December Baby

My bday is 12/5 and it is OK. If I could pick a different bday, I would, but closer to Christmas would be worse. My 5 yr old is a 12/12 bday (he was conceived on my honeymoon and I was married 3/4) and he doesn't mind so far. My 4 yr old is a 1/4 bday (conceived sometime in April) and he doesn't mind yet either. I have made a very big effort to keep their bdays separate from Christmas and this year, separate from each other (we've done joint bday parties in the past). From a parent's standpoint, it really stinks to have a GAZILLION new toys in my house over a month's time. It would be really nice to have it spread out a little (or a lot) more. There is also the challenge of bday parties- not as many options when its freezing outside! The other thing that I really hated about my winter babies was the fact that they entered this world with very new and fragile immune systems. I was a total freak about taking them out b/c I worried so much about them getting RSV. The one big pro to having a Dec. baby is that you have several months to loose the baby weight before you get back in a swimsuit! :) My stepson has an April bday and the weather can be very unpredictable then too and sometimes it blends together with Easter. He also had RSV at 3 weeks old and spent a week in the hospital. My youngest has a September bday and to me, that is perfect. The weather is great and he had a bit of an immune system built up going into his first winter and flu season. There are pros and cons to winter babies, but overall, I would have another fall baby if I were to do it again.

Just set enough money aside for Christmas and birthday-please-I was born in the beginning of January-believe me-I know.

Well i can see the concerns about that day, I would be so thrilled to get pregnant this month which would give me a edd of 12/12. And after almost a year of wanting and miscarriage in feb, I would just be so happy to be pregnant and get to term the month would be the least of my concerns

I would prefer to focus on having a happy, healthy baby. Isn't that the most important factor?

That said, my sis is 12/16 & has always been totally okay with it. My godson is 12/27 & his parents hate it....as does he. I think it's all in the attitude. With my godson, his dad always hated his own bd because it fell in the same week as his own father's. I personally don't get that attitude - my son was born on my bd & I rejoice every day over it!!!

I'm a December baby, born at the end of Dec. I never felt neglected that my b-day was right around Christmas or anything because my parents made sure to celebrate my b-day separately, but I did wish that I could have celebrated my b-day when the weather was warm instead of cold!

Also, you should know that babies born in winter are statistically more likely to develop allergies and/or asthma, and being born in winter can effect the baby's personality. (Google "study babies born in winter").

My cousin is a Christmas Day baby and if she's minds she's never voiced it. We are ttc as well, if this is our month it would be the absolute worst timing! I'm a church musician & that (Christmas) is the busy season but @ 40, if we are so lucky, so be it! ((Baby Dust!!!))

My daughter was born 12/13. The key is to PLAN AHEAD. You know the b'day and holidays are coming so just plan for it. She LOVES her December birthday--double presents and double attention.

The year she was born I purposely bought all gifts early, didn't sent cards, didn't even have a tree! Best decisions I ever made--it took so much pressure off. Know your limits and plan accordingly. I LOVED having a baby in December--it made it easier to be home and nesting when everyone else is doing the same. I'd do it again in a minute.

I would skip April as well. It really sucks to have to share a birthday with Christmas. Presents (which shouldn't matter) always seem to be wrapped in Christmas paper and you get the "well I got you a bigger gift to cover your birthday and Christmas!" Kids don't understand that and should be able to celebrate their birthday holiday free if at all possible.

Ok I feel bad saying this but my birthday is dec 14 and, while I always had the double whammy of looking forward to my birthday and Christmas, I never liked having my day so close to the holidays. With the exception of my family, my birthday and Christmas gifts were combined. Because of holiday parties, I couldn't have bday parties near my bday and when I was older, my bday always fell during winter break. Maybe if it's earlier in dec it could work but I wouldn't go out of your way to plan for a dec bday. My sisters' birthdays seemed to be more complete celebrations with more focus on their special day (bdays are aug and early nov). Obviously whatever date God blesses you with will be celebrated but don't do it on purpose.

I'm a December baby, my SIL is a Dec. 28th baby and my daughter was born 2 weeks after Christmas. No biggie. My SIL celebrates her 1/2 b-day with her friends and with us on Christmas Eve.

My oldest is 12/14 and we always make his bday special :) my grandma said she always felt jipped and is happy we celebrate his bday before putting the christmas stuff up. I think as long as you keep birthday as birthday and Christmas as christmas and not combine the two and give one gift it's fine. Maybe when he's older and wants something big we will combine the two but right now we keep it seperate

Our DS has a 12/5 birthday and I was concerned at first having a b'day in December...but really...in the long run, does it really really matter?
If you are meant to have a December baby...you'll have one. I try to think of it this way (hindsight is 20/20)...if we skipped TTC in March/April to avoid December (and we sure thought about it because of being inside with a toddler and newborn, husband's crazy schedule, away from family for the year, etc.)...we would never have had DS...yes we might have had another baby...but never DS. I wouldn't change it for the world.

I would think you'd have to conceive after your March menstrual cycle because you figure a due date by taking the 1st day of your last cycle, go back three months and add 7 days. So if your last period is in March, going back 3 months gives you December.

I am a December baby-very close to Christmas. My parents got really sloppy about not keeping the two separate as I got older and I hate that. Our son is a New Year baby so it's just as bad....we thus far, have kept it very separate. Thank goodness for my in-laws, since I met them, they have made my birthday REALLY special. My husband proposed on my birthday, so that has added to the specialness of the day.

Remember that you'll be really stressed and busy at that time of year and it will be all that more important to slow down, cherish the time, etc. I was pregnant, at the end of my pregnancy and after Christmas shopping and returns that raised my blood pressure was what actually caused me to have to be induced and brought my new year's baby 2 weeks early.

