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Original poster

When is the best time of year to have a baby?

182 replies

daisyoranges · 16/03/2021 19:40

This is meant as a fairly light hearted chatty thread, I know many people don’t have the luxury of choice and I know many babies don’t arrive on time! However, if you could choose, what month would you say is the best to have a baby in? Ds was a December baby. It was so lovely having him before Christmas and very cosy but January in lockdown was hard!

OP posts:
EssentialHummus · 16/03/2021 20:14

September. I’m really not a fan of tinies starting school, and September is still usually warm and bright enough for an outdoor party.

Notavegan · 16/03/2021 20:14

I didn't get much say, as had many ups and downs along the way. But I do love our summer birthdays. All within 2 weeks. Not school holidays. August must be the worst month (sorry August babies), youngest in year and hard to have a party.

Absy · 16/03/2021 20:15

I agree with overtherainbow about a March baby. For the first six or whatever weeks when it’s cold and rubbish, you snuggle with your baby. When it gets warm ans sunny you’re reading to go out. And in December when it’s freezing cold you’re big and pregnant and have an internal heater

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2306IRW · 16/03/2021 20:16

My LO's birthday is 23rd June so almost exactly 6 months from Christmas. Nice weather usually for the birthday and when a newborn I found it easier getting up 10,000 times a night with it being nice and warm!

I'm a September baby, I have a sibling in October and the other sibling born in July.

Some say the older children in the class do better but actually my July born sibling has the most highly qualified/best paid job out the 3 of us.
Generally speaking I don't think it matters what month the children are born as to how well they'll do at school. Children learn at different rates and in different ways so personally I think saying a September child will do better than a June/July /August child is utter boll*cks 🤷‍♀️

Arrierttyclock · 16/03/2021 20:16

Ideally:
Feb
April
May
Oct
Nov

I'd like to try and avoid too close to Xmas/NYE and wouldn't want them to be the youngest in the class. Me and DH are both July/august and my mums NYE. I like my birthday but my husband suffered being the youngest!

VenusClapTrap · 16/03/2021 20:19

August must be the worst month (sorry August babies), youngest in year and hard to have a party.

As an August baby myself, I would agree with this. I never managed a party with more than about two friends because everyone was on holiday. And I never got to sit on the birthday table at school and have the class sing to me. These things were a big deal to me!

Being the youngest in the class was never a problem though.

Easterbunnygettingready · 16/03/2021 20:20

Ttc is a minefield.. Tryin to be exact isn't possible..
My friend was quite smug her ds was due in the 6 weeks holidays. He was a week late b arrived 7/9
She wasn't so smug when I pointed out he missed school by a week also!! He was an absolute little git and she had him at home an extra year!!

DuchenneParent · 16/03/2021 20:21

Summer is probably more convenient for work/financial/birthday party reasons, but from the child's perspective I would say definitely Autumn. Yes there is evidence that more Autumn borns go on to be high fliers, but it also benefits the other end of the spectrum - my September born boy has some significant health problems that have set him back developmentally, particularly thinking back to when he was a preschooler, and if he was summer born - well, I remember thinking just after he turned 4 what a disaster it would have been if he had had to start school then! In the end he has gone on to achieve at and above ARE which I am sure would surprise his old nursery teacher... Not sure he would have done so well if he wasn't one of the oldest in the year!

BirthChoice · 16/03/2021 20:22

I wanted a Sep/Oct baby so they would be oldest in the school year, got an August baby.
Then decided a spring baby would be nice as I liked having a baby in the warmer / sunny weather - now pregnant with an October baby. Due right at the start of October and now I’m worrying it’ll be born in September which I have decided I most definitely don’t want as it’s a smug month to be born in. PLUS that would make it a virgo. The horror.

