What month did you give birth?

[Molli526]

Hi!

DH and I are at the point of being serious about having kids. I am wondering what month you gave birth as we are trying to decide if I am being unreasonable. My job requires me to be on my feet a good part of the day. I am in sales, so I am also in and out of my car and exposed to the elements i.e. the hot, hot, sun, the muggy, summer weather (We are in Michigan), rain etc.

My mom gave birth to one of my sisters in September and said that summer was the worst ever b/c she was so swollen and hot. My partner at work gave birth August 31 and she had to go on leave a month early due to swelling etc. b/c of being on her feet etc. I also had a friend give birth in September who had to go on leave a few weeks early due to swelling.

So, I am not really keen on the idea of being in my third trimester over the summer, but DH thinks I am being too picky. I know, you don't always get pregnant when you want, but am still curious regardless.

So, what month did you give birth, and how was your comfort level during the third trimester? Where were you located i.e state when you gave birth?

Thanks!!

PS. I know you can't always get pregnant when you want.

[MKSquared]

Well, here's a poll I can't respond to ... but I've got to hand it to you, Molli, you found a poll that doesn't need an Obligatory Other. :D I hope you get the results you're looking for!

[Molli526]

Thanks MK!

[hrk]

I gave birth to my first child in May. And while you can't plan when you get pregnant I was just like you did not want to be pregnant over the summer. I live in Maryland and summers are hot and humid and I did not want to be pregnant then. So DH and I started trying in June and were pregnant in August. Ultimately I was very happy with the way this worked out since I was very huge and always hot at the end even though it was only in the mid 80's and low humidity

[SueK]

Molli- I had DD#1 in April, and that worked out well. I didn't mind being in maternity clothes over the winter and since I did swell up quite a bit, I was glad she came in the spring.

I am due next month with #2, but being pregnant in the summer hasn't been that bad. I didn't get big this time, nor have I had swelling, so I guess I got lucky with the timing.

I guess you just don't know if you will have swelling, etc., so I can definitely see why you'd prefer to not be the "most" pregnant during the summer months, especially if you're going to be on your feet alot.

[beacooker]

Very creative way to draw attention to your poll, Molli. :))

I had my son in January. I had done the same kind of thinking as you, and thought it would be best to deliver in March or April, May at the latest. We started trying a little bit before that, thinking, well NO WAY would we get pregnant on the first shot. Oops.

Other than the fact that I was humongously pregnant at Christmas time, and that my son's birthday will forever be lost in the hubub of the holidays, my last trimester was great, weather wise.

[gertdog]

I can't respond to the poll part because I haven't been pregnant myself, but I can say that I was born in late September and my mom said exactly what yours did about being pregnant in the summer. She was utterly miserable and says there's a good reason my younger sister was born in April. :p Sorry Mom!!!!

[jphilg]

I am very interested in the outcome of this poll...I was jsut doing some calculations this morning about when, in a perfect world, I would want to get pregnant (DH and I have been having The Talk, and we are sure that it is not this year.) I was actually thinking that September would be a great time to have a baby because then maternity leave would extend into the holidays, and we could have one sort of idyllic Christmas before the realities of two working parents set in. Yeah. I am nuts and clueless about the first few months of parenthood.

But I didn't think about the very-pregnant-all-summer thing...hmm. Fun to think about.

[Molli526]

Stephanie, the rest of us were born in February, April and May.

Thanks Anne! I really want people to vote :o

[Robyncz]

DD#1 was born in November. That wasn't bad at all. It had already started to cool down before I got really uncomfortable.

DD#2 was born in May. Also not bad. That time it had started to cool down before I realized I was pregnant.

Good luck with your planning!

[MusicMom]

I voted October since you were interested in the summer months, although I also had a baby in May.

I live in Virginia where it can get very hot and humid in July and August. However, on really miserable days I stayed inside where it is air conditioned. I just passed on some of the outdoor festivals and stayed home to relax. I have a sit-down job, so I was able to put a stool under my desk and prop my feet up.

Granted, the last time I was pregnant was ten years ago, but I think your feet can swell even if it's winter. It's just the nature of the changes to your body.

