheffield Hallam student, however, is preparing for an altogether more life-changing experience – giving birth.

“My first thought was not to cry because I was in public, so instead I started laughing,” Kerry Whittaker remembers, of the day she found out she was pregnant aged 20.

“I did the test when I was out shopping with a friend, because I couldn’t wait until I got home, and she must have thought I was mental!”

Neither Sheffield Hallam, nor the University of Sheffield, have exact figures relating to the number of students who fall pregnant during their degrees, but it is understood to be an increasing occurrence.

“It wasn’t until it was confirmed by the doctor that the seriousness of the situation really sank in for me,” Kerry, who will give birth this month, added.

“I started to think about Uni, and the flat I had just moved into. For me, the decision about the baby was made easier by the fact I was in my last year of Uni – I think if I had been in my first of second year I would have considered other options, but I never did because I was in my third year and at a push it was possible for me to finish my course before the baby arrived.

“My thoughts were that keeping the baby wasn’t going to affect my education too much. I had a very supportive family and I would not be bringing a baby into a place where they would not be loved, taken care or I couldn’t provide for them.

“My situation may not have been ideal in terms of timing, career wise and housing but compared to others situations I had a lot more going for me then a lot of other girls.”

Not surprisingly, the situation also affected her boyfriend, 20-year-old Liam Verity.

“The thing that upset me the most once the pregnancy was confirmed was the affect it was going to have on Liam and his future,” she said.

“He had been offered a place at Lincoln University and had decided to decline the offer and look for a job. On one hand I was happy in a way that this showed me that he was committing to me and to the situation, but I couldn’t help feel that I had ruined everything for him.

“I also didn’t want him to feel he had to stay with me out of guilt or because he felt he had to do right by me and the baby because that wouldn’t be fair on him.

“However, we both decided that quitting university wasn’t an option for either of us and that if needs must I would take same time out and Liam made plans to reapply the following year.”

Kerry will now take a ‘leave of absence’ from her degree, and will return to sit the second semester of her final year next January.

“Student finance was notified on my behalf by the university, which was really helpful as everything had been taken care of,” she said, “and  they were very supportive and flexible.

“The University made it clear to me that, even after a year, I could take more time if needed depending on my situation and feelings about Uni at the time.”