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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!!

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hubbahubster · 07/02/2014 19:22

I'm an August baby and I could read by the age of two. I don't remember ever struggling at school either. Can't see that it matters too much!

Blondebrunette1 · 07/02/2014 21:15

I'm having an August baby, most of our family are born in August and we have degrees, masters, and company owners amoungst those. I think it's complete nonsense and 100% down to the child and support they get. Is there not an argument for the fact that from a slightly younger age they are being taught professionally? I think some people like to plan a little too much, but were all different and that's what makes us interesting I think. X

chocolatecrispies · 07/02/2014 21:27

I think many summer born children struggle emotionally and socially - and they definitely as a group struggle academically all the way through, apparently August born children do 20% less well at GCSE than autumn borns.

You can give as many examples as you want of successful August borns, the studies show they struggle. It is the emotional side of it that bothers me and so I have kept my summer born son out of school. I think it is hard to recover your self esteem after always being the least competent in the class.

ArgyMargy · 07/02/2014 21:37

I was 9 months pregnant in a very hot summer - didn't mind at all. Loved being able to be outside on the swing with my tiny baby. The point is everyone is different and for every summer baby who struggles there is probably an autumn baby struggling too. Planning to have a baby around a time of year that suits you is perfectly reasonable.

lilyaldrin · 07/02/2014 21:44

I was pleased to have an August baby - a year's less childcare to pay!

HMG83 · 07/02/2014 21:54

Haha love threads like this. What a load of nonsense!

I'm an August baby, as is my younger brother and we've done very well for ourselves. I was even put up a year at school!!!!

My sister is a Jan babe and she struggled at school.

HMG83 · 07/02/2014 21:56

chocolatecrispies

MomentForLife · 07/02/2014 22:05

My DD is August baby and was one of the first to start reading books, as was her friend who is August baby. She had already learnt everything she did in F1 at home and needed extra work in F2. Yr one now and no problems.

I think parents need to realize that you can't rely on school for everything when they're in a class of 30. DD maybe struggled a bit more emotionaly because she was just 3 when starting school but that's it really.

theborrower · 07/02/2014 22:43

In Scotland the school intake is from 1 March, but I've never heard of people going on about unlucky February babies. Besides, there is the option to defer if they're going to be 4 when they start school - not sure of all the details mind you, because my DD is an August baby and therefore will be in the slightly older half of her year. The school thing aside, it's lovely to be a summer baby because you'll always have your birthday in the sunny school holidays :-)

Peacenquiet2 · 08/02/2014 06:47

My ds ia an august baby and is clearly at a disadvantage in his nursery group. There are kids in his group who are almost a year older which makes a huge difference at this age and the difference in learning ability and maturity is obvious from a mile off. This goes for all the very young ones in his group.
My dd on the other hand is an october baby and now at the top of her class at 7 and has always been a step ahead. She had a year longer at home with me educating her before she even started formal education which i believe gave her a massive head start.
Of course i work with my ds at home as much as i did my dd but i still feel he automatically lacks the advantages my dd had and i do have serious concerns about how this will affect his early years and possibly his later years at school.
Having said all that i wouldnt have avoided trying in a certain time frame to avoid an august baby as i feel lucky to have him whatever his birth month.
Im glad this dc will be early march and so falls somewhere in the middle.

Peacenquiet2 · 08/02/2014 06:50

And by the way its rained on every birthday my ds has had, so much for lovely sunny birthday days out! :-)

Nomorepeppapig · 08/02/2014 08:22

In Scotland your children start the term they are 5 though so that's very different. Better in my eyes! My 2 are July and it does make me very sad they will just be babies when they start. I so wish they still did an Easter intake. Don't understand why they don't.
Chocolatecrispies that's not very helpful for those that are worry!

Madonnaquintessential · 08/02/2014 08:24

I was an August baby (august 21st) I always did well at school! Surely a few months is not going to make a difference by the time dc are school age!?
Madness.
That said, I think I would worry a bit having a baby in middle of winter- when dd was born I loved being able to get out everyday in the fresh air. Then again, everyone is different - I would never make a sweeping generalisation that a particular time is "unlucky".

