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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:
Waxonwaxoff0 · 17/03/2021 08:16

@Sprockerdilerock

Oh dear I shouldn't have read this thread. My first baby is due this August Sad
I was born in late August and I was fine at school, it's great as an adult as well as it often falls right near or on the bank holiday weekend so everyone is up for a party. People on MN are so weird, loads of people are born in August and we get through life fine!
Phoebesgift · 17/03/2021 08:26

Ideally May/June. Eldest born in January which she hates as it's cold and depressing. Aimed for early September with youngest but she arrived early so late August. Not great for reasons already mentioned.

Bumblebee1980a · 17/03/2021 08:53

September so you get an extra year with them!

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windymillertheecowarrior · 17/03/2021 08:55

I think autumn, given the advantages those born early in the school year seem to have.

OhToBeASeahorse · 17/03/2021 08:56

We were v lucky that we were able to plan our children, we had a September and an October. However the first winter was hard - I've never been happier to see spring.

macaronirabbit · 17/03/2021 09:02

In my antenatal class all our babies were due aug/sep. A few mums said they wanted their baby to be late, and born in september so it was eldest in the school year. I hadnt even thought of that when ttc (they didnt all get their wish)
My birthday is in the winter and I loved that my DC could have a summer birthday, party in the garden etc but it does mean they often dont get their birthday with friends or have a big party because it's the school holidays.
They've never struggled with being youngest in the school year (sheer luck) but I'm mindful now they're a teen they will be last if their peers with going to pubs, driving etc.

Hardbackwriter · 17/03/2021 09:04

DS1 was a July baby and DS2 was born last month - so far I think I preferred having a summer baby, I have lovely memories of sitting outside in the evening feeding DS1 and I don't like how wrapped up I have to get DS2 to go out. Desperately hoping for nice weather soon, though that's influenced by having to entertain a toddler at the same time while all indoor activities are shut! I'm also a July baby and have always loved having a summer birthday, but DH thinks his February birthday (we come in two neat little pairs now!) is quite fine.

Crunchymum · 17/03/2021 09:50

I have a November child which is a lovely time of year we have Halloween, Bonfire night, Birthday, build up to Xmas.... It feels like a really positive and happy time every year.

It was also wonderful time of year when he was a newborn as it was cold and miserable so we really did get to hanker down and have time to bond / lots of cuddles / naps together. It is a time I remember very fondly and wouldn't change. Had the weather been nicer I think I'd have felt very pressured to be out and about etc.

I also have x2 January babies (not twins) and there isn't many positives to be honest. Other than I can get their Birthday presents in the sales. With DC2 I still got to have the "winter hiatus" as DC1 was still a toddler to we had that warm, cosy, indoor bonding time BUT with poor DC3 she was in neonatal for her first few weeks and older two were school / nursery age so I never even got that newborn hibernation time with her.

MsTSwift · 17/03/2021 09:52

For the child September definitely. No harm whatsoever in being oldest in your year it’s a lovely month for parties as people around and back from summer

Spied · 17/03/2021 09:56

September for schooling but it means being heavily pregnant during summer.
I'm going to to say best month to be born is February

YouBoggleMyMind · 17/03/2021 09:59

My Husband and I are November babies and my Son is a mid December baby. I wouldn't have wanted him any later, it was already quite close to Christmas. However it's my favourite time of year leading up to Christmas and I've always loved my birthday being in November and it was so lovely having a newborn at Christmas for everyone to meet.

AJB3001 · 17/03/2021 10:03

I had an end January baby and while it's abit of a pain being so close to Christmas with his birthday being pregnant from May onwards meant I wasn't huge during the really hot summer months and could snuggle up with my duvet when it was cold and was huge....on the flip side I also had a baby in the heatwave of May 2018.... absolutely hideous being that pregnant in that kind of heat! I basically spent the last month in my underwear! But it's nice in the sense that his Christmas and birthdays are spread out...flip sides to either I think 🙃

RevolvingPivot · 17/03/2021 13:14

@Waxonwaxoff0 That isn't what I said at all.

viques · 17/03/2021 13:17

@Sprockerdilerock

Oh dear I shouldn't have read this thread. My first baby is due this August Sad
The one big advantage about an August birthday child is that you won’t have to do huge whole class birthday parties, or get all angsty about not inviting the class bully - just invite the people you know ,like and have contact details for.
BearSoFair · 17/03/2021 13:22

@Miljea

September.

