Baby no 2- what time of year?!

[ShleepyMumma]

I know you can’t always plans these things and actually DH and I struggled to conceive our 1st DC. This is just to get people’s thoughts on what time of year is nice to have a newborn, with a toddler in tow. Our 1st baby was born late spring/early summer. I had a really rough time and it’s made me think this time of year is awful to have a baby, but I think this was based on our specific circumstances with her birth and my post natal experience rather than the time of year.
Any Mums of 2 or more got any experience/thoughts of when they had baby no 2 and how the season helped/hindered!

DS was early November and for me that was perfect. Early pregnancy at beginning of year (no one’s going out as much so easy to hide), not too big over summer and when they’re born it feels comforting to be indoors cluster feeding, keeping cosy etc also great for them academically. No pregnancy over Christmas either.

For second child we wanted September or October as we love autumn and is great timing in terms of other birthdays and being older in school year.

Guess what? Still not pregnant! If it works next month it’ll be a December baby. 🤷🏻‍♀️

People tend to say early spring is good as you avoid being big at in the hot months and it’s quite a nice time of year in general plus not too close to Christmas.

I’d look at it more of how old your first child will be as that makes a big difference eg 2 versus 2.5 vs 3 can mean quite different things!

I “chose” November, third trimester is post summer so you’re not suffering in the heat (still struggled with second trimester in heatwave!). And I didn’t want to be temperature regulating a newborn in summer, they were 6 months and pretty sturdy by the next heat wave. But I was the type to obsessively check the room temperature all night.

My first was born mid-June which was perfect for me as my mood tends to be effected by the dark nights/short days. My second is due mid-March which again is good as it's just before the clocks go forward. Just means the nights don't seem so long in the early days when sleep is limited.

DD is an August baby, we’d been trying for 11 months and I really didn’t want an August baby but felt like it was churlish not to try in November because we’d not had a sniff of a positive until that point…

It actually has some lovely positives but I’m wringing myself in knots about her being the littlest in the year at school so not August!

Sister is a December baby and hates it so I can see the point in ruling that out.

DS is due in May, I’m an April baby. If I could pick I think I’d go with October, but April/May is pretty good too.

I think Spring/Early summer.

You've got the lighter days, which is easier with a newborn.
The weather should be good enough to get outside which is going to important with a toddler, particularly if you've got a garden.
You're in that time of year where you don't need loads of coats/waterproofs/hats/gloves, but you also don't need suncream/hats/water bottles every time you leave the house.
You're not heavily pregnant over the summer.
The child will be mid-year for school.

Mums who have babies in winter suffer less post natal depression. I reckon for some of the reasons above, you're stuck inside cluster feeding and not feeling you've missed out on much, plus nights are long and dark and cool so you're not battling to establish day-night rhythms when it's still blazing hot at 9 p.m. and 28 degrees in the bedroom.

I preferred darker days with a newborn.

Had one in June and one in September and having a crawling baby in the middle of winter was shit. Had to wait months until he was nearly 1 to go crawling in the field/playing outside.

I’ve got a January, an April and an October. The January was amazing apart from being massive at Xmas, October wasn’t great because I was super large during a very hot summer. The April was wonderful but she is quite a young one for her year still. If she had have had dd1’s aptitude for school then she would’ve been grand so it depends on the child

Well I had dc 2 in June, fabulous as weather was great right up till October, even some lovely days In November. So I was pushing pram and had toddler on scooter next to us. Brilliant. Come winter it’s been v different, in fact I dont recall the last time we all went out walking as it been rain and wind (and even snow) for weeks. I would say if you could plan it around when you would return to work (if you work) for example if you had to go back in winter. I find it easier in the brighter mornings and nights x

I've got 2 December babies 23rd and Xmas day... I loved being in my newborn bubble with all the festivities feeling cozy and keeping warm
I'm due no3 on Monday and it's felt like the longest pregnancy ever!
I was in the super sicky stage in summer which was horrible!
Too uncomfortable to enjoy Christmas and wrapping presents nearly killed me off (SPD)

I don't know about when the baby is actually here but for me I knew I didn't want to be heavily pregnant during the summer months which is why I was grateful to fall pregnant in June/July and have my third trimester during winter. Maternity clothes were big and cosy too. Couldn't imagine being the size I am now in summer months, having to constantly stay in the shade staying hydrated and being so uncomfortable. I also love Spring, and to me Easter is a lovely family time of the year.

Aimed for summer, got December...