Madonnaquintessential · 08/02/2014 08:28

Chocolatecrispies explain my fab GCSE's, Masters in Literature and IQ of a 140 then please? I was born in August...

smaths · 08/02/2014 08:33

DD1 is 31st August and DD2 is 28th August. It never crossed my mind to be concerned about school. But in any case we live in NI where the school year cut off is 30June, so they will be amongst the oldest in the class.

Bumpsadaisie · 08/02/2014 08:39

I was an aug baby. Always the brightest in the class but better still I always felt so lucky to have my birthday in the lovely summer and never have to go to school on your birthday

My theory is that if you come out into the world when the skies are blue the days long and the weather warm it sets you up for life with positivity and optimism (NB there is no scientific basis for this whatsoever)

Howly · 08/02/2014 08:53

Of course they might struggle they are a year younger than their peers so not as advanced ... But in the grand scheme of things once they get older it makes no difference, I'm a secondary teacher and my brightest children are those who work hard, enjoy the subject and have lots of support with school work at home, this is not determined by the month they were born in! I'm a July baby, my baby is due on my birthday, I'm over the moon!! I will have a years less nursery fees to pay and plan to start teaching my child to read before going to school!

ArgyMargy · 08/02/2014 09:31

Bumps I agree - summer babies having a sunny disposition sounds just right to me!!

neolara · 08/02/2014 15:33

Howly - But month of birth does have an impact, certainly up to A level and entrance to university. One of the things I find a bit depressing is that when my dd (July birthday) was in Reception and Years 1 and 2, the teachers acknowledged the difficulties she faced being so young. But as she has got older, I think teachers are much less aware if the impact. I can see very clearly how much easier everything is for my dc3 (Sept birthday) on almost every front.

dimdommilpot · 08/02/2014 16:50

I was an august baby, i was moved ahead a year at school aged 7! If we were to have DC3 then i would love an august baby, DD1 is october, DD2 will be April.

Madonnaquintessential · 08/02/2014 18:27

Also... Why is having a little 'challenge' deemed negative? Conversley, I think being that little bit younger could make one more determined -if anything at all!

Purplelooby · 08/02/2014 22:33

I'm a teacher with an August baby (shock horror). When people comment, I point out to them that it took me 2 years to conceive so they are being rather insensitive suggesting that I could have 'planned' it better. I know it will be a little harder for him at the start but I really, really don't need people to point it out to me...

Howly · 09/02/2014 14:36

How on earth does the month you were born in affect you at A level and uni? I was born in July, got 3 good a levels and went to uni to study geology in which I attained a 2:1 ( I could have got a 1st but I was lazy, not due to the fact I was born in July!!) I've worked as an engineer and now I'm a teacher! I also changed primary school 5 times and was in all bottom sets for year 7, I made so much progress in that first year of secondary I moved up to the top sets in all my banded core subjects! When I left after 6th form I had made the most improvement of all the pupils in my year!

From my experience your child's attainment in school is reflected in their work ethic, behaviour, motivation and parent support/discipline at home not the month they were born in! the children that have the worst levels in my subject are those that are lazy, poorly behaved and have no parental support or discipline a home - I certainly don't think these are effected by the month the child is born in !

22honey · 09/02/2014 15:55

I am another who took 18 months to conceive the first time followed by an ectopic and losing a twin, I am now pregnant again and couldn't give a rats arse my baby is due in August, its something I've never given any thought too and tbh I'm a summer baby and always loved it.

I am just glad to be pregnant and cannot believe people actually plan a conception for a certain time of year. When your ttc it can take many months and the baby could be due at any point by the time your actually pregnant.

Plateofcrumbs · 10/02/2014 16:22

I'm pretty sure there are studies that show there is a difference in attainment levels for those born towards the end of the academic year compared to those born at the start. However, it's just one factor against all the myriad of factors that will have some impact on how your DS/DD will fare academically. It's not exactly sentencing them to the academic doldrums.

Would I rather have a September baby? Certainly! But I've quickly realised in the grand scheme of things it's not the end of the world. When the time comes, it's something I'll bear in mind (that DD or DS is amongst the youngest in the year and might need a bit of extra support particularly at the start), but that's all.

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