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

[chickpea1982]

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!

The debate isn't is it best to be older in the year. Of course it can be and of course there will be plenty of children who do brilliantly even thoigh they are younger.

The question is would you go against dr's advice for birth to have later school start? And i can't imagine the risk being worth the potential benefit.

Hi OP, I’m a 1st September baby! I was academic in school (and remember feeling really ready to start primary school especially). I was quite frustrated when my friends in the year above were all going off to uni - but by the time I did graduate, I was glad of the extra year to figure out what I wanted to do career wise. One of my closest friend is an August 31st baby and is the smartest person I know - it doesn’t seem to have held them back in any way. What I’m trying to say is congratulations and I’m sure they’ll be ok whenever they’re born :)

Glad you’re going to take the doctors’ advice. You’ve got 3 years to read up about the pros and cons of deferring.
With a late August baby I think I would. School isn’t all about academia - social skills are just as important.

As someone who timed my children’s pregnancies (and was lucky to be able to do so) to ensure they were all born in Sept, I still wouldn’t risk compromising my child’s health. I would defo defer a school year though! Good luck.

DD1 was due late August but born early Sep so the oldest in the year. DD2 is June born. DD2 doing better academically than DD1. Also Dd1’s NCT friends are all August born and one in particular is very academic. So my feelings are that it doesn’t make a difference. Yes you’ll notice the difference in the early years but my experience is that by year 3, the younger ones in the year have caught up and it makes no difference from there onwards.