Well I’m into dogs in a big way, so I’ll do my best to help.
For starters, while it is completely possible to have a baby and a puppy at the same time, however by the time you would have one your other little one will have been born and it will be like probably be like having three babies for a bit. That said, I would definitely recommend a pup over an adult dog at this stage. With a pup you’ll be getting a ‘clean slate’ whereas with an older dog you cannot know its past experiences and with very young children I wouldn’t take the risk. The dog may have had past negative experiences with children or no experience at all. Also, training is everything. Most problem dogs stem from problem owners.
Have either you or your husband owned a dog previously?
From the list you’ve given it looks as though you are interested in larger dogs. [name_m]Just[/name_m] make sure you are prepared for the dog accidentally knocking down a little toddler. You haven’t said anything about hair type, do you have a preference? Also, just to say, the dog intelligence lists go by obedience. [name_m]Just[/name_m] because a dog’s further down the list doesn’t mean it’s thick, it’s just independent 
And to comment on the dogs you’ve given:
Alaskan Husky - well, firstly, it’s not really a proper breed, just a type of dog used for sledding. You would have a job getting one anyway
Alaskan Malamute - wouldn’t recommend it. They are very strong and can be rather self-willed. To be honest, I’m not even the biggest fan of having this type of dog in the country as they find it very difficult in the summer months due to their heavy coat, but I’ll try not to get into that here
Bernese Mountain Dog - the gentle giant My friend has one named [name_f]Aurora[/name_f]. Probably my favourite from your list. The only major downside is their very short lifespan, about eight years
Border [name_f]Collie[/name_f] - no, not an ideal dog around children. They need a [i]lot[I\] of both physical and mental exercise and can turn snappy if they do not get sufficient stimulation. They also have a habit of rounding up children and small animals if they can. It’s a breed best suited to working. Another friend actually used to have a collie who didn’t work. He went a bit senile and tried herding cars. He also developed an OCD where he had to carry something in his mouth at all times
Cocker Spaniel - most are lovely dogs, but some can be unpredictable, though the working strains are usually better than the show ones. Whatever you do, do not get a red/golden cocker as they very commonly suffer from Cocker Rage Syndrome where they suddenly go from being completely calm to snarling and biting then back again to being normal
English Setter - lovely, lovely dogs, however setters take a good bit longer to mature mentally than most other breeds so you would have to cope with an adult-sized puppy for a while. Maybe not an ideal first dog, but it could be done
English [name_m]Shepherd[/name_m] - I would probably disregard this. It’s a developing American breed very similar to the border collie. Hard to obtain, and not much known about them
[name_m]German[/name_m] [name_m]Shepherd[/name_m] - can be lovely dogs and good pets however they are very strong and not all have even temperaments. Very good guard dogs though
Irish Setter - see the English setter
Siberian Husky - see the Malamute
Okay, a few other other suggestions:
Labrador retriever, golden retriever, flat or curly coated retriever - tend to be fairly easy to train and are usually even tempered
English or Welsh springer spaniels - a bit crazy but affectionate dogs
Pointer - very loyal and intelligent
Old English sheepdog, Newfoundland - gentle giants
Greyhound - very laid back and lazy
Afghan hound - can be both aloof and goofy
I’m a terrier girl myself, but they can be rather a handful and a lot of them have a tendency to nip your ankles as pups. I wouldn’t rule them out though. I have a border terrier and they’re just the best little dogs you can get.
[name_f]One[/name_f] last point: when obtaining a pedigree puppy you must check for any potential health problems which exist, and are unfortunately all too common. Hip scoring or other tests may be needed, but not breeders will do them. You also seem to like dogs with moderate confirmations, which is a good thing.
Okay, that was long, and it doesn’t cover everything, but I hope I remembered the main points.
)! I have a Portuguese Water Dog, and he’s absolutely the most perfect boy you could imagine! They have hair instead of fur, so they don’t shed (even though you said that doesn’t matter to you) but they still have lovely soft coats. They’re energetic, love to play, and great for kids to be around. My pup also loves quiet time though - you mentioned that you want a dog who looks good in front of the fire, and he loves nothing more than to sit with me in the wintertime and just be pet. They’re great on the leash as well. They can be hunting dogs - in ancient times, they were used by fishermen to retrieve nets and carry messages from boat to boat - but also love to run around in the backyard, which would be great if you’re moving to the countryside. We have a “parti portie” (portie is the nickname, parti means that they’re two or more colors). [name_f]IMO[/name_f], the wavy-haired kind is the cutest - i’ve tried to attach a picture that looks similar to my dog, but I don’t know if it’ll work. They’re absolutely the most adorable puppies and I think it could be great for you!