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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:
Gooseysgirl · 16/03/2021 21:46

Mine were both planned to not be born in June, July, August because I did not want to be heavily pregnant in summer and I also didn't want them to be youngest in their class at school. Their birthdays are Nov and March.

Iggly · 16/03/2021 21:50

Early autumn so they’re the oldest in year 😂

Helloyouthere · 16/03/2021 21:50

Both of mine arrived in March and I found this perfect. A few months settling in and recovering, weather not too bad. Then when you properly out and about, weather nice Smile

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stuckinarutatwork · 16/03/2021 21:50

I had a DBaby in early October which I liked apart from the 30 degrees Indian summer that graced us at the end of September when I was the size of a whale. It was nice to be able to walk him in the pram each day through pretty woodlands in the very early days without freezing to death as I did with my winter baby, and he was still small and cute but smiling for his first Christmas. Plus, he was old for his year at school which I think is advantageous.
DFriend has had spring (April / May) babies and she was always pleased that the nights were shorter when she was up feeding tiny babies a lot. She said it was much better mentally to be sat at 4am with the sun rising than to be sat in the dark.

PattyPan · 16/03/2021 21:55

@riotlady thinking of my group of friends, we have 1x November, 2x Feb, 3x April, 1x June and 1x July. The April crowd is quite surprising! I do agree about the twins though.

Mummyme87 · 16/03/2021 21:56

I have a July and January baby. I would love a March-May baby.
July is good as he started school in the September after turning 4, always been good weather if not a bit too hot!
January a pain for 30hrs free childcare as just missed the spring term

Yuddiesorno · 16/03/2021 21:58

Must of done something wrong- both my August born DC always had lots of friends come to their birthday parties and both have done academically well. Just to reassure anyone due to give birth in August- it's not all badSmile

grandmasterstitch · 16/03/2021 21:59

My DS was born early February right before the beast from the east hit 3 years ago and it was dreadful. Dark, snowy, freezing cold with a screaming newborn, an infected c section wound and hormones from hell. I'm currently pregnant and due at the end of next month so I'm hoping lighter nights and warmer weather make newborn life seem a bit less daunting!

Defmy · 16/03/2021 22:05

There are so many pros and cons to all of it.

Early summer baby - you're pregnant when it's hot and that's difficult if you're in the city. But you're doing all the crazy 3 hour feeds when it's getting light outside, which is less dire. If you want to make mum friends by attending mother and baby groups, they are often finished until September. Your child is young in their academic school year and you may spend more time worrying and coaching as a result. All that tummy time and lying on the back time happens during the winter and it's easier to do it in the garden, in the summer. Your maternity leave falls during the summer and early autumn which is a nice time of year to be out and about. Your baby is toddling in late spring/early summer the following year, which is perfect as they can fall over in the garden, rather than indoors. By the time baby's first Christmas arrives, they can be adorable and you have hopefully found your feet enough to enjoy it. You are probably able to drink at Christmas by then too as most women have finished BF by then. (Don't schedule a baby for August because they are busy, your consultant will likely be on holiday and the junior doctors have just switched and are utterly clueless.)

Winter baby - Night wakenings are very hard when it's mostly dark. When there are only short periods of daylight, you have to organise yourself and baby very cleverly to make it outside the house. It's easier to feel low during the winter. Trips to the hospital are more difficult in bad weather conditions. You feel more vulnerable being heavily pregnant on icy pavements. Your baby is older in the year and academically at an advantage and less likely to need coaching and artificial accelerating to stay afloat. In the first summer, your baby is at the stage where they often like to be at home waving their limbs about. If still on maternity leave, you can loll about the garden and watch them instead of trying to wrangle them in coffee shops because it's cold and there's nothing else to do. If a late winter baby and you work in a role with academic terms, it's easier to contemplate going back at the start of the academic year and getting childcare organised at that time just feels tidier.

Happygogoat · 16/03/2021 22:06

I like my Feb babies. Would hate to be heavily pregnant in a heatwave or summer!! Not massively uncomfortable over Xmas festivities. Good age in the school year.

Babies a bit more robust and in theory sleeping a bit better/more predictable by the summer months to enjoy.

iluvpickles · 16/03/2021 22:17

Spring is the best! Actually even Feb/ Mar as it's not far away from spring. Summer I could not have coped being heavily pregnant over summer I struggled with an April birth with the heat lol.

My first was born end of April and it was such a lovely time of year so many ppl kept saying to me what a lovely time of year to have a baby and they were so right! Got to go out lovely walks in the warmth and we went a uk holiday when she was 6weeks old and really hit off with the weather.

Had my second end Nov and it was a shit time of year! I hated doing all the night feeds when it was so cold and dark, grim! Made me feel even more tiered and u look outside and it's windy, rainy, Baltic. Was not good for me mentally! Also her birthday is too close to Xmas for my liking 😕

Timeisavirtue · 16/03/2021 22:19

Before summer... I had 2 pregnancy’s during summer and it was hell. I just happened to be pregnant during 2 heatwaves and I thought I was gonna either die or kill someone !

MaverickDanger · 16/03/2021 22:22

We’ve got a December baby & I think I’d aim for Feb-Apr next time.

viques · 16/03/2021 22:24

@WisestIsShe

September, because then you get to keep them home for a whole extra year before they start school.
Also they are the eldest in the class so probable a lot more mature, taller, better co ordinated and not so tired at the end of the day as their in the same school year but 11 months younger August classmates. The differences even out after a few years but for a couple of years it is an advantage for many.
sweetnessnfight · 16/03/2021 22:26

Being heavily pregnant in the hot summer months can be difficult.

Lockdownbear · 16/03/2021 22:32

Late winter/spring so you feel motivated to get out the house and walk places and have the best weather for your maternity leave.

TeckanandMultra · 16/03/2021 23:01

September in the long run, as they'll be the oldest in their year. However, going into winter with a newborn was not fun.

NameChange74567 · 16/03/2021 23:03

My DC have April, July, and September birthday's. I preferred my pregnancy with DS who was born in April, when the temperature is still cool. I hated being heavily pregnant over the summer with my other 2 DC.

musicalfrog · 16/03/2021 23:30

Another reason to have a spring baby : your child will relate just as easily to the eldest and youngest in the school year, being only up to 6 months different in age.

Namechangeforthewin · 16/03/2021 23:30

I have a September,October then a November. Didn't exactly plan that well 😂 would love a summer baby walks out in the sun instead of winds and hail. I'm in Scotland.

winetime89 · 16/03/2021 23:33

September:October. I have a summer born and it is a big disadvantage

letthegrassgrow · 16/03/2021 23:37

April or May.

moanieleminx · 16/03/2021 23:47

I was delighted not to have a summer pregnancy. My DC are all spring babies.

I always looked at pregnant women in the summer and felt so bad for them... it looks so uncomfortable

PeggyHill · 17/03/2021 00:11

My birthday is near Christmas and I absolutely hate it. So I'd say any month except December.

DipSwimSwoosh · 17/03/2021 02:46

I have a January bday and feel guilty I gace my dc a January bday. I planned it around mat leave which was veey short sighted, as it suited me but now he is stuck with a crap bday for the rest of his life!
It was lovely whem he was a baby though. All cosy winter snuggles for 6 weeks, then emerge to Spring.
My other babies are March and November. November was tough when she was a newborn as it was so cold and dark for months. March was nice.
At least the Nov born gets a bonfire bday, and is older in the year.