Anyone else expecting a baby at Christmas and getting odd comments?

[Mygravesandme]

Hello All!
I'm due my first baby at some time during the Christmas week, and for the record I'm considered a 'geriatric' mother 🫪
Now initially I was a bit 'annoyed' that the baby was due around Christmas, mainly as I'm not a fan of the Christmas hype and also worried about staffing levels in hospitals 🤣 but genuinely I'm happy to be pregnant and praying for a healthy pregnancy!
However it would seem like a very hot topic with people I'm telling. A couple of strange things I've heard:

1. 'Oh you didn't plan that very well'. You're right, at 40 you can you really 'plan' these things?
2. 'Oh a christmas baby, well at least you know you can get pregnant'. You're right, what more could I want as a geriatric woman 🙄

I'd like to hear from any other Christmas baby mama's, what are the strangest things you've been told during your pregnancy?!

I wouldn’t give it a second thought. People say the maddest things to pregnant women. It’s as though their tongue develops some kind of brain bypass.

People say strange things to pregnant women, I think because they don’t know what to say.

I was surprised how many people asked me if I’d intentionally got pregnant, even with my second child. Just… why is that of interest to a relative / colleague / acquaintance, I have no idea.

The hospital might have less staff, but there are also way less patients during the Christmas period. Between Christmas and new year is another story though.

Congratulations on your pregnancy though ❤️

Honestly. I found people make comments whatever you do. Can’t do right for doing wrong. And all this nonsense “ oh your tired now” etc. I just tell people I’m so happy for them and it’s the best time of your life!

I notice on these age related pregnancy threads commenter chirp in “ oh I’m so tired I could never have a baby at 40” In my head I just think they are tired because they crap food and don’t do much exercise. I know many 40 year olds who are super fit and have their finances sorted and absolutely thrive in motherhood ❤️

I had twins at 39. I was repeatedly asked " were they natural "? , " IVF"? ... Complete strangers too. My older boys are very close in age and I was asked " do they have the same dad "! They do have very different skin tone and hair colour. I would never dream of asking such a question!
Congratulations on your pregnancy and laugh the ignorant comments off x

congratulations!
I’m also due at Christmas. My midwife told me that if I didn’t fancy a Christmas week birth I should ‘just’ go in mid December and say I’ve got reduced movements so that I get an early induction. Apparently this is a thing that lots of people do. Is it really that big a deal to have a birthday over the week of Christmas?
Anyway, I shan’t be doing that. People can be really ignorant when talking to pregnant women.

This is dreadful!! An induction is a medical procedure which has increased risk for mother and baby especially if not necessary. I can’t believe medical staff are encouraging this!!

I mean, actually I can - my friend is a doula and shared data with me (I’m sure it’s available online) about birth rates each day and numbers peak in the days leading up to Xmas and NYE and drop off rapidly on the days themselves. Remarkable that babies know to avoid those inconvenient days isn’t it!! No, hospitals push inductions the week before so they can have less staff on during those days.

that’s the only thing to be aware of OP.

Years ago a friend of mine said the didn't want a baby born near Christmas, they eventually had three children two of them within a week of Christmas, they were not geriatric, things just didn't go to plan.

My DD was fortunately (or could have been all the Christmas shopping) two weeks early, she was due Christmas day, I didn't really consider the complication of Christmas and Birthday happening pretty much at once and nothing for the rest of the year, I do try to separate the two and make sure she gets proper birthday presents and doesn't miss out because of Christmas. My Birthday is near Christmas too so pretty busy around here that time of year.

My daughter's birthday is December and I've had people say Oh that's a shame/She won't need birthday and Christmas presents so it'll work out cheaper/didn't you think about the timing?
Er, she will be having two sets of presents and it's not a bloody shame you weirdo.

I agree with other posters, people are really odd when you're pregnant.

Yes, or they’re saying it because they already have several children and are tired because of them, not because of their age. I was fighting fit when I had DS just short of 40.

I got a ‘Your bump is really small are you sure you are 36 weeks’ I’ve never forgotten it.I gave birth to an 8 lb baby two weeks later.

I was pregnant at the same time as my friends, and they both had Christmas babies. I was due a few months after.

Honestly I was happy for them. People will always comment.

Spring - aww a spring chicken
summer - gosh I’d hate to be pregnant in summer
autumn - they will be the oldest in the class and the first to do everything

But I know that many born around the Christmas period as adults tell me that they had a lifetime of having one set of gifts a year and hardly having Christmas and Birthdays separated. I hear this from every friend born about 10 days either side of Christmas. Im sure this is highly defined by a families tradition - and it’s probably more about the friends you choose as adults and how much Christmas means to you.

I advise them (adult friends) to have a half birthday in the summer - so maybe that would be my odd comment - but to the adult not pregnant mum.

It was in my notes that I was a geriatric mother at 29 in 2003. Have they changed the goalposts lol.

@Mygravesandme I am 39 and expecting my second baby, due date is 25th!

Everyone is telling me I haven't planned it very well. Because of course I was aiming to specifically have a Christmas baby 😂

My second baby was due on January 1st but arrived on 18th December. No comments were made either before or after the birth about the timing .
Also , hospitals are fully staffed at Christmas, in fact we were not allowed to book more than one days holiday over Christmas and new year to ensure fairness. We had to work at least two shifts out of Christmas Eve , ChritmasDay , Boxing Day , New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day .
I think that you are worrying about nothing .

Thanks Ladies!
Was great to read your replies! It was great to see your take on December birthdays and to hear the crazy things people say to you when pregnant. I thought people just said awkward/stupid things around death. Turns out stupid doesn't take a day off.
All the best for those that replied that are also pregnant!

People do say a lot of idiotic and rude things when you are pregnant or have a baby.

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

Why are you attributing this to malice. Most people likely dont care and are thinking of something to say.

Do you think birth rates fall off on those days because they’re bank holidays so no elective c sections? Seems most logical. Same with all but urgent inductions. Who would want to be induced on a bank holiday/day or so before unless it was absolutely necessary? Of course birth rates are lower on those dates but I don’t think it’s revealing something hidden by healthcare workers .

People say stupid things.

Baby. 1-oh, it’s due on x day, that’s good/bad/stupid. You’re rather old/young. Your bump is very big/small

Baby 2, oh, will it be another boy/girl/you will or won’t have a pigeon pair. You’re carrying low.

Baby 3-is your telly broken?!

Yes to be fair I imagine this does have an impact for sure. But I have previously heard stories of people being ‘encouraged’ towards an induction sooner than necessary (say at 40+4 rather than 40+7) to avoid it having to be scheduled on a bank holiday, meaning they reduce the chance of going in to labour naturally which statistically is associated with having a ‘better’ birth. Backed up by another poster’s story above of being told by a midwife to lie about her baby’s movements to get an early induction.

Well my first was supposed to be 21st Dec but was actually far too comfortable and ended up arriving on 1st Jan. He was the first baby born in our area and got his photo in the paper! I just remember so many people saying 'what a lovely Xmas present' I was sick of hearing it!

I don't think people are being stupid, they just think it's preferable not to be born at Christmas. My friend has her birthday on Boxing Day and hates it. I understand how she feels tbh.