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

[daisyoranges]

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!

@MeadowHay, unfortunately many LAs will not allow this despite government granting parents the right to ask. Therefore my assertion that it can be notoriously difficult is far from incorrect information.

@Defmy

My November born is also amongst the youngest in his school year. The difference between him and his April born brother when they started school was massive.

You're not in the UK, are you?

Yes, I am.

Scotland. Cut off dates for school entrance are different here. It’s the year they turn 5 from 1 March to 28/29 Feb the following year. Although parents with Jan/Feb babies can defer them and most parents seem to do this IME. Hence my April boy is an older one for his year and the November one is younger.

My eldest was born early March and I’d say that was the easiest because it was absolutely freezing right throughout my third trimester and during a substantial chunk of my second trimester too. I have three summer babies and the third trimester was just hell... The upside to the summer born DC is the fact they always get their birthdays off school, you can imagine how dismayed my eldest feels about this!

Q: I (Miljea) said:

"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...."

pattypan "Interestingly DP tells me that this doesn't hold for Oxbridge maths, apparently they did a show of hands at the beginning"

I prefer the stats over a show of hands, myself!

musicalfrog "They could also be viewed as arrogant arses for this reason - not something I'd want for my kids!"

Um- personally what I'd want for my kids would be to feel confident, not be one of the less confident bitterly and jealously calling them 'arrogant'!

@RidingMyBike

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!

But in terms of hard cash, your DC may well earn far more than £8k per annum, ever year of their lives, as a result of the advantages bought by being the eldest, most able, most confident in the class!

I have one September and one March DS.

March baby was easier as I got out and about more, walks were warm and we spent a lot of time outdoors.

Neither were planned but I like that I have one each side of Christmas... A friend with 4 children landed with two in Nov and 2 in Jan so that part of the year is expensive in their household

DH has a late Dec birthday and grew up hating it, he was thrilled that ours were born early Sept and late June (not planned!). I find both months excellent and the spacing is good and neither are too close to Christmas!

June weather is nice, outdoor parties, everyone still around before school breaks up. Middle of the year age range.

Early Sept still hot like summer, outdoor parties, timing a little weird as she usually goes back to school the same week with a new load of classmates, so we sometimes had to delay the parties so she had time to invite any new friends. Our school year runs Dec-Dec so she is actually on the younger end rather than oldest.

Mine is early October and I always liked it. Weather not to wintery, crisp autumn days, we also have our Thanksgiving so I usually get a bonus long weekend too :)