To want dc2 to be summerborn for financial reasons?

[hellohellohihi]

Obviously I know you can't plan these things too too much, but if our next baby is born in July or August 2014:

• my bonus will be included in my mat pay calcs
  

• dd will be almost 3 and will get funded childcare places so her nursery costs will be lower, minimizing the cost whilst I'm in mat pay.
  

• by the time dc2 goes to nursery dd will still have a years worth of funding
  

• dc2 will require a year less childcare due to being one of the youngest in the year
  

Am I being naive/foolish for crossing my fingers for this?? Obviously this is based on numerous assumptions but I just wondered if I'm the only one who tries to "engineer" their pregnancies to maximise their financial situation?!?!

[SelfconfessedSpoonyFucker]

eh, wouldn't pick a summer birth.

1)heavily pg in crap hot sticky weather.
2)birthday parties when best friend on holiday, never get to have birthday at school
3)either really young or really old for school year.

[CloudsAndTrees]

In a summer born and both of my children are summer borns. Its not very nice always being the youngest in the year at school, I wouldn't deliberately plan a summer born for that reason.

[StinkyWicket]

I wanted mine to be born earlier for their benefit - it's easier being the oldest in the class when you are in primary (especially).

So YABU IMO.

Also, as Spoony says, it's pretty shit being pregnant in hot sticky weather.

[Hegsy]

3years ttc and I'd take any birthday. Good luck if your plans work out.

[HarkAtYou]

I love being summer born, my birthday is equidistant from Xmas

[GregBishopsBottomBitch]

My DD is youngest in the year, and i was always one of the youngest, and being preg in hot weather is shit.

[Astelia]

It is tough for many years for summer born babies as they are the youngest and smallest. It evens itself out eventually but can take many many years.

In every top maths set I have taught there have been very few July/Aug babies.

I know you can aim for Sept and they come early, things don't go to plan. However I would try to avoid July/August personally.

[Astelia]

Hegsy . Sorry to hear that- completely understand.

[5madthings]

I have two summer horns, preg was horrid and its shown to be a disadvantage with schooling, my next three are December and march born partly because of those reasons.

[hellohellohihi]

Thanks all. A couple of my best friends have July birthdays and I'd go as far to say that they were always the brightest at school and have gone on to get great jobs after studying and achieving fan degrees.

I suppose I've also seen my friends with second babies who have seemed to have advanced quicker seemingly because they have an older sibling (though I appreciate that's not a hard and fast rule).

The money side of things is an issue and would make difference of thousands of pounds.... But obviously isn't the be all and end all in the great scheme of things.

[hellohellohihi]

*fab

[OddBoots]

I have an August born son, it just worked out that way he is doing absolutely fine, Y9 and top sets for all, on track for a bunch of A and A*s in a city centre comp. It could be because we have been aware of the stats for summer children so we have done a fair bit at home to support his learning or it could just be luck, we will never know.

As a late March baby myself with an early April born daughter I found this article quite depressing though. I think it's swings and roundabouts really.

[psynl]

I purposely had a summer baby (june) for the same reasons - mainly almost a year less child care. I think the school side of things evens out quicker than you think. My top ability groups last year were exclusively summer born (a bit unusual - there is usually a spread but always includes some summer borns). It hasn't affected my child at all - top sets across the board. Saying all that, I'm going for a spring baby this time to maximize mat leave

[FrankellyMyDearIDontGiveADamn]

Another one who has been TTC for almost three years here. I'd gnaw my own right arm off to have a baby full stop. Sod considerations as to what time of year he/she would be born.

[5madthings]

My elder two who are summer born are in yr9 and yr6 as and are both doing brilliantly academically but you can tell from a social POV that ds2 is the youngest in his year.

Lots do fine but statistically they are more likely to struggle and I don't see the point in planning to give a child a disadvantage.

[HoratiaWinwood]

I had similar thoughts to the OP. I don't think any of them are insignificant.

But I mc my Aug13 baby. I'm not telling you this for sympathy, but just to emphasise that conception isn't really a plannable thing.

Good luck ttc.

[jellybeans]

I wouldn't choose it. August borns can be at a disadvantage! I have two born right at end of Aug and was very relieved that DC5 would be a winter born!

[AliceWChild]

I planned my pregnancy for best financial and other outcomes. Got it bang on. I wouldn't like a summer baby as its important to me they're not the youngest in the school year. But I had friends who preferenced the nursery place stuff too.

[Gooseysgirl]

I'm a teacher and waited til Jan to start TTC DC2 because am trying to avoid summer birth date. One of the brightest kids I ever taught was born on 31st Aug but that's been the exception rather than the rule...

[RugBugs]

We have planned for a summer baby.
DP is a teacher so if I wanted him to be guaranteed to be at home it had to be July/Aug.
I'm not worried about being hot in late pregnancy, it doesn't get very warm here in the nw!
Ditto about being disadvantaged at school, we both come from academic families and DP teaches secondary maths.

I love having an early summer birthday, so many more options when the weather is fine.

[Anomaly]

Ds1 was born in may 2007 one month after the change in maternity pay from 6 months to 9 months. That was a combination of planning and luck as I conceived on the first month. I have since conceived twice more on the first month of trying. I know I'm very lucky and it doesn't happen for everyone but yanbu to think that you can try and you may get lucky.

[Jojobump1986]

I'm an august baby. Academically I did fine, although maybe I'd have done better if I was a few more weeks late! I always struggled with the social aspects & still do. I can get on with people 5+ years older/younger but really struggle to connect with my peers.

I've planned our DC's due dates for other reasons though - DH's birthday is in January so Dec/Jan is quite expensive. I literally sat down & looked at a calendar to see when all our close family's birthdays were & figured out where there were spaces! I do like to fit in around other people! I'm not entirely sure what I'd have done if my plan hadn't worked - I don't think I'd have waited for the next appropriate window! By the end of this year, November will be the only month where we don't have a birthday in our immediate family!

[JolieColombe]

It depends where you live. We're in Scotland and wanted DD to be among the older ones in the year for the reasons others have listed above, so we aimed for a late spring/early summer birth, and were very lucky to get it. Waiting to see if it makes a difference when she goes to school in a few years.

[PureQuintessence]

June is a good month for the same reason you mention, BUT in June the dc get to celebrate their birthday before the end of the school year. It is warm enough for an outdoors birthday. You have "more summer" with a newborn before winter sets in, ie lazy days in the shade in the park, as opposed to more heavily pregnant for an extra month of summer.

[MrsKoala]

i liked being preggo in the summer - we haven't had any really hot ones recently so that wasn't a problem. Also i spent very little on mat clothes, wearing cheap maxi's and size bigger sandals. If it had have been now i would have had to invest in a coat and boots and jumpers etc.

Also nice to have a distance from xmas. I am just after xmas and all your presents and celebrations are winter related then it's a long gap to xmas again.

I am relieved DS was late tho, he was due 29 Aug and came 12 sept. So he will be the oldest in the class.