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Original poster

Is it true more babies are born during a full moon?

27 replies

MilkywaysAndBump · 03/01/2012 22:45

I'm due on 8th Jan and it's a full moon on 9th Jan. Just wondering what the theory behind this is? Anyone else hoping to give birth this week, or early next week?!!

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VelcroFanjo · 03/01/2012 22:47

I'm not pregnant but my youngest was 4 days overdue and went into labour on the full moon. In fact by the morning the (once empty) ward was totally full of new births. The midwives said they expected to be busy due to the full moon!

Original poster
MilkywaysAndBump · 03/01/2012 22:50

That's so strange! Hope it works for me!

OP posts:
cakelover75 · 04/01/2012 21:59

My waters went 4 days early when it was a full moon. The midwife who took my hypnobirthing class also said that they were busier when there was a full moon.... :)

indicababy · 04/01/2012 22:33

Don't know anything about births and the full moon but as a gardener you use the moon as a guide.e.g when it is full its gravitational pull is at its strongest, so you pick fruit and veg so thay are at their juciest so perhaps this applies to babies tooSmile

patsdeadfrank · 04/01/2012 22:38

someone will prob come along and say its rubbish but i use to work on a maternity ward and it was the busiest time of the month.

SausageSmuggler · 04/01/2012 22:47

Not baby related but my mum is a nurse and says they're always busier and the patients more erratic at a full moon.

grubbalo · 04/01/2012 22:49

My DD was born on a recent full moon and the maternity staff all said that it gets way more hectic at those times of the month!

MmeLindor. · 04/01/2012 22:51

DD was born on a night with a full moon and the midwives said that it was busy, but that they were expecting it cause it always happened.

Actually, when I think about it, it was really busy the night I had DS too. Wonder if that was a full moon. I remember because the midwife used a weird German expression to say that it was really busy, "Da boxt der Papst" - the Pope is boxing.

hellsbells76 · 04/01/2012 22:57

It's a myth - confirmation bias basically. Eg you have a busy night in labour ward, notice full moon, make connection. Quiet night on full moon - you don't notice the moon. There have been a few studies - here's one - and there's no significant difference. The gravitational pull of the moon is far too weak to affect the relatively tiny amount of amniotic fluid we carry.

OTTMummA · 05/01/2012 10:25

you had to go and spoil it didn't you hells! Grin

hellsbells76 · 05/01/2012 10:43

Sorry! Blush

MiauMau · 05/01/2012 10:53

My mum always tells the same story about my sister's birth. It was a full moon and a special tide as well (can't remember the name of it) and nearly all the babies at the maternity were born at the same time including the ones that weren't meant to. It was a very happy and very sad day at the same time.

indicababy · 05/01/2012 13:55

The gravitational pull of the moon affects many things on this planet, from large things like the tides to small things like the rhythm of womens menstrual cycles. I bet if you went back to a time before we were all so tied up with technology and industry there would be more significant statistics on when babies are born and the luna cycles. Right off to weave my lentils Grin

redridingwolf · 05/01/2012 14:06

Discovered after the event(s) that all 3 of mine were born on full moons! DD came 3.5 weeks early to do so...

headfairy · 05/01/2012 14:08

shame there's nothing in it... my dd was born when there was a full moon. In fact it was the second full moon of the month so technically it was a blue moon too. So once in a blue moon, someone like my dd comes along :o

BeattieBow · 05/01/2012 14:08

Out of my NCT group of 8 women - all due around the same time, 4 of us gave birth on a full moon. I don't think that was any of our due date.

headfairy · 05/01/2012 14:09

actually that once in a blue moon thing is guff of course, because there were 6 other babies were born that night too.

flagnogbagnog · 05/01/2012 15:28

Two of my 3 were born on a full moon. The first was 3 wks early. Lots of midwives will tell you the labour ward gets crazy on a full moon. The moon does effect gravitational pulls on the earth so I don't see why it could be the final 'pull' to put you in labour if your just about there anyway.

LazyDaisyWorcs · 08/01/2012 15:16

My understanding of the theory about the full moons is (and i have no idea if it's true but some people believe it) that you are pregnant for 9 full moons before baby comes (under normal circumstances). Like I say I don't know if it's true and I have never checked whether it applied to my two births!

LoadOfTwaddle · 08/01/2012 15:23

I do hope it's true as my best friend was due yesterday and its a full moon tomorrow.

There is no sign of baby and she is getting very impatient!!

bemybebe · 08/01/2012 15:33

my periods usually fall on full moon.
I have an old fashion grandfather clock with moon phase and was using the indicator to assess when my period was due (also had a paper calendar of course, but that was just for a quick glimpse)...

moss50 · 08/01/2012 22:03

our first was born on full moon. So true for us.

also, I come from a small island. There they said the babies come when the tide comes in.

whojamaflip · 08/01/2012 22:12

on a slightly different note - full moons are the only time we can nearly guarentee (sp?) we won't have any calves born Smile something to do with the fact that a dark night is safer for a new-born animal.....

Emsgale · 08/01/2012 23:46

yes x

shonnomanom · 08/01/2012 23:55

Oh I hope its true, thus baby was due on new years day