C section brought forward and will now mean a different school year!

[Mitzymarvel]

Having an ELCS for a few reasons, which was booked in for 1st September. Everyone told me how great that was as LO would be the oldest in their year rather than the youngest.

However, today the dr requested it get brought forward because the baby’s abdomen growth has tailed off a little. The earliest they could do was one day ahead - so now 31st August.

Seems pointless to me but obviously should assume dr knows best. I’m just worried now everyone convinced me that being September born was much better than August.

Any thoughts on whether it’s a big disadvantage? Obviously baby’s health is the most important thing but it’s one day that makes a big difference!

Wait the one day - it will make a big difference

You can defer the school start year now anyway

If you can’t wait that one day then I’d just defer them to start school and treat them like they are in that school year anyway

Focus on the health of your baby for now op. The other stuff can be looked into later on.

My C-section was booked for 1st Sept and I asked for Aug. You can defer a year and them still be the oldest if they are not ready but you can’t get them in earlier if they are a bright Sept baby. I think it’s better to be born Aug and have the option.

I don't think it matters. You can delay your child's school start if you wish see below.

Just concentrate on the birth for now. A day earlier may be crucial if there are health concerns. I hope it goes well x

Depending on medical advice, my preference would be wait until 1 Sept. Yes you can request to defer a year, but not all schools are happy to do that and some make them go straight into yr1 then. That's what my teacher friend told me anyway, before having an elective c section on 31 August 😂

My DD being autumn born and going to school at nearly 5 has cost me at least a few thousand in extra nursery fees compared to if she was summer born and going to school at just over 4. Just to add that into the mix!

I have summer dc and September ones. No difference at school ime!!

Doesn’t feel like I have the choice to wait - it wasn’t presented as an option. They said one day could make all the difference so I don’t want to hold off against advice, even if it seems not much time to me.

My understanding is that you can hold them back a year but they go straight to year 1 and miss reception rather than it being that they go through the whole of school a year later?

Almost feel like we’ll lose a year of their childhood now, but probably being a bit dramatic!

Ds was 16th September. 2 bloody years juggling work and 15 hours free nursery!!
Ds was 10th August and and never had any issues. He wasn't even the smallest in his year?

This has happened with my grandchildren. One is only just 4 and will start school in September. He has had 3 years of nursery. The other will be 4 at the start of September so will do 4 years in total at nursery. @ £120 a week, that’s £6k+ extra.

I'd be asking how one day would make such a difference if there really is a health concern.

Or is it that the doctor has long weekend plans?

I did wonder that - but thought you get 30 hours a week of free childcare at ages 3-4? Is that hard to get?

Depends on the LEA and their approach. In mine delayed start children do 2 years in school nursery (if they chose to) and then go into reception and stay with that year group throughout their education.

Surely it’s all about medical advice? Think I would go with that.

I’m a teacher in Scotland so our situation like this is the end of February vs start of March. I actively avoided trying to conceive where my baby’s birthday would be around this time as I hate to say it but in my experience it really does make a big difference. I teach infants and it’s glaringly obvious in the first few weeks who is the youngest, you could literally pick them out without anyone telling you. Personally I’d defer them a year, so many people are doing that now anyway. I would way rather do that and have my child start school when they’re ready 😊 Forget about school though and just focus on meeting your little one! Good luck and enjoy your day x

The 30 hours free doesn't work out like you might assume it would. Rightly speaking it ends up as 1 - 1.5 days a week free.

The earlier date would be helpful for being the right side of the cut off for early years funding for 3 and 4 year olds

Defer the school year. I did, my friend didn't, our girls are 3 days apart and very similar personalities and the school experience has been polar opposite for the girls. Their dd has struggled so much and has a tutor now and is so little looking in her year.
I'm a teacher as well as mum so my advice is defer.

Well one advantage is you have pretty much one less year to pay nursery fees.

I have an august born and I worried about schooling etc. He was very young starting- I’d looked into deferring and it was very difficult so decided against. Anyway he’s now about to start year 5 and any “gap”
is just not there anymore. He’s academically very able and socially just fine too. Had he been held back a year that would have really held him back I think, though obviously the same cannot be said for august children.

he’ll never ever go to school on his birthday, that’s another one.

honestly try not to worry about it. You get to meet your baby a bit sooner.

Me bursting into tears at the possibility of having my baby late August was my opinion. Thankfully she and I were well enough to be able to wait until term, so she was born early September.

I know you can defer, but I'd sooner not need to. Especially as some schools will send your child straight to year one anyway. Or at least they used to be able to. I don't know the new rules.

It's just one day. Keep your original date.

For ALL august children I meant above

I had a very similar situation happen to me. In the end I went with medical advice and had the baby in august, and I will look into potentially deferring if it’s needed, but going with DC’s development so far, I don’t think it will be needed. My older DC is a late July baby and is more than ready for school, and they are technically only a month “older” in the school year than DC2 will be but I don’t really worry about that with DC1, but I know what you mean about the implications, it crossed my mind a lot! But ultimately the baby’s health is the most important thing. I’m surprised though that if one day makes all the difference, why the baby isn’t coming out now though? The cynical side of me says they are trying to bump people onto 31/08 because nobody wants that day 😂 (I’m sure that is not the case though!)

You do get 30 hours of free childcare, however this is the term after they turn 3 so would be in the January if they were September born. This also counts for term time only, so if you don't have a job where you are off for half terms, 6 weeks over the summer, you will still have to pay for the additional childcare. This is often with a child minder as many nurseries/pre schools close over the holidays. The other issue is certain private nurseries not accepting the funding. My daughter went to a nursery that was open 51 weeks a year so we stretched our funding over that period so she got 22 hours a week free but we used 20 and banked an extra day every 5 weeks. It's all quite complicated and depends on what nurseries/childcare providers are like in your area.

None of this really matters though if a day will make all the difference for the health of your baby. I do hope all goes well for you OP. Xx