[Chefzhat]

October for one, November for the other. I don't remember being uncomfortable for either last trimester, but I do remember that the summer/fall clothes were so much more flattering and cute than the winter stuff - if that helps any!!??!!

I was a pampered, spoiled lady during both pregnancies - it was all good!!

Debie

[Laura]

Well I gave birth in August and December, both kids were late and should have been born in different months, and I was not intending for either month. :o With both kids we were not "trying" but also were not using any form of birth control other timing my cycle. Actually with my daughter I knew the timing was close, but with my son, I didn't think there was any way I could get pregnant.

The pregnancy with my son was more uncomfortable as I lived in Calif. at the time, and we had a very hot, dry, windy fall.

[MusicMom]

Here's another thought. As long as you're planning an ideal schedule ;), check the enrollment cut-off at your local school system. Here, the cut-off is September 30, so children born in October like my DD have to wait almost a whole year after turning 5 years old before they can go to Kindergarten. My DS, born in May, is about the average age in his grade.

[funnybone]

I had my first in August and second in Dec. I vote for summer being easier because you wear lighter clothes. Luckily the year I had my second was a mild winter and I didn't have to worry about a heavy coat I couldn't do up or boots.

Good Luck!

[lhall]

December and January.

It does mean they get tons of gifts very close together. DD2's b-day is about 2 weeks before Christmas, and DD1's is 2 weeks after.

Leigh

[Grace]

I can't answer on this thread either, having no kids, except to add that I was born on July 31st, and my mother told me it was pretty horrible considering there was no air conditioning in the hospital, and it was brutally hot that week. :rolleyes:

But, not that I believe in horoscopes or anything :p , but I think Leos are pretty cool! :D :D

I remember when we were trying to have kids, I was more concerned with what the weather was going to be AFTER the kid was going to be born - I didn't want to be shut up in the house all winter, not able to exercise or get out and do anything, so I was hoping to have a child in the spring so I could have all summer to get back in shape. But that never worked out for us :(

Best wishes to you no matter WHEN you have a baby!! :D

[clairea]

DS was born in August. When we got ready to start trying for #2, I told DH that if I didn't get pregnant in time for the baby to be born in the spring/early summer, we were just going to wait a whole year! I guess you know how I felt about being pregnant in August in Atlanta:D

DD was born in early March (should have been mid-April, though). I thought that would be great timing, but I was really sick during my first trimester and I think the heat and humidity made that worse.

So, I guess my vote would be to get pregnant in September or October. I am guessing it would have cooled down in Michigan by then so the first trimester wouldn't be bad, and you would have the baby before it got too hot.

Claire

[LaraW]

Originally posted by gertdog
I can't respond to the poll part because I haven't been pregnant myself, but I can say that I was born in late September and my mom said exactly what yours did about being pregnant in the summer.

Change the part about not having been pregnant to not having given birth yet, and ditto this. My baby is due in December, so I'm only a week into the 3rd trimester, but I can tell you that even during the 2nd trimester in July and August when it was over 90 every day, I was pretty warm.

[HeatherTx]

I had DS in April and DD in May. I live in Tx and REALLY liked not being pg in the summer! I was born in August (In Tx too) and my mom said she was miserable!

[JoanneOR]

The poll will only let me vote once, but I had four births. One July, two Septembers, and one November.

I didn't enjoy being pregnant in the summer, but it happened that my last trimester was in the summer for three of them. I really stayed in air conditioning most of the time, as the heat really bothered me. But, I must say, it is fun for the kids to have a summer birthday. It doesn't really get lost in any major holidays, like a November or December birthday, and they can have outside parties.

I found it easier to dress in the summer, too. I liked the summer maternity clothes more than the winter. And, I didn't have to worry about buttoning my winter coat.

Actually, I think an April or May baby would be ideal. It's not really warm yet, and by the time summer comes around the baby is a couple months old and you'll feel more comfortable taking him out. I spent some long winters cooped up with babies going crazy. It was too cold to take them out so young so we stayed inside.