@Begoniagal7

Mums who have babies in winter suffer less post natal depression. I reckon for some of the reasons above, you're stuck inside cluster feeding and not feeling you've missed out on much, plus nights are long and dark and cool so you're not battling to establish day-night rhythms when it's still blazing hot at 9 p.m. and 28 degrees in the bedroom.

I think this. When it’s light and sunny and everyone is out enjoying themselves and you’re stuck indoors it can feel pretty awful!

DS was mid December.

If I could choose, no2 would be February / March 2023.

@ShadowPuppets

DD is an August baby, we’d been trying for 11 months and I really didn’t want an August baby but felt like it was churlish not to try in November because we’d not had a sniff of a positive until that point…

It actually has some lovely positives but I’m wringing myself in knots about her being the littlest in the year at school so not August!

Sister is a December baby and hates it so I can see the point in ruling that out.

DS is due in May, I’m an April baby. If I could pick I think I’d go with October, but April/May is pretty good too.

I feel guilty about December I have two December chances coming up and then mid Jan (which I feel is even worse?) don’t want to miss another three cycles though…

Thank you everyone!! Such good points mentioned that I hadn’t even considered. Didn’t even think about pregnancy and how I would feel. I didn’t struggle with pregnancy previously so that didn’t worry me too much.
I really would like to nail breast feeding 2nd time around, just because 1st time was horrific and I gave up before I even really wanted to. So wondering if September is good time for year? Not summer but also not the depths of winter where I can’t get out with a toddler etc. Also completely get that I can’t really plan for this, but hey we can all dream right!

If we're hand-picking I think Feb-May are nice months.

You won't be heavily pregnant during the hot months. It's getting lighter and more pleasant to get outside, but you won't be roasting hot dealing with a newborn! Also those babies aren't the youngest in the school year.

If I could choose, I would pick October or March/April. My DS has his birthday quite close to Christmas which is rubbish for presents/parties - December is already an overcrowded month!

October good from an academic perspective plus you have time to shake down into the year and make new friends before having your birthday party.

I always think January and February are a bit miserable as months, but things are cheering up by April/May.

As a parent, it's useful if DC have birthdays at different times of the year to avoid party overload.

Personally I like February time. Early newborn days you aren't missing out but then spring starts to come.

I don't think the time of year matters much other than it being similar to DC1 is helpful. I have February and December babies. I liked that that being pregnant roughly the same time meant I didn't need any new maternity clothes. And now we can get Christmas and both birthdays and all the chaos they cause over and done with in less than a 2 month period each year.

Think of the person who is going to have a lifetime of birthdays at the time you pick! December is a shit month to have a birthday (I speak from experience). Choose May to September I reckon.

Depends when you live for schools although I didn't plan it with that in mind! My second was born in the March when my first was 20 months, we are Scotland so he will be one of the oldest in his school year, which is great. He was also born when it was coming into spring and had my early maternity leave through the summer and that was nice.

My third child was born in November which I think was the worst. She will be younger for the school year and the first 5 months of my maternity leave was in the winter and it was from, getting dark at 4pm meant no nice early evening strolls with the pram.

My first was the summer and I did not enjoy heavy pregnancy in the heat, plus his birthday is in the school holidays and people are away so nobody can ever make his birthday party!

So I'd choose spring. Opposite to what a PP said I find having my kids birthdays spread through the year means it more affordable and you can make more of a fuss. My DH has thee siblings and all their birthdays are in the same month so it sort of all blends into one and ends up costing a bomb.

I ‘chose’ spring with both of mine.. ended up with a March & a May. I preferred March. I was kinda most pregnant during winter when I could bundle up in baggy jumpers & there was an abundance of food 😂 I avoided hot weather in any trimesters mostly.. I remember one boiling hot day very early on but otherwise the weather was at most mild. In terms of baby, March was better too as she was a bit older once we hit the chance of hotter weather.. and I’d recovered from birth, my hormones had settled & I could enjoy the hotter weather! DD1 in May was born just before a heatwave, she wasn’t a week old when one hit & we spent a few days with our bedroom being 30 degrees. It was a hot, sweaty mess of a time. I was exhausted, my hormones made me even hotter, I was worried about my new baby overheating, I was clueless what to dress her in!

Oh yes and agree with PP, my May baby is really helpful for presents! She has a fairly even gap between Christmas & her birthday! I’m finding March quite close to Christmas, I can’t think of anything else 🙈😂 I’m a November baby & I hated it being so close together. I used to feel like it was really unfair I didn’t get any presents for such a long old time! 😂 I don’t care now as an adult!