https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 14 Apr 2026 01:53:05 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baptism-stress#post-623038 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 22:19:28 +0000 Bluebonnet 623038@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our church has notoriously strict rules for getting married, so I figured it would be the same for baptism. In the bulletin they specifically said you have to call the church office in your first trimester to schedule baptism classes and you can't schedule the baptism until after you take the class. </p> <p>When went to baptism class, and half the people already had kids. So I wouldn't worry. And they'd like the Godparents to be there, but it wasn't mandatory. </p> <p>Could you tell them the Godparents are unavailable or out of town? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baptism-stress#post-623010 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 22:12:03 +0000 Beebug 623010@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just registered at a church for the first time, and started going two weeks ago. LO is 4 months and the date we hope to have her baptized she will be just shy of 9 months.</p> <p>I wouldn't worry :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baptism-stress#post-621966 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 18:17:38 +0000 rrachael 621966@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My mom made me feel like we were waiting too long to get the ball rolling, but dd was the youngest one there (two months)... the little girl in front of us was 10 months old and there were two boys who were easily five ( years )! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baptism-stress#post-621858 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 17:41:35 +0000 cascademom 621858@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Bad Catholic here too. I haven't baptized our 6 month old yet. I need to start making calls to churches. I've known who I want as godparents, just the church situation is funky. We have a Catholic church next door to our condo, but I don't belong there. We're getting marriage counseling at the church we did Pre-Cana at in our old neighborhood. I really need to get moving on it before he starts walking! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baptism-stress#post-621855 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 17:40:04 +0000 wheres_c 621855@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>ETA: Our LO will be 4 months on the date of his Baptism </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baptism-stress#post-621838 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 17:34:12 +0000 rrachael 621838@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I know there are some churches that really are strict, but I think you'll be fine! My parish says to talk to them before the baby is born so I was freaking out a little .. but in reality they didn't care at all. I turned in the paperwork and was signed up for the very next baptism. The class was quick and easy, too! Regarding age ... We baptised out little one when she was 9 weeks and honestly, next time I want to wait a little longer. Even now, two weeks later, she's so much more alert and easy to soothe. That's just my opinion though :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baptism-stress#post-621822 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 17:25:47 +0000 wheres_c 621822@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Phillybaby2013: My experience was not like the previous posters.<br /> We were in the same situation, just moved, not attending regularly.<br /> Out of about 10 local churches, I could only find 3 that were willing to baptise LO without us attending for at least 3 months.<br /> Of those 3, they all had 1 date available for baptism (in May!) and only 1 class (when SO was working).</p> <p>I finally called a small church near the beach, and they said they didn't have any requirements, just that we had to be intending to raise the baby Catholic.</p> <p>hopefully they will work with you, but that wasnt my experience :) I don't think waiting till may is that bad though! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baptism-stress#post-620804 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 13:25:46 +0000 charlotte 620804@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with everyone else that you will be fine! Our parish says you should register for and take the class in the SECOND trimester but when we went, over half the couples had their baby there with them and it was no big deal! I was actually a little jealous to still be one of the pregnant ones. :) good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baptism-stress#post-620584 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 12:28:05 +0000 Phillybaby2013 620584@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81, @Chillybear: hopefully this will be the case when I call and they won't be too strict. They were pretty laid back when we got married but when I saw that on their site I felt like I really dropped the ball.</p> <p>@mrsmenow: oh geez that sounds like it's gonna be rough for you! I hope everything goes smoothly! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baptism-stress#post-620514 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 12:14:58 +0000 mrsmenow 620514@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had a hard time getting LO's baptism scheduled too and I knew the policies and go to church-so you definitely aren't alone:)</p> <p>I waited to long to pick the Godparents and then the next baptism weekend was 2 weeks later. So we decided to push it back to this month. Well the baptism weekend is my weekend to work (I work 12 hour nights). So it was either push it back another month or just come home from work and get ready without getting any sleep. It is this weekend. I have been working like crazy to get everything done so there won't be much to do this weekend. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baptism-stress#post-620510 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 12:13:32 +0000 Chillybear 620510@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've found that they usually put that kind of info in the bulletins or on the websites but are a little more flexible with each situation. I was a god mother to my cousin's child in october the baby was 6 months old. She had the christening at her parents church because she hadn't thought to join a church. Her fiance is not catholic, and i was the catholic god parent. My SIL and BIL also had a baby last year and they are planning to christen the baby in April the child will be 10 months (orginially it was planned for feb but the whole family got the stomach bug) BIL and my husband (will be god father) are not catholic but SIL and her sister are. </p> <p>I've found most parishes are way more friendly than their websites make them out to be and can be very accommodating. Its in their best interest to work with you and gain a new member to the parish. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baptism-stress#post-620506 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 12:12:44 +0000 Foodnerd81 620506@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think you are fine to wait! I personally don't have a problem with waiting a few months to baptize, though I'm probably a bad slacker catholic too :) </p> <p>Also, sometimes their printed rules are stricter than they really are-- I am my nephew's godmother, and first they said I needed to attend a class at that parish, but since I'm not local, they said I could do it near me and send a certificate. Then they said I didn't actually need to do the class at all and I could just send a note from my parish that I'm an active parishoner (and for me, active meant I signed up once, and go every once in a great while). I'd call and find out what the rules really are, but not stress about an extra month here or there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/baptism-stress#post-620478 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 12:06:44 +0000 Phillybaby2013 620478@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH and I are both Catholic and want to have B christened. However we don't currently go to church but want to start going again since we've had the baby. I was looking on our parishes website last night and they only have the class every other month and it says that you should prereg for it before the baby is born and both the parents and godparents need to attend. Oh and they won't let you schedule the Baptism till you've completed the class and they only do them 2 Sundays a month! Of course I started freaking out and the next class is next Thursday!! We haven't even decided on the Godparents yet! LO is a month old already and I know I should have figured this out sooner but do you think it will be too long to wait till May? Hopefully the class is earlier in the month and we can do the Baptism the next Sunday. Oh and I'm gonna feel like a big idiot calling the rectory and asking about everything when clearly I haven't been to church since apparently this info is in bold in the bulletin every week. I really hope they don't give me a hard time but if we do wait till May that gives a little buffer so we can get to Mass on a regular basis.</p> <p>Has anyone been in a similar situation or am I the only bad, slacker, Catholic Mommy? </p>