[sneezles]

Originally posted by MKSquared
but I've got to hand it to you, Molli, you found a poll that doesn't need an Obligatory Other. :D

Well, having given birth 3 times and all born in different months I looked for the Other as a choice :p ! DS#1 was born in September but we lived in Singapore so every day was hot and muggy. DS#2 was born in January and we were living in Scotland and that was marvelous! No need for a/c and no need for heat...DH wore longjohns until March! ;) DS#3 was born in April in Houston and that was very doable. Even though Texas can be exceptionally warm during the "winter" months I don't recall whining about the heat like I did with DS#1!

[KristaMB]

Molli, after all these years of lurking on the PG and Mom's threads you may be ready to join? How exciting! :D

I gave birth in early August in San Diego. July was pretty warm inland where I lived, but I worked in an A/C building on the coast, so I wasn't miserable. Now that I live in Sacramento where we have long stretches of 100+ temps, I think it may be a different story. :p

This may be a little controversial, but one thing that you may consider is that it might actually be nice to have a reason to go out on maternity leave early. Of course I know that you should never hope for something like swelling, but if it happens then it happens. If you can manage financially being on a few weeks of disability then going out early may not be too bad, IMHO. DS came a month early and I was at work, exhausted the day before I delivered. I would loved to have been well rested for his delivery, on leave already, with a suitcase packed and more prepared than I was.

Best of luck to you,
Krista

[Chefzhat]

Krista - you've got a point there. I was at work both days that I delivered and I remember thinking that I wish I had been more rested rather than going into labor and delivery on no sleep, a full day's work, home chores, etc then off to the hospital at 11 or midnight to labor for a few hours. I was TIRED!!!

Debie

[RunnerKim]

My daughter was born in September (just a week for being 1 years old!). I didn't give a thought to the whole heat/swelling thing because I lived in Portland, OR for crying out loud. Hot is 80 degrees. When I lived in St. Louis, I said no way would I be in my 3rd tri-mester during the summer, but when we moved to Portland I figured it wouldn't matter. Well even living in Portland it was hot hot hot (we also don't have a/c). I kept remarking this summer how much more bearable it was. That said I wasn't so badthat I will try to schedule around summer next time (hmmm DH might feel differently). I did not have a big problem with swelling. I swam 2-3 times a week and I think that helped (and walked at least once a day for a couple of miles).

It really helped me that I was in my 3rd tri-mester during good weather (even if it was HOT) because I stayed active. I think I'd have a harder time doing that during the gloomy rainy season here (AKA winter).

the school cut-off thing is something to consider in this ideal planning scenario. Not just how ready (or "over-ready") they'll be to start but the school year starts after Labor day around here - that's going to make invitations to her birthday party kind of tough. With 25 plus class sizes, do people still invite the whole class?? Oh and it's working out nicely that I can get her 12 month development toys for her 1st birthday and anything that will be too old I can just hold off until Christmas.

And don't forget to consider birth stones! :D

All that said - my daughter had a real problem with respiratory viruses, including being hospitalized at 4.5 months with pnuemonia. It would be nice to have a baby in the spring so they're older/stronger before cold & flu season hits (particularly if day care is in the child's future).

Additionally, I think September tends to be a very popular birth month (statisically speaking, but I don't know for sure). My lacatation consultant said they were always very busy in Sept and I know they ran out of rooms while I was at the hospital. Just think back 9 months -- it's all the Christmas and New Years babies :D

Kim

[Molli526]

Interesting. Thanks for your responses.

School isn't an issue, unless something changes, as the cut-off is December 31.

I think I *would* like to be off before the delivery some, but I only get 8 weeks at full pay, so I want to be able to spend the bulk of the time off with the baby. I am the primary breadwinner so how long I am off with full pay does factor in.

[Jessica]

I don't have any children, but my mother is the oldest of four and she was born in September. My grandmother's next three were May, May, April :)

When Mom got married, my grandmother's one bit of advice was, "don't be pregnant in the summer." She had us in May, April and October, but the last one was an oops.

My SIL just had a baby and she was pretty warm that last month or two. Her feet didn't swell much but her hands did.

[Terrytx]

I didn't do the poll either cause I need to check too many-April, August, October and November. If I had to choose one of these to redo it would be April.

[sharris315]

January here--and I was really FREAKED that there was going to be a BIG snow storm when I went into labor...

