Due date - Stupid Q. Aversion to August babies ?

Another August baby here. Despite being a year younger than all of my classmates year after year, I never found this gap to be an issue. One thing I did find to be an "issue" (at the time) however, was that I have always preferred to learn things on my own. As I got older I did later realize this "issue" was a gift because I was in several advanced classes, many of which were college level. While I never attended college (money issues after parental death) and have a fancy degree to hang on my wall like my friends from school I far outrank many of them knowledge or other wise.

I am very jealous of people who are so fertile that they get to pick when they want a baby instead of just watching the months and years tick waiting to get pregnant.

im a late July baby was meant to be August but 3 weeks early. I was always one of youngest in my year and certain areas ie maths physics etc I struggled with. However I was a very fast reader and was reading and writing stories with children 2 years older. I've since got 2 degrees in Drama/English and masters in Social Work. I think I did find it difficult as a child but its more important you focus on what they are good at and they will be fine.

People just should not send children who aren't ready for for school to school. If everyone stood up to the system they'd change it.

Just to give another view that I don't think has been pointed out yet; my DH is a teacher and from a selfish point of view, I would not mind an August baby on the fact that he would be off potentially six weeks over the a Summer holidays plus the additional paternity leave to help me in the latter stages of pregnancy/early stages of new born.

On the other hand, I dread the thought of me working in the heat of Summer (I work self-employed in a physical job in healthcare,only SMP) up until due date!

Everyone has their own preferences and there are many reasons for and against different times of year. I'll deal with whatever comes our way and would be happy to be be pregnant whenever it happens.

I'm a August baby and doing quite well. I had a December baby and I would much prefer a summer baby. My lo suffered broncholitis which has left him with a really weak chest he needs antibiotics every month or so for chest infections. I would rather support him with schooling than compete with health.

My reason for an autumn baby is financial! I am a teacher and if the baby is due in July/ August I would have to start mat leave at the start of the summer, meaning my 6 weeks holidays I would only be paid 90% but if I have a September baby I can start my maternity the first week back in September meaning I get paid full pay in the 6 weeks holiday and my mat leave starts just before baby is born and I can take a full year off, returning to school a week before the end of the following summer term so I get full pay again over the summer holidays!!

I'm TTC no4 and had thought about missing Nov out - not because of the School thing though (I've actually never had a problem with any of them in School, being one of the the youngest, they've all done very well)
but because my other 3 DC all have birthdays in Aug (just 15 frigging days apart) :)
I think I had some freakish increase in fertility in November, although it was between 19 and 15 years ago so I was way way younger, so I'm just going to crack on at ovulation time and see if it happens again.

(and I'm August born and got straight As at A level)

My August born started school last year.

She didn't struggle at all and is in all the top sets

an interesting debate, and one I've seen get very heated so am impressed at the measured responses! I have two very good friends, one with DD who is august (and very bright) and due for reception next year. She will be fine as she is so advanced (due, I think, to having lots of mum-time and play time at nursery with other kids). Another friend who actively stopped ttc over the months when conception could mean a july or august baby. They always row about it. Me, conversely, i've been desperately ttc these past months precisely TO get a summer baby, as DP is a teacher and will have a massive break over summer, a huge help for a new mum! I will obviously keep ttc, so a sept baby wouldn't be a prob, but would be massively convenient to have DP around for the summer hols with a newborn

You can't hold children back a year in England, they'd just miss reception and go into year 1 with the rest of their class, presuming there was a place for them.

I do know someone who asked to be induced to get an August baby rather than a September one though, as you pay for a year's less nursery fees.

We were thinking about holding DD back a year Somuchfruit, but decided against it as all her friends from nursery will be leaving to start school next year so she would be the only one left!

You can apparently start them part-time at school if they're only 4, though I have yet to find out how that would work.

Go for it metalhead we are on ttc too so quite possibly another aug baby and another boy

My August born twins started school a few years ago. They were far too young to start school, emotionally and physically they were exhausted. At secondary school they will again start off more emotionally immature and less ready than many of the others.

Comparing them with my youngest child who is about to have their 5th birthday party, it's amazing what a difference those 9 months make. She has the stamina in reception class to do after school activities, play dates, all the things that the twins were too exhausted to do.

She is one of the oldest in her class, meaning that she gets things quicker, has more stamina to do things longer and faster and out-achieves the summer borns in her class. I don't think she's brighter than them, just older. This means she has started with more confidence and a greater sense of achievement, which can only help her to progress.

If you compare an 11 month old baby to a new born and then realise they will could be in the same class at school, there is a vast gap in their physical and mental development. Autumn and winter born babies are proven to achieve more vocationally and academically.

Of course some summer children will achieve far greater things and do better than some winter born children. But overall, I do think it's worth waiting a month - if I could do the same, but still magically have conceived my twins as September babies I would do so in a heartbeat.

Think it's cause they will be the youngest at school, with a due date of sept 3rd I was hoping my boy wasn't born early as would rather not have the baby of the year. Wasn't bothered enough not to ttc that month tho!

Finding it quite reassuring to hear your positive stories of August-borns - maybe we won't have a break from ttc next month after all! (Though I was actually quite looking forward to a little respite from all the pressure...)

Yes thats true...siblings are often 2/3 years apart. It probably wouldnt cross your mind unless they were struggling in an area of development!

DS2 was a sept baby so I have both ends of the spectrum here. He is ironically very behind socially but again his personality is so different to the eldest!!

lucy could that be because a lot of mums have their dc relatively close together in age (1-3 yrs gap) so wouldn't necessarily consider schools when ttc.
I would presume that unless one were to have a summer born who did struggle at school it wouldn't cross ones mind. And if it did you'd already have your dcs.

Having an August and early Sept in the family, I think the most inflluential factor was not their age, more to do with their place in the family. My August boy is middle and does very well at school, his younger age has never been a problem, my youngest 2nd Sept dd has to wait until she actually turns 5 before she goes to school, and is way behind what her siblings could do at her age, i.e dressing herself, because she is the "baby" her older siblings do everything for her. She will need the year just to be socially at the same level as her brother when he started school!

I can understand your concerns about the social side of school life...of course being a mum you naturally worry about them. I feel some people automatically assume younger school age children wont cope as well academically or socially and its not always the case. I loved the mix of children in class coming together and the different personalities no matter what age

A difficult topic I guess that divides many mums....but not one I would ever consider when ttc....

metalhead I know what you mean my dc1 is one of the earliest in the academic year, and when she started school she'd already been at pre-school for 2 years. (Funded for 5 terms) which puts them at an advantage over summer born DC.
Although at the same time in a way they are also disadvantaged because it can feel as though they are held back at nursery when they're ready to progress to school earlier but can't/don't, so they can get very bored a pre-school.