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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

"August baby...unlucky"

109 replies

Tea1Sugar · 06/02/2014 16:25

This is what I heard one woman say to another in the GP waiting room today. Gobsmacked!!

I know there's the whole school debate but woah.

Dd1 is a May baby and dd2 will be making her appearance in April. I like that they are both spring babies but does anyone actually plan to have/avoid a certain birth month?! That's madness to me!!

OP posts:

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FoxMulder · 07/02/2014 10:35

I loosely planned it. I preferred the idea of having a spring baby to a winter one, but should it have taken a while to conceive I wouldn't have stopped trying, I don't think.

ChicaMomma · 07/02/2014 10:41

So reading between the lines, in the UK you cannot chose when your child starts school?? So august babies have to start a month later at the age of 4? whereas september babies can start at 4+11 months??
Here in Ireland we get to choose, i guess with the smaller population it's easy to manage with forecasting numbers etc. It's a constant debate amongst my friends, whether to send them to school at 4 or 5, the trend at the moment seems to be 5, unless the child turns 5 soonafter starting.. It's good to have the choice though.

babacoon · 07/02/2014 10:45

I think it is utterly rude and insensitive to call someone's baby unlucky

DS is a September baby and I was very happy that he would go to school a year later IFYSWIM.

We are planning on TTC DC2 and I will keep the school date etc in mind before TTC as I want my children to not start school until atleast 5.

But that does not make August babies less fortunate in anyway:S

babacoon · 07/02/2014 10:46

forgot to say that with DS we did not plan around the school etc.

ZingSweetApple · 07/02/2014 10:48

I was born in August - I'm fantastic, and so will your kids be too!

SuddenlySqueamish · 07/02/2014 10:50

I have a friend who was born in August and he has a PhD in physics. Didn't hold him back in any way! There are far more factors in a child's development than the month they were born in

Nousernameforme · 07/02/2014 10:55

How do you know it was school related? My main concern with my august baby was being hugely pregnant through the summer and giving birth in the hottest month.
Regarding the school thing I would say we have had more issues socially than academically there are things i won't let him do just yet that his friends can. He has just come top in the schools math challange despite being the youngest

Showy · 07/02/2014 11:00

The issue lies in denigrating other people's choices or circumstances. That's what's irritating.

It doesn't really matter if my child who is the youngest in her year happens to be the brightest or if Bob's brother was an August baby and has a PhD. In general terms, particularly socially, August born babies are generally at a disadvantage. This isn't true for all children of course but across the population, yes it has an effect. Some people aren't bothered about this. Some people are. That's fine.

My DS was due towards the end of September and I knew I wouldn't make 40 weeks. I just hoped that I made it to September because I preferred that for many reasons. I cherish the time with them before school starts, I think 5 is too young for school actually, given a straight choice September was my preference and my waters broke in the early hours of the 1st.

It's rude to criticise other people for preferring a September birth over August and for actively planning for that. And it's rude for people to make generalisations about babies who are August born.

RedToothBrush · 07/02/2014 11:21

Anyone aware of this campaign for flexible admissions for summer born children

It seems that under law, there should be some flexibility for August children should be allowed to start school in the next academic year if parents want and feel its appropriate. But local authorities are resistant to it and there doesn't seem to be much awareness of it.

bellabelly · 07/02/2014 11:44

I was just about to say what nousername said -surely it's more about being hugely pregnant during the hottest part of summer? My twin boys are August-born and I was VERY uncomfortable and that summer wasn't even particularly hot. I think it must have been more about the physical comfort of teh mum than any weirdness about future school success.

JanePurdy · 07/02/2014 11:47

Yes, ChicaMomma, the cut off is midnight on 31st August. Reception children at my school started 4th Sept this year, so a child could have been 4 y 4 days on starting school while the oldest in the class could have been 5 y 4 days.

SaucyJack · 07/02/2014 11:52

My friend has an early September baby and we always say she's the unlucky one, as she'd have gotten rid of the little sod been able to start her precious third born's academic career a whole year earlier if she had her a week sooner

Loveyouthree · 07/02/2014 11:59

Hope not, my son was born August 29th!

He's in year 1 now and tbh he is a LOT "younger" than the others.

