When is the best month to have a baby?

tiamai_d

DS1 was born in September at 35 weeks, so I wasn't huge during the summer, but was nice weather for when in hospital and I could get our for a walk round the grounds (was in for 2 weeks before, 2 after).

DS2 was born in April at 33 weeks, no inclination to walk round the grounds even if I could have. Weather soon picked up when we got home so lots of nice walks.

DD was born in August at 37 weeks and it was pretty horrible. Too hot, too big, couldn't sleep at night, couldn't have ice lollies due to gestational diabetes! Pretty much all the clothes still ended up with my feeling horrible and sweaty in uncomfortable places. I spent a lot of time with my feet paddling in a bath of cold water. It was nice that we could get out for walks at the end of the summer though.

As for being the eldest in class, DS1 is one of the eldest and really would have done better deferring a year. It's only been the tail end of last year and this year (he is in P4) that he has caught up with the rest of his class.

Spendless

Mine are March babies. I was always glad I didn't do my heaviest months of pregnancy throughout the summer. It doesn't always follow that an Autumn born child will be the more advanced of their class (I have a September birthday and my sister an October one.;)). Though if you do want to work to this bear in mind where you live. Mine would be the eldest of the school year below that they are currently in if we lived in Scotland.

Non-means tested funding for the term after their 3rd birthday in funded from Jan for children born Sept-Dec and after Easter for those born Jan-March. (DD just got in!) April to Aug babies miss out on the extra term/s. I've always thought this unfair on April babies who just miss out, but aren't the youngest summer babies either.

My friend has 2 December born children and says it drives her mad that people buy them a joint christmas/birthday present. I know of other mums who have late July/August born kids who say they may have the advantage of summer birthday parties but don't see people during the hols to invite plus people are often on hol then and can't attend. I have had this problem with my DD's parties cos her birthday sometimes falls during Easter school hols.

Spendless

tiamai_d wrote: »

DS1 was born in September at 35 weeks, so I wasn't huge during the summer, but was nice weather for when in hospital and I could get our for a walk round the grounds (was in for 2 weeks before, 2 after).

DS2 was born in April at 33 weeks, no inclination to walk round the grounds even if I could have. Weather soon picked up when we got home so lots of nice walks.

DD was born in August at 37 weeks and it was pretty horrible. Too hot, too big, couldn't sleep at night, couldn't have ice lollies due to gestational diabetes! Pretty much all the clothes still ended up with my feeling horrible and sweaty in uncomfortable places. I spent a lot of time with my feet paddling in a bath of cold water. It was nice that we could get out for walks at the end of the summer though.

As for being the eldest in class, DS1 is one of the eldest and really would have done better deferring a year. It's only been the tail end of last year and this year (he is in P4) that he has caught up with the rest of his class.

I thought the academic intake year in Scotland ran from the eldest being March born and the yougest Feb born, unlike in England where the eldest is September born and the youngest August. Is that not always the case? I am assumming you are in Scotland due to not only your location but your saying P4 (Primary 4) instead of the term year 4.

kindofagilr

I always wanted a Sept baby so he would be the oldest in the year as I was born in July and one of the youngest in the year and I hated it lol it meant that in GCSE year I was actually only 15 when took them and personally don't think I was ready

We have however just had our baby in March, and I love that I can take him out in the pram most days

The only downside was Christmas and New Year not being able to go out but it wasnt that much of a big deal.

dizziblonde

From a teaching perspective - summer born children, particularly boys do tend to struggle a bit more as a general rule - they catch up given time, but you can generally tell the summer birthdays after spending as little as a morning with a class (I'm summer born myself).

I'd have liked a Sept/Oct baby, but after 3+ years of trying, now I'd settle for anything that arrived to be honest - life doesn't work as planned.

Emmamumof2

I had June and July babies - it was lovely taking them out in the summer but with July baby I did feel uncomfortable with swollen feet for a fair few weeks! I do think about them being the youngest in the school year but Im sure we can get over that!
I agree with the people who say just try and when you get pregnant you will be so happy it wont matter to you when they are born - my second was in special care baby unit for a month after she was born and it certainly makes you take stock.

Raksha

Mine are end of April, beginning of June and Middle of June - and I'd do the same again.

Birthday parties are easier to organise if the children are at school at the time of the birthday. My birthday is middle of April, and I cant' remember ever having to go to school for my birthday, and my middle one is nearly always off school for half term for his birthday, which makes getting responses to invitations difficult.

Becles

My eldest was due on the 23rd December and when I was pregnant, I was thinking it was a bit of a silly time to have him as my Mam's birthday is the 19th, so I know all about the disappointment as a child as your birthday is ignored because it's too close to Christmas. Luckily he arrived at the end of November instead

Got two winter babies - Nov and Feb. I also had two dogs, so even when it was wet and icy cold outside, they still got bundled into the pram for a walk every day and it never did them any harm. Was a little worried about them getting cold at night, but bought one of those electric oil filled radiators and left it running on low overnight and it was enough just to keep the chill off the room.

Third child was born in May, and we had some warm sunny days, so it was nicer walking her. As someone has said, she'll miss out on the pre-school funding. She goes to a paid play group where parents stay twice a week, but in September she'll go straight into nursery class at the local school. My boys were able to go to sessions in the community centre as their birthdays were earlier in the academic year. The eldest got two free terms and the middle one got a term.

I'm an August baby and never struggled at school. I'd just turned 4 when I started and my Mam said I was ready to go and I was in the top sets right through school and left with good qualifications. It was uncomfortable for my Mam though as she was pregnant during one of the exceptionally hot summers in the 70's, and then went two weeks overdue before I arrived, so she was really fed up with the heat.

Bufger

I was one of the youngest in my year and my younger brother was the eldest in his year. He did really well at school and i did average.

He now works in a bar and im an engineer.

Dont worry about any of it and enjoy the whole experience. Dont make trying to conceive hard work either, if it doesnt happen straight away dont worry just enjoy your time together and enjoy sex without protection for once! It will happen in time and far bigger things in your childrens lives will influence what happens in the end.

mistrihelen

I think an autumn baby would be nice for the weather/being among the oldest at school.

However, you can't always plan these things and after three years of ttc I couldn't care a jot that I'm having a June baby.