Does It Matter What Month Your Baby Is Born?

If you’re planning a pregnancy, there are a number of things you can do to ensure a healthy journey for you and your baby. The NHS advises you to start taking folic acid supplements, stop smoking and alcohol consumption, make sure your vaccinations are up to date and to start – if you don’t already, eating a healthy, balanced diet and considering your BMI index. All, of course, absolutely sound advice. 

But does anyone ever take into account the timing of their pregnancy? The birth date of your baby is something they live with for life, and some birth dates don’t have quite the benefits of others.

Olivia, our social media manager, recently celebrated her daughter Emilie’s birthday. This sparked a conversation at Hippychick HQ about the pros and cons around birth dates. Here’s what our Hippychick team had to say. 

Olivia’s daughter Emilie:

• 15^th January
• Pros – not sure there are any!
• Cons – I’ve found it hard when it comes to her birthday as it’s right at the start of the year. It’s when money is always tight straight after the expense of Christmas, so I feel she always suffers a bit in terms of what I can afford. 

Olivia:

• Olivia – 16^th March
• Pros – Growing up I liked having a March birthday as it always seems to fall when the clocks go forward – Spring is in the air and all the daffodils are out. Also, I was one of the first to start driving lessons as I turned 17 before lots of my friends.
• Cons – I really can’t think of any. However now I’ve had a son born in March too, I do find a similar problem to Emilie where it’s so early in the year that it’s not long been Christmas, so I do struggle for present ideas. But otherwise, I think March is a great time of year to be born. 

With both children being born in the first quarter of the year, I didn’t have to worry about them being ready to start school as they’d both been four for some months when the school year started.  

Birth dates do impact the Government’s 3-year funding initiative for nursery as this kicks in the term after they start. So, in Emilie’s case, I didn’t get her funding till the following April which is a long time to wait.  

Leah:

Birth Date: 2^nd August.

• The Pros – My birthday always fell within the school holidays and so I always had big birthday parties outdoors because it’s invariably sunny on the day.   
• The Cons – I was one of the youngest in the school year so was the last one to learn to drive.

Gilly’s daughter:

• My daughter’s birthday falls at the end of November. By Christmas, I’ve normally run out of ideas of what to buy her!

Jeremy:

• 3^rd September
• This has led to me being the youngest in my year all through education as though the cut off was supposed to be 3rd September, my parents managed to creep me into the year above. My birthday also happens to be the day that WWII broke out – it was a standing joke in my family that this was very much the cause of my disruptive influence throughout my childhood!

Julia:

• 10th November
• Pros – I struggle to think of the good things about a November birthday!  If we were in the Southern Hemisphere however, it would be the perfect time of year – the start of summer! Because Valentine’s Day is D Day for 10th November, I have a number of friends, including my god daughter, who share my birthday – so it’s always nice to have a few partners in crime!
• Cons – I never benefited from being one of the oldest in the year as I was put into the class above. So, I was always one of the youngest.  My birthday is invariably dark and wet – and is too close to Christmas so presents are often combined or my family run out of ideas!

Rowan:

• 10^th October
• The pros – I was one of the oldest in my year at school which I think was helpful especially in secondary school as I had more a bit more sense about my options than some of my younger contemporaries. Having a birthday at the beginning of Autumn is a great time of year as it’s not too hot and not too cold and usually the sun shines on my birthday.
• The Cons – I have been trying to think all afternoon if there are any cons but honestly can’t think of any!

Hannah:

• 26^th March
• Pros – Enough time has lapsed since Christmas so anything I didn’t get for Christmas I can ask for my birthday! It is also close to Easter which means we can tie in my birthday celebrations with big family get togethers! Spring has normally arrived too so 9 time out of 10 I have a nice summery day to go out for walks with the family on my birthday too!
• Cons – On the flip side – If I think of something that I wanted for my birthday but didn’t get it, then it’s a long time to wait until Christmas! Now I am a mother, Mother’s Day is also close to my birthday so SOMETIMES the celebration is in danger of merging into one…….

Hannah’s daughter Hollie:

• 3^rd August
• Pros – It’s in the summer holiday so the weather is almost always good and, when she’s older she’ll be at home rather than at school. Whatever she doesn’t get for her Birthday, she can ask for at Christmas and doesn’t have too long to wait!
• Cons – Her birthday party tends to be when many people are on holiday, and she is the youngest in her class. Her birthday is the day after her Grandad’s birthday, which is always going to mean a joint celebration rather than it being her own special day. 

Hannah’s son Teddy:

• 18^th October
• Pros – He is the oldest in his class.
• Cons – It’s very close to Christmas so once his birthday and Christmas have passed, if there is anything he wants, he has to wait 10 months until he can have it! It’s never usually great weather, which can limit options for outdoor activities.

Annaliese:

• 31^st May
• Pros – it always fell during school half term, so I never had to go into school on my birthday. It’s always quite nice weather, not usually too hot, but hot enough to get out and about and not be stuck inside.
• Cons – I was one of the younger ones in my school year, which meant that a lot of people could do things before I could. It’s also a very busy time for birthdays in mine and my husband’s family, so it’s not long before the next one comes along, and attention is diverted away. Also, because it’s half term, it does mean wherever you go is busy.

In summary, it would seem that being born at the beginning of the year means that budgets, and ideas, have already been blown. Summer babies have the benefit of good weather for celebrations but are usually the youngest in their class, and the last to start driving lessons, and those born at the end of the year all too often fall victim to that dreaded combined Christmas and birthday gift. 

Though Julia, our MD and Hippychick founder struggled to find any benefits associated with her November birthday, most people felt they had a good balance of positives and negatives. So taking your babies’ birth date into account when planning a pregnancy, shouldn’t be a major deciding factor. 

Do you love the time of year your birthday falls, or do you wish you’d been born in a different month?  We’d love to hear your views too. Get in touch and let us know your thoughts!