When Payanzo tells her teaching fellows about Dylan, she is never sure how they will respond.

"I ended up having to miss a section from a religion class to finish up a lab for my bio class," she says. "I sent an e-mail telling my religion TF, 'This would be a really good opportunity to let you know some of the time juggling I'm going through--not that I'm asking for special treatment."

The teaching fellow was very understanding.

"He was like 'It's really good for me to know so I can understand some of the pressures you deal with," she says. "It didn't have to do with grades. He saw me as a human being."

Although Payanzo's teaching fellow for Historical Study A-21: "Modern Africa from 1850," Hazel W. Mukuna, also does not treat Payanzo differently than other students, she says that she is sensitive to her situation.

"If I granted her an extension, it wouldn't come out that it was because she has a baby," she says. "It would come out that it was because she has too many things going on this week."

But Payanzo says she once had a teaching fellow who ignored the fact she has a child.

"He just gave me no response," she recalls. "He doesn't want to see his students other than as a student in his class."

Still, Payanzo gets by in her classes.

"I would say she manages pretty well," says Mukuna. "When I grade her papers she does like other good students in class. She never asked for an extension."

Payanzo largely attributes her ability to manage to family and friends.

With the support of Yazzie, who works as a drafter in the Boston area to provide for the family financially, Payanzo never had to enroll Dylan in day care. Paid babysitters and friends also lend a hand. This semester, Payanzo has extra assistance: her mother, who now lives with her. Jane Payanzo helps watch Dylan and cooks for the family.

Still, Dylan's demands were enough to convince Payanzo to drop her pre-medical classes. And Payanzo infrequently has time to socialize.

"I rarely have any idea what's going on on campus" Payanzo says. "People ask you what you did this weekend. I say I was home with Dylan and did things around the house."

And even with the advantage of a previous semester of experience of life at Harvard as a mother, Payanzo still worries that it will take her several more semesters before she is satisfied with her performance in this dual role.