I don't know that I would change it; I was just happy to be pregnant. It never occurred to me to plan that.

Shar

[Molli526]

I am a bit on the anal side and like to try and plan things :rolleyes: Obviously, you can't plan for everything, but you can sure try :)

[LaraW]

Originally posted by Molli526
I am a bit on the anal side and like to try and plan things :rolleyes: Obviously, you can't plan for everything, but you can sure try :)

I'm a planner too. If I hadn't have gotten pregnant when I did, I would have happily held off a month to avoid having a baby due on MIL's birthday :o

We were not planning to avoid summer so much as we were planning to avoid March. March is the snowiest month here and I did not want to be schlepping through 3 or 4 feet of snow on the way to the hospital.

[rosie_one]

Had births both in mid-june and November. I think May/June babies are great. Not too hot yet and the baby sleeps much better when the weather warms up. He or she will be used to being 98.6 after all. My little winter guy was always bundled up. Plus you can get outside, get some exercise and make some other mommy friends. Especially with your first you will need friends who are going through the same transition. Sunshine therapy is very good for those inevitable post baby blues too.

Enjoy!!

[nori]

I voted for August, but it was very end of the August....29th, actually, and I was exactly one month earlier than due date. I'm living in AZ and let me tell you, third trimester living here was rough! Plus, we just moved in to our first house which doesn't have AC but just a swamp cooler (evaporative cooler).:eek: I remember standing just below the air vent, with my skirt flipping.:o (No one was home at that time).

Last part of pregnancy, I had hard time with sleeping posture and swollen feet. I was working at that time and thank goodness my office was very casual mood, so I could wear the sandal (the only one I could wear with maximum width setting) to work. No way wearing tiny heels or other dressy shoes at that time. I was seriously worried that I might not be able to wear those anymore. My feet stayed that way about 2 weeks after I delivered the baby.

If I could have choosen, I'd get pregnant during summer so when I get so big, it's nice winter around here.

Good luck!:)

[Canice]

No kids for me, either, but I was born in late September, and my mother was never shy about talking about how miserable she was those last two months :rolleyes: . My sister says her only recollection of Mom being pregnant with me is that of her lying on a chaise longe in the shade, eating popsickles and crying. Oh, and this was about 10 miles north of San Francisco - it doesn't really get that hot!

[claire797]

I had my baby in August. But really, if I were you I would just start trying and stop trying so hard to plan everything. That will only make you feel more stressed and I think stress might not be a good thing when you are trying to conceive. No matter when you're pregnant you're going to run into challenges.

Just go for it!

[Beth]

I voted July, but one was June 28th and the other in July. I had hoped for March, April or May but really wanted to avoid November- February due to all the holidays and family birthdays.

The July pregnancy was miserable at the end. We were having record heat and living in a house with no AC. If I had been able to continue working, it wouldn't have been as bad, but I went out early with preterm labor and didn't even get the AC at work and wasn't supposed to go to the mall, etc. Second time around, the weather was better, but we moved when he was 3 weeks old (he was late), so no matter what -- it's always somethin'! ;)

One thing I learned when the ids got a little older -- summer birthday parties can be just as hard to pull off as those during the winter holidays. Friends with divorced parents leave for a month at a time during the summer, other friends visit families by the month, and so on. That was a surprise to this December birthday! :D

[mom2garret]

I had Garret in November and really liked being pregnant all summer. I am not one for wearing bulky sweaters so the thought of being pg and have to bundle up was not appealing at all. The only downfall is when the b-day parties roll around your limited on outside playtime. Of course, it took us 6-1/2 years so I was happy with any month!;)

[sneezles]

Originally posted by Beth
The July pregnancy was miserable at the end. We were having record heat and living in a house with no AC.

Darlin', you're a better woman than I! I'd have forgone food before I'd given up a/c!!!
And as a person who has a summer birthday, I think they suck! I never got to celebrate it in class and my mother always said "Everyone's probably on vacation by now!" I didn't want presents I just wanted a party...so now no matter how old I get (and frankly I decided to just quit counting) there will always be a party!

