Baby Boom?

[thefurryone]

I'm due at the end of April and since I've found out it feels like there has been a never ending stream of announcements from friends/ acquaintances/ people my mother & mil know that are pregnant and due around the same time.

Is there actually a bit of a baby boom going on or am I just at that age and becuase I'm pregnant so much more aware and likely to remember when I hear that people are pregnant?

I'm starting to get a bit worried that the hospital will be full and turn me away when I go into labour, particularly as I really want the midwive led unit that only has 7 rooms.

I feel that way and I am due in 5 weeks. I think perhaps when you get pregnant yourself you are just a lot more aware of other pregnant people around you.

In my workplace there are about 6 other women all due at the same time as me, add that to the 6 who attend my ante-natal classes and then the others who must be due in the rest of the city and, yes, it does make me wonder what will happen if the hospital is full.

I do know that the main hospital here had to turn people away in September for one or two days because the unit was full but have been told that September is month when more babies are born?

I think you are just more aware of other pregnant women when you're pregnant yourself, and you also hang around in similar places e.g mother care and maternity clothes sections and doctors surgeries when midwife clinics are on. Also other people tell you of pregnancy stories and anecdotes because when you are pregnant you obviously can't have a conversation about anything else and are incredibly interested in the pregnancy of the daughter in law of the supply nurse that works in the home that your MIL used to work in in 1986

I think it is rare for people to be turned away, and I think they'll find you an alternative rather than leave you to hunker down in the car park.

Also your midwife led unit will be for low risk pregnancies, alot of whom will have their babies and head off home 6 hours later rather than needing a bed for a week.

I have the same feeling and due January I asked my Midwife and she said they are very busy with babies due October to Feb that are booked in and joked it could be that the credit crunch has meant more people are staying in and entertaining themselves.

I live in a small close and there are 6 babys due within 12 houses! The first has arrived 3 weeks ago, 3 more this month (inc me!) and the others in early December...I think it was due to the cold snap at the start of the year!

In my area there is definitely a baby boom, it was on the news and everything! The 'experts' are blaming it on the cold weather at the beginning of the year and the recession...couples finding their own ways to keep warm and entertained

My closest hospital has shut twice in the last month or so to women in labour and has forwarded them to other hospitals out of area because they simply couldnt cope!

I have 5 friend expecting in the 3 months before me next year - it's fab!

DD was a 'valentines' baby & I know more people with her birthday (or during the 2nd/3rd week of November) than any other time. I was panicking mildly as to if there would be a pool available in birth centre - but the place was only half full - whew!

Definitely a Baby boom, we should be getting our bumps on the school lists now to stand a chance!

oooh furryone I am due end of April too - 28th!

I was thinking the same thing bluebeach - does that mean if there's a baby boom from the cold weather earlier this year that there will be massive class sizes for our children at school as they will be a large year group

I don't know whether to be glad that I'm not just imagining things or even more worried about having to give birth in the car park!! Although I suppose there is always a chance that there will be lots of others giving birth on the same night as you, baby boom or no baby boom.

Out of interest what actually happens if you're in labour and they close to new admissions? Do you just have to go to another hospital?

findingmymojo - I'm due 26th still seems like so long to go.

furryone I asked my MW this and she said if they assess you and feel you have enough time then they ring ahead to the next closest hospital and let them know you are coming, unless obviously there is an emergency and in which case they will squeeze you in