Your child will be among the eldest in their class. They will be physically bigger and have almost a year's more social and intellectual development that the youngest in the class; therefore their 'superior' prowess will gain them praise and accolades.

This will increase their self-esteem, which will give them confidence; a trait admired by all.

There is a reason why Oxbridge students are disproportionately Sept-Dec born....

HAHA! I was the oldest in my year and probably the very least confident. There were kids in reception when I was in Year 6 that had more confidence than me! I've never been 'superior' and honestly wouldn't have wanted to be. My best friend was 'gifted' and it just meant she always felt stressed and pressurised into feeling she had to be the best and set the example for everyone else to try to live up to.
Siennabear · 17/03/2021 13:29

I have a summer and a winter born. I definitely preferred having a baby in winter. Being pregnant kept me warm and when newborn you don’t feel you have to go anywhere. Once you find your feet it’s spring/ summer.

My summer born I was very pregnant, it was boiling hot.

To be honest though, we never planned what month, our first took a longtime to conceive and we didn’t really care. We were so happy to just have our baby. 2nd happened straight away when we thought it would take longer. You can’t plan it.

shinynewapple21 · 17/03/2021 13:31

DS birthday is June which I thought was great as 6 months between birthday and Christmas.

Warm weather for birthday parties outside and Birthday often fell within late Spring half term.

Our area did twice yearly Reception intake at the time DS started school which was helpful .

It took us a while to conceive so this was in no way planned !

I have a September birthday and personally I hated the expectations and pressure that came with being one of the oldest in the school year .

Pyewackect · 17/03/2021 13:36

My middle 16 DD was born on Christams Day, and she's never forgiven me. The other two were born in the spring.

Starlight39 · 17/03/2021 13:38

My DS was born in April and that was an ideal time of year imo. He wasn't a tiny newborn dealing with very hot weather and we weren't stuck inside feeding etc during the first few weeks with lovely weather outside. By the time he was a couple of months and older and we wanted to get out more, the weather was lovely and we could do lots of outdoors things. Also by the time he got to his first winter, he was 7 months plus so not too tiny and there wasn't the worry of getting him to and from the car in the cold - I have pics of him on a sledge at around 9 months. His birthday has often been nice enough weather and birthday parties have included an outdoors element. DD is a January baby and that has not been great so far - too cold with a newborn!

GinaJaffacake · 17/03/2021 13:44

September to Christmas. Autumn term babies have such an advantage starting school and this often carries on all the way through. Yes, there will be many summer born bright kids who do well but all else being equal in terms of intellect and personality, then the September born child will statistically thrive more than the July baby.

MsTSwift · 17/03/2021 13:53

Apparently the staff at the primary school all tried to have September babies as far as you are able to plan this stuff. I was just bloody relieved it happened at all!

RidingMyBike · 17/03/2021 13:58

Depends on your circs. If you're paying for childcare a Dec birthday meant we spent about £8k more on childcare than for an August-born!

VenusClapTrap · 17/03/2021 14:07

A friend’s daughter has an early September birthday and she’s always disliked being the oldest in the class. She’s very bright and mature for her age, and finds a lot of the other kids ‘babyish’ apparently, and feels frustrated both socially and academically. She’s always tried to hang out with the year above as she identifies more with them.

viques · 17/03/2021 14:48

@MsTSwift

Apparently the staff at the primary school all tried to have September babies as far as you are able to plan this stuff. I was just bloody relieved it happened at all!
To be honest many teachers try for early Autumn births because that works out really well with maternity pay / holidays . Have the summer holiday .Come back to school in September, then go on maternity leave.
DrCoconut · 17/03/2021 15:26

April was best as you (in theory at least) get good weather for the peak of your maternity leave. It's miserable being shut indoors due to cold and dark nights.