Right or wrong? negative press about September births

[foxcote90]

Would love to know your feelings on this. Husband and I are considering TTC for baby number two at end of December. Nothing to do with anything other than we feel we're ready and with lockdown potentially continuing for a while then I'd rather deal with morning sickness when we can't see anyone anyway.

However on social I've seen quite a bit of content around midwifes and health workers saying please be responsible and don't have a baby in September as it's their busiest period and they're usually overwhelmed.

Is it irresponsible to try in December in your opinion or do you think we should crack on regardless?

Would also love to know what experience you had if you had a baby around September from health workers / midwifes etc. We had a home birth with number one and would hope for another but then I suppose if they're super busy they can't guarantee someone would be available...

Thanks

Considering very few women conceive in their first month or trying, I think it’s unlikely the wards are that full. Besides, it’s rare to let a woman go beyond 41 weeks now and increasingly normal for c sections or inductions from 37 weeks (or before) for things that usually would have been left a little later. If my due date was September, I’d be very confident of having an August baby.

I was lucky enough to conceive first cycle with DD2 - we were hoping for an Autumn/Winter baby. The hospital was noticeably busier than when I had DC1 in Spring time. So busy that I was the last one admitted to the labour ward and the closest three other maternity units were also closed. They ended up not having a bed for me on the post-natal Ward and it wasn't the best experience. I wasn't aware that it was particularly a September issue though. As said above, most conceptions don't happen according to a planned timetable.

I have a September baby, we had been TTC for about 3 or 4 months before I conceived, I wasn't going to stop in December as I didn't know how long it would take.

I had the baby in hospital during the busiest week for births, and I did notice that appointments were busier than with my earlier in the year baby, but that may have been coincidence, but I was able to deliver in hospital and be on the post natal ward without it feeling too busy or noticing any difference in my other baby's birth. I was offered the option of a home birth, but as I declined i don't know how that would panned out with staff etc.

I think you need to do what is right for you, and your family.

Good luck!

I’ve got a midwife friend and she has told me the wards are always busiest in September (then went on to have a September baby herself 😂)

I don’t think it’s irresponsible though, do what works for you.

That's fucking stupid
Get pregnant whenever you feel is right for you

We have five dc all born in different month including September.

The time when they were busiest at my delivery was my October birth followed by my May birth

Was hardly anyone else in the labour ward when I had my April baby

We planned and conceived DD to be born in Sept (mainly because I wanted to avoid a summer baby for school start date reasons). I then spent a lot of my pregnancy stressed about how busy the ward would be / that there wouldn’t be space in the MLU. In practice it was fine.

I think everything will be a bit odd with COVID anyway, so I’m not sure I’d make the decision based on how busy the hospital will be.

Woe betide they have to do their jobs 🙄 just have a baby when you want and ignore anything negative.

I’m confused are people more likely to have September babies as they were conceived at Christmas when everyone has a few days off and a few drinks, or is it because people are aiming for a September birthday so their kids ate the oldest in the year?
I have a September baby although where I live this makes her one of the youngest in her year.

I also think it’s a full moon that you really want to avoid the labour ward.

The day with the highest birth rate is 16th September - 9 months after peak time for Xmas parties. I don't think it will be such a problem this year somehow.

Mine born in spring and crazy busy! Both local hospitals full.!

Are not ate obviously 🙄

@RainbowCookie

I’m confused are people more likely to have September babies as they were conceived at Christmas when everyone has a few days off and a few drinks, or is it because people are aiming for a September birthday so their kids ate the oldest in the year? I have a September baby although where I live this makes her one of the youngest in her year.

I do think some people assume the pregnancy is the result of unprotected sex and alcohol if you conceive in December.

Meant to say D'S was born in September as a VBAC and it wasn't a problem. The labour/maternity wards were busy, but not overly so.

July seems to be the peak month for births
www.statista.com/chart/5814/the-months-of-the-year-with-the-most-births/

My September baby was due in October, but she was 3 weeks early! Compared with my spring baby the hospital was manically busy in the September, but it never felt unsafe and you wouldn’t know it from the staff.

My waters went, and because they were busy I went home for 24h, because they knew I was coming back in there was a room for my, but the hospital was technically closed, as were the other two closest. Women were being told to go to another hospital further away. Including several that just turned up without calling ahead.

I was in for quite a while with #2 and we were on a transition ward that was right at the very end of the maternity ward. Other than me and another lady on transition, they only had one bay of 4 beds and a couple of rooms open for the 10 days I was in. At one point I text my husband and said I felt like Rick when he wakes up alone in the hospital after the zombie apocalypse in the walking dead. There were loads of student nurses around too in the April. They were always good for a cup of tea and a natter and really kept me going.

I do think some people assume the pregnancy is the result of unprotected sex and alcohol if you conceive in December

Mine was 😉

DS2 is a September birthday, and was conceived mid-December; we'd started TTC the previous January so there was no way I would have left a month out. I had no idea that September is the busiest month for births! I went into the midwife-led unit at our local hospital early evening and had DS2 the following morning and I was the only woman in labour on the unit the entire time. I had the same midwife the whole way through and she said how quiet it was. I also got my own room afterwards as they were so quiet. There is a separate labour ward at the hospital though. I don't know how busy that was.

DS1 is a March birthday and the labour ward where I had him (different hospital) was very busy. I was moved up to the ward quite quickly after I'd had him as all of their rooms were full.

The hospital was crazy busy for my November baby. August was quiet but it's notorious for junior Dr changeover problems. There's no "good" time - and dumb luck definitely has an effect...

I can recommend a May baby 😁

Loads of time/ daylight and warmth for washing clothes. Late and early feeds don't feel so bad when there's daylight. Walks with the prom and sitting on the grass or in the garden while on maternity. When the nights draw in starting on longer night sleeps and starting baby groups up etc.

Loved it, it was an unusually dry, hot summer the year DD was born. Very unusual for where I live

As a reception teacher I recommend a September baby as they will already be 5 and the oldest in their year at school. A primary teacher friend of mine was gutted when her dd was born early in August. I know nothing about the midwife point of view but it might explain the number of September babies.

Just because you’re going to TTC in December doesn’t mean you will conceive in December

@sheworkshardforthemoney that's lovely I'm due at the beginning of May 2021!

My DC3 was born on 25th September which is apparently the 3rd busiest day of the year! (No coincidence that it's 9 months after Christmas Day!) It was busy at the hospital, but at least he was a v quick birth so I didn't take up too much of the midwives' time.