321zyx · 16/03/2021 20:22

Autumn = oldest in school year.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 16/03/2021 20:22

I had DS in June and liked it. Lovely weather for maternity leave, halfway between Christmas, they can have outdoor parties on their birthdays.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 16/03/2021 20:23

Theres pluses an minuses to all
January - everyone's skint, dieting, indoors etc
February - rain and snow
March - probably a good month!
April - still good
May - avoid. GCSEs, Alevels etc start here
June - as per May
July - not too bad. Be a pain being heavily pregnant in the heat.
August - no one at school comes to your birthday party
September - extra year childcare but positive eldest in year
October - not too bad!
November - not too bad!
December - gets overshadowed by Christmas

Waxonwaxoff0 · 16/03/2021 20:24

@Notavegan

I didn't get much say, as had many ups and downs along the way. But I do love our summer birthdays. All within 2 weeks. Not school holidays. August must be the worst month (sorry August babies), youngest in year and hard to have a party.
I'm an August born and being the youngest never bothered me, I don't get why it would?
Sootybear · 16/03/2021 20:25

September. They are the oldest in the class, you get them at home for longer. The weather is still good for birthday parties outside in the garden. Just not right at the beginning in case their birthday falls on the day of the new school year. This was me at schoolSad. My dc are November, and December. My dd in December doesn't like it. Joint presents, no birthday stuff in December and now as an adult, birthday nights out get mixed up with Christmas.

Itsjustaride8w737 · 16/03/2021 20:27

Any month but December!

Dd is early December, so close to Christmas and more expensive.

Dd2 is due June, I'm looking forward to having garden parties for her birthdays. It was always too cold for dd1s, we spent a fortune in soft okay parties!

EnglishRain · 16/03/2021 20:27

I have a July baby and so far it's been perfect. I really wouldn't want a spring baby, by the time you're getting to grips with parenting it's autumn/winter. We're are settled into a routine, weaning is going well snd we are looking forward to nice days out in the spring and summer before I go back to work late summer.

Admittedly she will be one of the youngest in her class and that does worry me. But it's also lovely planning a BBQ garden party for her first birthday.

I'm a January baby and it annoys me how everyone is grumpy and negative for all of January. Puts a damper on it!

movinghousetoday · 16/03/2021 20:27

I would say May/June. I would avoid Oct-feb

reginafalange2020 · 16/03/2021 20:28

@WisestIsShe

September, because then you get to keep them home for a whole extra year before they start school.
This is precisely the reason why I think sept is the worst month 😂
Notavegan · 16/03/2021 20:29

@Waxonwaxoff0 my girls are June and July and are noticeable immature compared to some friends with Sept birthdays. Also, we are very short all three of us so the smallest in the year by a long way. My parents said I looked like a baby when I started reception. Being summer born has more pressure to be fully independent on the toilet soon after 3rd birthday for school nursery. This was tricky for one of mine and it led to issues. Reading has been slower and I notice a difference in ability between her and her older friends.

Bells3032 · 16/03/2021 20:32

We are hoping for a Feb baby or March/Apr time. Mine and my dh are both summer holiday birthdays and our anniversary is just couple of weeks before.

Like pp hated having a summer birthday. Never got to celebrate with friends and by the time I was a teen even my parents were often away too (my mum was a teacher). It sucked. Never bothered me being the youngest in the year though

LordOfTheOnionRings · 16/03/2021 20:32

Our son was born in December but I would aim for November if I had a choice. It was so hot in the summer if my son were a newborn then I was be constantly scared of them overheating.

JaninaDuszejko · 16/03/2021 20:32

Having had 3DC all in different seasons I'd say very much not a summer baby. Mine took much longer to settle at school than her autumn and winter siblings and struggled with her confidence (she's perfectly capable but found school very difficult initially). She's now at secondary and is finally realising how smart she is, she was told by her maths teacher this week she got one of the top results in the year in her maths test and she was so pleased with herself Grin.

Suzi888 · 16/03/2021 20:32

April - July just because it’s a nice gap between Christmas and Birthday Grin

Bubbinsmakesthree · 16/03/2021 20:33

Selfishly I think early spring is the best time to start maternity leave and late autumn/winter the worst.

But long term it’s true that being the oldest in the school year is best for DC - studies have shown life long benefits to autumn born children from being amongst the oldest in their school year.

August is rubbish for all reasons previously mentioned.

crappytimes · 16/03/2021 20:33

@WisestIsShe

September, because then you get to keep them home for a whole extra year before they start school.
Unless you are working and have to pay an extra year in nursery fees!. I have a September 11 yo and wouldn't swap it though.
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