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Original poster

Did you try to plan your pregnancy aiming for your child to be one of the eldest in their class?

58 replies

LittleMissBliss · 29/02/2008 20:34

I'm already planning another baby!
Ds was born in November, I would like the next baby to be born between Sept and Jan so planning to start TTC around Christmas.

Just wondering if this is common or did you instead try for a summer baby? Or were you just happy to be pregnant regardless of due date?

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KerryMum · 29/02/2008 20:35

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StripeyMamaSpanx · 29/02/2008 20:35

No. I did not, in fact it never occurred to me.

Lulumama · 29/02/2008 20:37

why ?what are the benefits of this?

DS born september , DD born end of july, never crossed my mind to try to plan it for school.... just glad to be pregnant both times

Heated · 29/02/2008 20:38

Dh, ds, dd, and me all all have birthdays within 8 weeks of each other which was sort of planned but of course it could taken longer to conceive.

constancereader · 29/02/2008 20:38

It did cross my mind, but not so as to really do anything about it timing wise. I certainly wouldn't have avoided ttc on a certain date, I was too desperate to get pg.

notnowbernard · 29/02/2008 20:39

Bloody Hell!

This did not enter my head for a nano-second!

I did, however, actively avoid ttc a due date for dc2 which would have resulted in a Christmas-time birthday (we had 3 in the immediate family already)... not enough money for another one

Why are you concerned about the September thing?

chankins · 29/02/2008 20:40

No it never occurred to me with any of them - dd1 was conceived after a mc so I was just thrilled to be pg, and she is sept, dd2 was planned only to be close in age to her sister and she is april. ds was planned only to be after we got wed (was 8 wks pg on the day) and he is may.

hatrick · 29/02/2008 20:41

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motherinferior · 29/02/2008 20:41

Given that I didn't plan my first pregnancy at all, that would be a no.

Also I'm a June birthday but it doesn't seem to have impeded my academic progress at all.

motherinferior · 29/02/2008 20:43

...oh and a friend whose baby was due early September (not deliberately) had an emergency induction which means her son will in fact be the youngest in his class...

Original poster
LittleMissBliss · 29/02/2008 20:44

Not really that bothered. I'm born in January and was happy being somewhere in the middle/older end but can rember the August kids always being annoyed in school at being the youngest. Especially as we got older, last to learn to drive, Legally go out drinking etc.

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Lulumama · 29/02/2008 20:46

i think that if you want a baby, you want a baby, and cannot worry about whether they will be ticked off about when they can learn to drive!

artichokes · 29/02/2008 20:49

What the point? What if you have a really bright child who needs academic stimulation early (my July born neice is very much in this category). Or what if you put off TTC for a few months to avoid a summer birth and then take 9 months TTC?

You never know what sort of child you will get or how long it will take to conceive. No point trying to plan for this sort of detail.

eandh · 29/02/2008 20:51

no was desperate to be pg first time, took 9 months fell at xmas and had dd1 7th september so she starts school sept 09 literally on her 5th birthday

Had 2 mc after her first would have been due May, 2nd in October, so again just grateful dd2 arrived in January so they'll both be older children

Original poster
LittleMissBliss · 29/02/2008 20:51

I'm sure i've heared that the hospitals are always busy in September because of this reason. Not sure if thats true or maybe its because of all the Christmas and new years fun !

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quint · 29/02/2008 20:52

I did! I knew I would have liked a September baby, however had I not got pregnant it wouldn't have stopped me from trying, ie I wouldn't have waited a year to try again!

eandh · 29/02/2008 20:53

My work colleague had her unexpected/unplanned ds sept 00 - it was very busy (millenium new year!)

Original poster
LittleMissBliss · 29/02/2008 20:58

quint- phew i was sure some people planned!

I think i'll fall pregnant pretty quickly as ds wasn't planned he was a valentines baby

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Original poster
LittleMissBliss · 29/02/2008 20:59

But then saying that summer birthdays sound lovely, because weather permitting they can be outside.

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Pidge · 29/02/2008 21:00

Well, I'll fess up here that I sort of did this this time round. Although there were many more reasons for hoping for an autumn baby than just school. We had a March and a July baby, so we thought an autumn one would make a change and spread out birthdays. Also if all went to plan I would be on maternity leave to settle dd2 into school. I'm expecting a baby towards the end of September

I've been very very lucky and have got pregnant first time on each three occasions (four if you count what was almost certainly a very, very early miscarriage when my period was inexplicably 10 days late the first month of trying).

But I was always very aware that it might not have happened this time. Plus there's always the risk of miscarriage, or some problem in pregnancy meaning you don't go to term. So I would have been happy to be pregnant at any point. Doesn't stop you trying for your 'ideal scenario' though, provided you don't imagine it's a certainty to happen. And provided you're super sensitive to the fact that most people can't plan like this.

mrbojangles · 29/02/2008 21:01

littlemiss- I can really understand the reasons some might give for planning a baby to fit into the older end of the school year but I believe that the benifits of being one of the older children in the class have passed by late junior/middle school. When my boys (young end of school year) started the older ones were definately at an advantage. At the time it always seamed the older ones were writing and reading quicker whilst my boys were still learning to sit still at story time. But my ds1 who is nearly 11 has now caught right up and giving a few of those seamingly advanced kids a run for their money........... They all reach a level playing field at about 10 maybe younger so no I wouldnt and hav'nt planned any of my 4ds so they have a advantage early on............ saying that ds4 is a nov babe. He hasnt started school yet so we shall see! it may just be none of my children can still still at story time regardless of age

bettythebuilder · 29/02/2008 21:09

nope, dd has a christmas day birthday, so I think it's pretty obvious that I didn't do any planning

slinkiemalinki · 01/03/2008 21:33

well I'm owning up to planning a September baby and (so far so good) getting one and have at least one other friend who did! I'm the same as Pidge and fortunate enough to get pregnant first time round both times of trying. My mum's birthday is 31st August and she feels like it disadvantaged her at school (there were other reasons, being close in age to a bright older sister etc, but she didn't like it much). I also have a May baby so wanted around a 2.5 yr gap, and in September not to awful and cold to get up for night feeds! So sorry if I am a control freak mother but I own up. On another point, I know some people who avoid it - coming 9 months post-Xmas holidays it is an extremely busy time in maternity wards!

Original poster
LittleMissBliss · 01/03/2008 23:00

sliinkie- no need for the glad someone adimitted to it! I was sure i wasn't the only one. But obviously i can see how this could be the last thing on a mums mind who is TTC, and just wanting a lovely a healthy baby!

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PaulaYatesBiggestFan · 01/03/2008 23:07

i am the opposite

like them young in year i hated being old