The Well-Timed Baby

Yesterday, my husband and I watched a great documentary on Fantasy Baseball called Fantasyland.  The film centered on Jed, finance wizard by trade, but seems his full time job was centered around running his fantasy league baseball team.  His wife was in labor with twins and he was in the hospital lobby trying to deal a trade.  And she was super understanding.

Granted, we watched this on the eve of opening day of the baseball season, which means I will likely be a sports widow for the next 7 months (assuming the Cubs make it to the post season).  My friends have joked that hopefully there won't be a game while I am in labor.  I am not kidding, this thought has crossed my mind on more than one occassion. I have flashes of us in the delivery room will me yelling in pain and he yelling at the closing pitcher.

So I started thinking, how many people try and plan their conception based on big life events.  Some people don't want a baby near their other children's birthdays. Some fear a Christmastime baby while others think it would be the bee's knees because of the tax right off.

On Saturday, I went to my niece's birthday party and saw a friend who is due in 3 weeks.  She said this pregnancy is so much easier because she didn't have to contend with being pregnant in the dead of summer like her first child.  She said, "people who opt to be very pregnant in summer are crazy!"

There is probably truth to the notion that being pregnant in the fall, winter,and spring is more comfortable for mom-to-be.

Now in my case, I didn't really care too much when I got pregnant or delivered.  When I realized I would be having a June baby, I was a little sad to think that when my kid was older, he might be at sleep away camp for his birthday, or his friends would be on summer vacations and miss his birthday parties.  But on a completely selfish level, it is great timing.  First, I haven't been uncomfortably hot yet and with just two and a half months to go, if it gets bad, it won't last too long.  Most importantly, the reason people live through Chicago winters is for Chicago summers.  During the summer,we walk everywhere.  It typically doesn't get too hot and there is so much to do outside.  We live an 8 minute walk to a huge park and Lake Michigan and a half hour walk to the zoo and farmer's market.  I can be outside when he gets here, instead of paralyzed with the fear of slipping on ice with the baby.

I really can't see myself timing a future conception around sporting events, holidays, or seasons.  Not because I don't think there is merit to this calculation, I do.  Just knowing myself, I am too antsy about getting pregnant.  I could though, see trying to time it so our kids are a certain amount of months apart.  But as John Steinbeck once wrote, "The best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry."