Best Month/Season to give birth?

[crunch!910]

What do you think? What did you like about the month/season you gave birth in? What didn't you like? Was carseat usage easier/more difficult? Did the weather make breastfeeding more difficult (I'm imagining giving birth in the summer when it is really hot and sweaty and the last thing I want is a baby's body heat against me). What about those that gave birth in winter, did that make cosleeping more difficult? (I'm imagining shivering and being cooold at night with little to no blankets in the winter.) If you had your baby in the middle of the winter, did you feel trapped by the snow and ice, too afraid to take your baby out in the weather? What about when you are toting TWO kids, was a winter baby hard to manage a bucket seat and a toddler while going out to brave cold weather?

I ask because I've just been pondering it a little bit, thinking and planning ahead (like, 2 years ahead) for our next child. I had a fall baby, meaning my baby was little throughout the winter, but wonder what it would be like to have a spring or summer baby or winter baby.

Let me know everything you liked and didn't about the month/season your little one was a newborn!!! (I haven't seen this thread... so I'm thinking it is pretty original )

[Greenbabybottoms]

I've had 2 fall babies (September and October). I guess my September baby is kind of a late summer baby seeing as it is NC and we had a lot of 80-90 degree days after she was born. But I do think fall is a good time to have a baby. This time we are due in late July early August and I am dreading the heat a little bit. We don't use an infant bucket seat so baby will go in the carrier which I think is easier when you are toting around toddlers too.

[CountryChicMama]

I've had a Feb and a March baby and I loved the timing; particularly the March baby. It's closing on the end of winter, so by the time me and the newbie hibernate for a few weeks, it's becoming nice out. We get to enjoy the great outdoors all Spring, SUmmer and Fall and let them grow and mature a little b/f exposing their little bodies to the germs that winter brings. Also it's a nice time to cd; not a lot of clothing and lots of coverless belly time.

[CountryChicMama]

BTW, glad you asked this. I'm interested to hear others reasons as well since I'm trying to decide when to start TTC again.

[DalesWidda]

I had two midsummer babies and one fall baby. Pros and cons of summer babies. I loved being able to buy less clothes that they were going to grow out of quickly anyways. I had no postpartum depression as the weather was beautiful and I was in good spirits. I was able to take them for walks right away which helped get me back into shape. However, by the end of pregnancy I was hot and miserable, and I hated wearing a swimsuit postpartum.

Fall baby, lets see, pros are I got to wear more clothes postpartum which covered up my extra fat! LOL, I was not very big until more towards the end of summer so I wasn't too uncomfortable. I also got to rock the swimsuit and had an excuse for being fat. Cons were many for sure. The weather was yucky and I was stuck in the house alone after having dd2. I developed postpartum depression which made breastfeeding difficult as I had problems to begin with. I had to always bundle dd up which is always a pain for sure. And it was more difficult to lose the baby weight because I couldn't get out as much. Summer was much better for me!

[songbird516]

I rather liked being pregnant and having a newborn in Jan. I didn't have to worry about being too hot towards the end, and then when she was born, I didn't feel pressured to go anywhere because it was cold and snowy anyway. Also, usually I get way too cold in the winter, but all of the extra pregnancy fluid kept me warm and toasty. hehe.

[songbird516]

dp

[rachelmaria]

Well I'm rather cynical and can usually find a negative in anything (hey, at least I'm honest!!!), so I think one could find negatives at any season. I mean, if we look at it without the baby question, there are uncomfortable things about every season anyways. Fall might be comfortable (neither hot nor cold, but now you gotta rake leaves, and that kind of bending over is fun for no-one). Anyways, I think location also affects things too, as my answers come from the North, and if I'd be living in the South (where I'm from), my answer would be different (ie: winter isn't horribly gloomy in the South.) My girl was born late October. It was actually nice that week and the following, which was good, because I didn't have to worry about blankets and stuff just yet. The con has definitely been to deal with the winter blues. I already get restless and depressed during the winter (not a lot of sun here, and then it's crummy and cold out), without babies and even getting out every day for work. But now I'm home with a baby in the winter. And while I can say I'd much rather be sad and bored at home with a baby than sad and bored at work, I still have to contend with being sad and bored at home with a baby! I have neighbors that help (I've woken up to find my driveway plowed, etc), so that has definitely been a plus.

One thing I liked about being preggo through summer instead of winter is that I didn't have to buy lots of maternity sweaters and coats! I just needed to find some stretchy summer dresses, which was easier, and I imagine quite cheaper than a new maternity/large coat. Also: ice cream is more in style during the summer. Since it was nice out, I was also able and willing to go on daily walks with my dog so that I could maintain some level of activity and exercise during pregnancy, which I think is important. I was also able to take a water aerobics class at my community pool, which was hilarious, but great for my swollen ankles. On the flip side of that, I'd definitely like to be taking walks now as well. Not only am I a shut-in who desperately wants to get outside, I also have become inactive (which exacerbates sadness) and I have weight to lose. So, I struggle with that during the winter.

I honestly don't have a preference for when to have a baby. This has just been my experience with our happy accident.

Oh, and P.S. I almost forgot one of the most frustrating things: I have to wait until DD is about 8 or 9 months before it'll be warm enough that I can show off her cute diapers!!! And buy those sweet little rompers to wear. HA!

[burnsis]

I had mine in July and March. March was definitely better, and I planned it that way when we were TTC. With the July baby I was so hot and swollen....cankles, etc, I learned my lesson. It's best to big at your largest in the cold.....lol.

[SwaggerWagon]

I have had one august and one January baby. Summer pregnancy was awful for me. I was so hot and miserable. But once she was here I thought it was a great time of year because after that first few weeks to month of hibernation, it was beautiful out. By the time winter came, I wasn't worried about taking her out as much because she wasn't such a newbie. Looking back, august was a perfect time even though during the pregnancy I was miserable.
January, well, it was interesting. I loved the pregnancy. It was the exact opposite of the hot mess that I was at the end of DD. But once he was born I felt isolated. It was a pretty bad winter for virginia (our town got more snow than Syracuse, NY that year!). On top of that I could never hang out with friends because one of them always had a kid with a runny nose or a cough. DS ended up getting RSV and was very sick. I loved the pregnancy, but will probably never have a winter baby again.
I am pregnant with number 3 due in the fall, so hopefully I can get the best of both worlds with a fall baby!