[ellamay]

Just wanted to chime in and say that we are also trying to time it so I am not in my last trimester during the summertime. I can't imagine dealing with 100-degree heat and being hugely pregnant. My brother was born August 28 and my mom still describes that summer as "the most uncomfortable summer of my life" :)

[BeckyM]

My daughter was induced on Sept. 30th and born on October 1st (so I voted October). I originally thought having a spring / early-summer baby would be ideal, but our planning didn't work out that way. It took us about nine months to get pregnant, so by then I didn't care when it was -- I just wanted a baby.

Cincinnati gets awfully hot and humid in the summer, and I did swell up, but I wasn't too uncomfortable. Like Kim, I kept active, so I think that helped. I would get up and go walking in the morning before it got too hot, and I took pre-natal water aerobics (which felt great!) and pre-natal yoga. Like Nori, I was glad my office was casual enough that I could wear sandals, because that was the only thing that was comfortable on my feet.

I also agree that summer maternity clothes are cuter than winter ones, PLUS you don't have to buy a new jacket or any of those other winter necessities. By the time I started showing, it was spring, so I mostly had light-weight, summery outfits.

I agree with the people who said not to plan too much. You'll get pregnant when it's the right time for your baby to come. Now that I have my little girl, it doesn't matter at all what I had to go through to get her.

Becky :)

[valchemist]

I had Julia in February and was very happy with how things turned out, month-wise. Obviously, it wasn't hot during my most pregnant months, which was great.

But there was one other thing that no one else has mentioned... This may sound kind of dumb... I was happy that when Julia was learning to crawl (at 9 months), it was long-pants weather. I didn't like the thought of her crawling around with shorts on our hard floors. I know lots of babies learn to crawl with shorts on hard floors. And I also know babies don't have to wear shorts in the summer. But I thought I would mention it. Also, Julia was a proficient walker by the time springtime arrived, so it was nice to have her walking (and not tripping and falling all the time) outside on the driveway/sidewalks.

[Karen M]

I had Evan in March. It worked out great. Only had one season of maternity clothes to buy (winter-although I didn't do the sweaters as I was always hot!), no swelling, lost the baby weight (for the most part) before summer short season, got to have the spring/summer off with the baby. When we have #2, I'll shoot for the same time period. Also, you don't have to bundle up a little tiny baby for winter.

[MrsReber]

I didn't vote because I had 2 answers- May and July. May was by far the better one, although it did get very hot in the beginning of May. You will have 5 extra pints of blood running through your veins. I was having battles all winter with DH over the thermostat! I was MISERABLE during my second pregnancy when June rolled around- hot, humid, felt big, uncomfortable, couldn't sleep. Even the air conditioner didn't make it cool enough for me. I could hardly breathe outside. I did stop working in the middle of June because I couldn't handle the commute anymore. It was not fun. I just remember giving that final push and saying to DH "Ahh! It feels so great to not be pregnant anymore!!"

Shoot for spring- then you get the summer off!

[Jorgan]

I gave birth to my DS in Novemeber (I live in Minnesota). The one nice thing was I was on maternity leave for the holidays but I really didn't like being inside for the cold winter months. We didn't plan to get pregnant to give birth at any particular time of the year but I think it worked out well!

[RunnerKim]

Originally posted by valchemist
I was happy that when Julia was learning to crawl (at 9 months), it was long-pants weather.

Val - this is a good point! Lainey started crawling at 8 months, summer time here and it wasn't just hardwood floors but sidewalks, brick patios etc. Can't keep this girl still no matter where I am. I was happy when I could put pants on her again but now she's walking so it doesn't really matter, but I did comment when the weather finally turned that I was happy her legs would be better protected.

Kim

[KristinK]

August (31st) baby checking in. (No children of my own ... yet.)

I've heard plenty of complaints from my Mom about having not one, but two, August babies, just two years apart. (My older brother was August 7.) She either learned her lesson or just had better luck with my younger sisters, born in April and January.

Aside from that, from my personal perspective, August and September babies tend to be either the youngest or the oldest in their classes. My parents chose to place me a year ahead because they were afraid I'd be less challenged in school if placed a year behind. On the other hand, DBF has a September birthday, almost a year older than me, although we were the same year in school. He liked being older because it gave him a competitive edge in sports. I was the youngest of all my friends, while he was usually among the oldest of his. This particularly bothered me when I was the last to get my license or turn 21.

