Whenever anyone talks about having a child during the summer months, most people automatically turn to thinking about being massively uncomfortable in sweltering heat at the end of a pregnancy. You know — the swelling, the sweating and just the general feeling of discomfort.
However, after having two children, both born in the middle of the winter, my husband and I totally see the merit of a summer baby, no matter how uncomfortable I may be. And — if we have any control over it — our next child will be born in a warmer month for sure!
Here’s why I’m crossing my fingers for a summer baby (and why you should):
1. No. More. Layers (HOORAY!)
Whether you’re layering yourself or your child/children up in 3 shirts, a scarf, a jacket, a hat and gloves, winter is just a whole lot more work. Especially since wherever you’re going will most likely be warm on the inside, so you’ll have to repeat the whole dressing or undressing process four times every time you go somewhere. Trust me — it’s not fun.
2. Hello Free Vitamin D!
When our second child was a little jaundiced, our pediatrician recommended that she be exposed to several hours of sunlight per day. Which was a great idea, except for the fact that it was the beginning of January and ten degrees outside. Since it was the middle of winter, we had to bump up our heat a TON, open up her little sleepers, and put her swing in front of a window to accomplish the recommendations. If we’d have had a summer baby, we could have just walked outside.
3. No More Lousy Driving Conditions
Want to know what pushes an already terrified first time parent over the edge? Making them drive anywhere with their baby through ice or snow. I’m pretty sure that when our first child was born, we inched home from the hospital, to and from the pediatrician’s office and to and from errands. It honestly felt like I was 16 and behind the wheel for the first time again with how fearful I was that we were going to get in an accident!
4. Actually being able to do something — anything!
When you have a child in a warmer month, you can easily leave the house to take them on walks, go to a park, or just get outside for some fresh air. With a winter baby, it’s easy to find yourself just walking around the grocery store or Target, for lack of any free or better options.
5. Less Germs!
With a delicate and fragile new baby (especially if your child was born premature or has any medical issues), the middle of the winter during cold, flu, and RSV season is not the best time to leave the house. When taking a winter newborn out, you run a much higher risk of picking up something during those cold months when illness seems to be rampant, no matter where you go.
6. You Won’t Have to Feel Guilty for Avoiding the Holidays
With both of our children, my husband and I were unable to travel during the holiday season of their births. Our daughter was born only a few days after the holiday and our son born only about a month after Christmas. At those times, we weren’t willing to chance leaving our hometown, chosen hospital, and chosen doctors to visit our out of town families. Because of this, we’ve missed out on several family gatherings in the past few years. The opposite of this is if your family is in the same town. You might end up spending all your time running around and none of it relaxing right before the impending birth of your child — which you may regret in those first few sleepless months! Either way, there aren’t too many holidays in the summer that require you to either travel or run you ragged.
7. Embrace (and Enjoy!) Your Figure
Here’s a simple, obvious reason: if you’re expecting, you don’t have to suck it in at the pool while wearing your bathing suit!!!
8. Summer Comes With More Perks
If you work in education or are currently taking courses yourself, planning a baby in the summer can be ideal to give yourself as much time at home with your child as possible. I have several friends who’ve been lucky enough to time their babes either right before, during, or after a summer break, enabling them to tack on their maternity leave to the beginning or the end of the summer break, giving them several additional months of being home with their child. Why didn’t I become a teacher, again?
9. Easier birthday parties!
My parents had one winter baby and one summer baby. Between the two of us, they’ve often said they feel bad about how much more fun my parties were when I was a kid. I remember going horseback riding, going swimming, having tons of outdoor games and themed activities, etc. While my parents always worked really hard to keep my sister’s birthday just as special, it was a lot more time consuming and difficult to come up with equally as fun ideas in the winter.
10. Two words: Flip flops.
Need I say more?
Would you prefer a summer or a winter baby?
