more questions

Q: Are you going to find out if it's a girl or boy?
A: Undecided.  We won't be able to find out until our 20 week ultrasound, which is on Oct 30th.  I don't want to find out, but Paul does. We haven't made a final decision. I think it would be nice to a surprise to look forward to on the day. Although knowing the sex would help with some planning and buying, we'll always be in need of gender neutral clothes if we're lucky enough to have more than one child!

Q: Is my mom coming over for the birth?
A: She is waiting to hear what Paul and I decide. I'm pretty sure I'll want her here at the beginning, but I haven't worked out all the details. We still have 6 months to decide. Paul has 2 weeks paid paternity leave, so whether it might be better for her to come after than, I don't know.  I think it would be nice for her to be her for the birth.

Q: Because I have a mid-wife does that mean I'm having a home birth?
A: NO!  Midwives are common practice over here. They're used for general pre- and post-natal check ups and help you through the birth, rather than having an Ob-gyn.  I could choose to have the baby at home, but I won't.  I don't want to take the risk if something goes wrong. Plus, I don't want to get my house all messy!

Q: Does having a baby mean we're moving back to the States?
A: Not YET. We do really want to move back, but the way the economy the way it is right now, it just doesn't make sense for us to immgrate back.  We're actually looking to buy a house here at the moment.  We put our flat on the market back in May but no offers yet.  We're looking to move out to the suburbs in south London (Bromley/Beckenham). We will move back, but it'll probably be another 3 or so years.   This isn't great news for my family of course, and that fact is the hardest for me, but we've been lucky so far to see them around 4 times a year, which is more than some families in the States see each other. 

Q. How much time will I get off work?
A. This is one of the greatest things about living in the UK. I get 6 months paid maternity leave, plus I can take a further 6 months unpaid and still return to the same job. Now, those first 6 months aren't all at full pay. A few weeks are at full pay, then it drops to 90% of earnings, then drops to a statutory wage. I haven't quite worked out all the financial implications, but I'm likely to take the full year if possible.  I also get 27 days (paid) vacation next year which I can also take at any time next year.