For that reason, along with the discomfort of being pregnant in the summer, if you're trying to plan as best you can, I personally would aim for the earlier months of the year.

[MrsReber]

Interesting to see that the highest number is in August. Guess that goes to show what happens during those cold winter months!

[Kristi]

My only DD was born in September, but the heat wasn't as horrible as I expected. I live in Dallas and our summers can be excruciatingly hot, but luckily last summer (when I had DD) was not bad. I had a very healthy pregnancy and didn't swell very much, so that helped too. The nice thing about giving birth in late summer was that the autumn weather was awesome during the time when I was ready to start walking and getting back in shape!

[boisewinesnob]

Originally posted by MKSquared
but I've got to hand it to you, Molli, you found a poll that doesn't need an Obligatory Other. :D I hope you get the results you're looking for!

Sorry to say, but I'm an Oo :o
I couldn't vote because I have more than one child; all born in different months. But maybe I can still contribute ;) :
Least favorite: December--too close to Christmas and enough excitement/busy-ness already!
Second least favorite: September; actually he was due Aug 17th :eek: so I did have a lot of hot days to deal with that were miserable.
Relative favorite: February; not that this was the greatest either, with all the icy roads and having to go to a million dr visits during the first few weeks.

I'd think the best time would be April/May/June, if I had it to do over :)

[Luv to Cook]

I had DD at the beginning of June. It was great being pregnant during the winter, except the morning sickness. I had to miss out on all the fun food at Thanksgiving and Christmas (but then, I had baaaadd all-day sickness!!!). The thought of sweet potatoes turned my stomach. It was wonderful having her in June, but it was hard to get out much because it was so darn hot. I was told that babies under 8 lbs (she was 6lbs.) have difficulty regulating their temperature. Needless to say, we were inside alot. I really just wanted to take some walks to get out, but it was hard. It got easier as she got a little bigger. Something to think about. Anyhow, I wanted to get pregnant in December and have the baby in September, but instead I got pregnant in September. So you never know what will happen. Either way I am so happy that it worked out the way it did, or I would not have this beautiful little girl sitting here before me. Babies are a blessing whenever they are born!

Anita

[robinf]

My daughter was born December 31 so we always have a reason to celebrate New Year's Eve.

I think December is a great time. I wasn't too pregnant during the summer. Since I am always cold, I was comfortable during the winter since, as everyone has commented, being preganant tends to make you warm. I also didn't mind the cold as much after I had the baby since I think breastfeeding tends to raise your internal temperature too.

Also, having six most post-partum before summer gives me some time to get back into shape was nice. We fortuately had a fairly mild winter the year my daghter was born so was able to get out often. My neighbor just the other day mentioned how much I was outside when my daughter was a newborn - and that was almost 7 years ago!

[Josh's Mom]

I voted March.

My son was born in March so I wasn't pregnant during the summer months. When I was pregnant NO maternity clothes were cute so that wasn't even an issue! But, I didn't start needing maternity clothes till fall/winter so I had only had to buy for one season. My maternity leave was in the spring and that was very nice. Plus, the approaching summer with all the fresh fruits and vegetables made it easy to lose the weight I'd gained.

I did get a lot of Christmas presents the year I was pregnant because "little angel" as they called him, had to have a gift too! That was fun.

My son is average in his school so that's nice for him. Plus, his birthstone is pretty...not that he really cares :D

[cooks4pleasure]

Had a boy in Nov, had girls in Dec, June, July, and Aug. I don't recommend summer births.:)

[Karen M]

Molli - two other things I thought of.....

If you have a spring baby and want to breastfeed, you won't have to fight with thick bulky layers while nursing. I simply can't wear a sweatshirt while I feed Evan, there is just too much material in the way. In fact, if we're at home, I usually just take my top off. :o

Evan just got his first cold too, and he's 6 months old. I wouldn't have wanted him to get a cold any younger, it was bad enough as it is. Fall and winter being cold season here in MI