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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...to want my baby born in September (not August)?

155 replies

chickpea1982 · 05/08/2023 11:04

I'd be really interested to hear other Mumsnetters' experiences on this question.

I'm currently pregnant with DC3, who is due on 31 August. My plan was to try to hold on until 1 September (unless the baby decides otherwise!) so DC3 is born in September and so is the oldest/one of the oldest in her year. It feels to me like it could make such a big difference to her life - either the oldest in her year, or the absolute youngest. Or am I overthinking things?

The doctors want to induce at 39 weeks as I have gestational diabetes, but I'm not completely convinced it's necessary, or that waiting a few extra days will make much difference.

Looking forward to receiving your wisdom!

OP posts:
Potsto · 05/08/2023 11:06

Deferring start for summer borns is an option. They'd still start in Reception, and in your case it's literally a matter of days.

An August birthday would actually give you the flexibility to decide which school year best suits your DC, which a September birthday wouldn't if you have a bright able child who is bored in nursery.

See Facebook group Flexible Admissions for Summer Borns.

FusionChefGeoff · 05/08/2023 11:08

You'll get lots of people saying ha ha ha baby comes when she comes which is, of course true. You will have to put her safety first and if the evidence is to induce is safer, then please listen to that.

However, if there is a balance of risk and the scales are even either way then yes definitely waiting until she is oldest statistically has the better outcome.

But my June 30 baby has just scored full marks in 2 out of 3 Yr6 SATS papers so it's also very much down to the kid.

Smartiepants79 · 05/08/2023 11:08

Well it depends on the possible risks of ‘holding on’. I’d not put my life or my child’s at risk just for the sake of a school year.
My Dd is late august born. Never been an issue for her.
Only you and your doctors can decide if it’s worth the risk.

getmeoutofherenoww · 05/08/2023 11:09

I got induced at 38 weeks with dc2 because of gestational diabetes. So glad I did. The state of my placenta was deteriorating. That's why they induce earlier.

Same situation now with dc3. I don't want a Scorpio baby haha but I'll be induced at 38 at the latest and will make my baby a Scorpio lmao.

They don't induce for no reason! Health of your baby is more important

Andanewnameagain · 05/08/2023 11:09

Through my work I actually see a noticeable number of high fliers have either August or March birthdays ( but particularly August). Make of that what you will!

Whinge · 05/08/2023 11:10

I'm really not convinced this is a problem anymore, the ability to defer is so widespread that it's not something you should be worrying about. If they want to induce you because of GD, I would listen to them.

User17865 · 05/08/2023 11:10

In our county you can choose to defer Summer borns for any reason you like. So I’d check that for your LA before you decide to try to hold out for September as it may not matter. I had to have an early emergency section that meant my youngest missed the summer born cut off by a day. I was just worried about her being ok at the time of course but her Dad was worried about school years. We’d already deferred her older sibling with an August birthday.

ladygindiva · 05/08/2023 11:10

Potsto · 05/08/2023 11:06

Deferring start for summer borns is an option. They'd still start in Reception, and in your case it's literally a matter of days.

An August birthday would actually give you the flexibility to decide which school year best suits your DC, which a September birthday wouldn't if you have a bright able child who is bored in nursery.

See Facebook group Flexible Admissions for Summer Borns.

This. Let nature take its course and choose accordingly.

Judelawswife68 · 05/08/2023 11:11

You're being silly. It's not that big a deal.

TooOldForThisNonsense · 05/08/2023 11:11

YABU

why on earth would you go against medical advice just so your child may be the oldest in their year at school? That’s insane. Being old for year does have pros of course none of them worth risking your or her health for.

ladygindiva · 05/08/2023 11:12

Fwiw I have a friend who has an August born and a September born. The August born despite being the youngest was the brightest in her class and didn't struggle in any way at all. The September born struggled more, hit milestones later, was less mature for her age. All good now.

phoenixrosehere · 05/08/2023 11:12

If you’re diet-controlled with GD and your sugars have been in range for how ever long you have been testing your sugars, you don’t have to be induced if you don’t want to. There is little evidence that women with diet-controlled GD who have maintained blood sugar parameters have to be induced or should be treated any different than women who don’t have GD.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 05/08/2023 11:13

Yabu to consider letting school years override safety. Listen to your medical team and do what's safest for the pregnancy.

coreas · 05/08/2023 11:15

I wouldn't compromise mine or baby's health for a date. I had an induction planned for 39 weeks with my GD pregnancy. I because really unwell and in and out of hospital from 37 weeks and was induced at 38 weeks. It was a horrendous time and I realise you think oh it's only another few days but realistically you may be lucky to get to the 39 week mark.

Toomuchleopard · 05/08/2023 11:16

My DC3 was born on the 22nd August and I worried about him starting school so young. In the first few years of primary it was noticeable that he was one of the youngest and he was definitely behind his peers at first but I don’t think it actually matters that much. Now he is is in year 6 and is one of the top ones in the class so has definitely caught up.

Cakecakecheese · 05/08/2023 11:16

I know loads of people born in August and not one of them struggled at school.

110APiccadilly · 05/08/2023 11:17

I really don't think it's worth going against medical advice for! And as others have said, if you're in England you can always defer anyway.

PuttingDownRoots · 05/08/2023 11:17

Don't worry about school now.. they could change the regulations again by the time they reach school age! At the moment you would have a good case for deferral. Ots more likely to be an issue with sport...

Whats important right now is a healthy baby.

Zanatdy · 05/08/2023 11:18

DS was due 28th August, I wanted him in August to save a years childcare. Never impacted him, he applied to Oxford and was always top of the class.

vdbfamily · 05/08/2023 11:18

I had a late August baby. She ran into school a week after her 4 th birthday without a backward glance and got 12 x grade 9's in GCSE and is currently applying for Oxbridge. If you want to generalist then I suppose it might be a disadvantage. Again a generalisation but might be harder for boys at primary level, but you can defer until 5 th birthday anyway

Oysterbabe · 05/08/2023 11:19

I would want a September baby if at all possible but baby's health comes first so I would go with the recommendation of the medical professionals.

Gooseysgirl · 05/08/2023 11:19

I sympathise but you must follow the doctors advice! There are always very mixed views on here re. summerborns and starting school. My own view is that the cut off should be end of April not end of August, meaning kids wound be at least 4.5 starting school.

Dotcheck · 05/08/2023 11:20

getmeoutofherenoww · 05/08/2023 11:09

I got induced at 38 weeks with dc2 because of gestational diabetes. So glad I did. The state of my placenta was deteriorating. That's why they induce earlier.

Same situation now with dc3. I don't want a Scorpio baby haha but I'll be induced at 38 at the latest and will make my baby a Scorpio lmao.

They don't induce for no reason! Health of your baby is more important

What’s wrong with a Scorpio baby?

Hankunamatata · 05/08/2023 11:20

You have GD not something to mess around with. If baby has to be induced then induce. Look at deferring a year. If I had the option when my summer born were little I would have deferred

Babdoc · 05/08/2023 11:20

My DD was born in August. She got 5 straight As in her Highers (Scotland), ditto her 5 Advanced Highers, (one sat a year early) and a maths degree from Durham university.
She was correcting her teacher’s spelling in reception year, where she had a reading age of 12 on arrival.
There is no disadvantage to being an August baby.