But then I've got and end-of-August friend who got First in a Law degree at the age of 20.

slightlyinsane · 07/02/2014 12:03

My dds were mid yr babies, Jan and Feb until we moved to Scotland and now they are the youngest. Dd2 had only completed a term in foundation before we moved and it was a short term compared to Scotland so missed some sounds etc. It has made no difference what so ever to how they are doing, dd1 is continuing to plod and has her own areas that challenge her, which as the same as they were as a mid yr child and dd2 is flying ahead of her classmates. I'm not boasting just want people to realise that when you are born has no bearing on how you will do at school, even missing part of the school yr.

sambababy · 07/02/2014 12:05

I can't believe this! I personally think it's great to be born in summer!

I was an august baby myself I love it and I never struggled at school. Sure when I started I was only just 4, so I went only in the mornings to start with (there's obviously a big difference between a child who is just 4 and one who is nearly 5) but it's amazing how quickly that gap narrows.

Later on I actually think it's beneficial because you are learning the same things as some people nearly a year older than you. I reckon it makes you more clever and more mature if anything! Plus you don't have to go to school on your bday, it's win win really.

trolleycoin · 07/02/2014 12:18

Summer babies are fab - ask my Mum .

I think there has to be more to it than just the month you were born. DS and DN are 2 and born within 3 days of each other, so it has been really useful to see how each develops with some milestones quicker or slower than their cousin, also bearing in mind, DS 3 weeks early and DN was 2 weeks overdue, so you could argue there is 5 weeks difference. DN was nearly 3lbs heavier than DS.

trolleycoin · 07/02/2014 12:23

yes sambababy - birthday was always in school holiday so never had to do boring school work on my birthday. And birthday is a good length of time away from Christmas to appreciate it. have relatives whose birthdays are boxing day

JanePurdy · 07/02/2014 12:24

sambababy very rare to do half days now.

This topic (August babies) comes up regularly & everyone trots out their August baby who is doing well. I am married to an August born bloke who is a doctor, but I also have a cousin who was August born & struggled the whole way through. The evidence is clear that summer born babies do less well. I would never point that out to someone expecting an Aug baby (although I did point it out to a friend planning an ELCS on 30th Aug!)

VJONES1985 · 07/02/2014 12:38

I'm due August 19th and am over the moon to be having a baby, I don't care when it's born. As a Reception teacher, I can say that summer-born babies can be 'behind' autumn-borns for a term or two but they soon catch up, especially with parental support.

VJONES1985 · 07/02/2014 12:47

I also need to add that summer-born children are often where they should be for their age so regardless of whether older children are seemingly ahead of the younger children, the aim is that all children are age appropriate or above.

tethersend · 07/02/2014 12:52

It's one year's less childcare to pay for.

Swings and roundabouts.

Seff · 07/02/2014 13:33

Summer babies can be held back instead of starting at just turned 4, but they have to start in year 1, and miss out on their reception year so you have to weigh that choice up. Legally, they don't need to start school until the term after their 5th birthday.

As a June baby myself, and from a non school perspective, I found it much better having a birthday in the summer. It's warmer, you can do things outside, and as you get older, more people can afford to go out for the night than those with a January birthday!

Julietee · 07/02/2014 14:14

I was an August baby (first week of Aug.). I did struggle in reception and ended up repeating that year.... after which things got a lot better for me, at least academically!

If I had an August baby I'd certainly want to see if they could be given leeway to start when 5 rather than 4. I just think 4 is too young for many.

DeloresDeSyn · 07/02/2014 14:32

Dd is late August and had no problem with the work, but did get terribly tired. I looked into the keeping them back a year, but when they do go, they start in yr 1 rather than reception and so have missed a whole year of bonding and are still with children potentially a whole year older, it made no sense to me to do that.
I'm due again right at the end of August, and I must admit I would prefer it if I am late (first time I have ever said that!!), this is my last one (no 4) and I want them at home with me for as long as possible before their nose has to hit that grindstone!

Pobblewhohasnotoes · 07/02/2014 15:19

I'm due an August baby, after having a mc I feel lucky that I'm having a baby at all! I couldn't care less when they are born!

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