On the other hand, there's something really magical about giving birth around the holidays, no better gift!

My little one was born 12/24 and was due on 12/18. She was conceived at the very end of March. At first I was worried that growing up she would feel cheated out of her day but I quickly realized that as long as you make sure to make it their day and not about anything else then that is what it is. I have also thought about the idea of asking her when she is a bit older (she is only 15 months) if she would like to choose a day in the nice weather or any day of the year for that matter that she would like to call her day and have her party then. For her first birthday we had a bunch of family over and I made a very clear point of saying that this is her birthday and not a Christmas family get together so please lets make sure to make it all about her and not Christmas, which has its own day. As for gifts I do feel like my house went from a few random toys here and there to a freakin Toys R Us over night but she loves it so.... and I think I am just going to have to spoil her a bit throughout the summer months with a few gifts here and there because lets face it a whole year is like forever to a kid to have to wait. Or I will just let the Grandparents to what they do best and let them spoil her =)
Good Luck to you and *Baby Dust*

I have a Dec. 4 baby. Personally, if I could change it, I would go for a spring baby... of course if you are TTC, and you want a baby, you are happy for any birthday!!! Don't get me wrong!

But, in MN I've had a spring baby and a Nov. babe and Dec. babe, and the best birthday time is spring. Our home is really busy between Thanksgiving and Christmas with two birthdays and all the holiday festivities. It would be nice to spread it out. Plus, a new baby in the winter here is brutal. It's freaking cold and you end up in the house a LOT!.

Good luck!
Jessica

I have a birthday in December. My birthday is five days after christmas so I feel like I got jipped growing up. I was given birthday/christmas presents. I had ot speak up and say hey,it is not my fault when my birthday is. I would say that is not the best month for a birthday.

Hate it. My son's birthday is December 15th and it is a nightmare to schedule parties and then he gets a cheap gift from family and they will tell him your Christmas gift is more expensive. I paid $275 for him to have a gymnastics party due to the weather this time of the year and since you have to invite the entire class and only 3 people showed up and I had bought a huge cookie cake and had enough goody bags for 30. He was upset because his friends did not come and I was not happy after spending all of the money to make sure they had a good time and were in a safe and fun environment. Then 10 days later is Christmas and he gets more toys and does not even play with most of it. My girls are March and April and it is a lot easier to plan and hold their parties.

Our little girl was born 12/13... she was due 12/24
I make her birthday very special, we decorate the outside of the house early December, but I don't put our tree up until the day after her birthday! It does stink about getting SOOOOO many present within 2 weeks... but I do put some away for the spring so she has new toys than!
When she is older (she's 4), and if wants to have her friends bday party in June for her half bday, we will do that....
Best of luck!

My daughters birthday is Dec 28 and I wish I had planned better! My sons birthday is April 7 and its not so bad but sometimes get difficult with being close to Easter some years.

My second son was born in December.

We wanted to conceive and have a baby. We didn't care when he was born as long as he was healthy. Not everyone is fertile myrtle and can pick and choose when they want to conceive.

My husband has a December birthday (the 29th) and always hated it as a kid. With all the other festivities, one year his family actually FORGOT it. Hard to believe, but true. I think he was 8 or 9 at the time...and was totally devastated. He also always got his birthday gifts in Christmas wrap. Can you tell he was the third (out of 4) child? LOL. Fast forward to after we met...I always made a big deal of his birthday, never combined it with anything, always wrapped his gifts in birthday paper, and just generally made it a special day for him. Now he actually looks forward to his birthday :) My point is, it doesn't matter so much WHEN you're born, just that your birthday is acknowledged as the special day that it is and celebrated as its own event.

My sister's bday is 12/24, my husband's bday is 12/19 and my 4yo's bday is 12/21. None of them has ever complained. I would never make less of any of their birthdays with Christmas so close. The only thing I have noticed is that my little guy has to wait a whole year between getting gifts (small I know but when you're a kid getting a present is a big thing.) And birthday parties so close to Christmas are a bit more difficult to plan. I may follow suit with others that chose to have "half" birthdays for their kids so they can have their friends celebrate with them.

I just had my DD on Dec. 15th, 2010, and my DH's bday is Dec. 23rd. I conceived at the end of March, 2010 so now would be the time to get pregnant if you would like a Dec baby. My DH likes his birthday so close to Christmas cause he gets double the presents and as for my DD's birthday, I kinda think it is a bad time for a birthday with the holidays being so close and that it is so cold and snowy so Im limited to indoor birthday parties.

Don't "not concieve" for fear of the date- you just adjust if you get to be one of the "lucky ones" with a baby born during the holidays.

My daughter's birthday was December 24th- yep, Christmas eve. We had her 1st and second birthdays about a week and a half before her REAL birthday. That way, people haven't all shuffled off to other places yet, and she doesn't have to feel like her birthday is just a precursor top Christmas.

We asked, nicely, that our families try to buy her two gifts for her if they are planning on buying her gifts for either holiday. We don't want to be greedy... so we just ask that they split the cost of whatever they would spend on her for a Christmas gift. Most people really do understand and won't think much of it. We have said that we don't want "combo" gifts... at least not while she is so little. If it is just for Christmas, great- birthday, great- but don't write "happy birthday and Christmas on the card!"

Her parties are birthday THEMED- we do "princess theme" or "yo gabba gabba theme" or whatever to make it clear that it is a BIRHDAY... and it works out great. When she gets older we we always plan her parties to occur before winter break occurs... so that her freinds will still be in town to attend.

As a family, we buy her birthday gifts in the summertime and save them, and her Christmas gifts in the winter. It makes it so she gets a lot of things she can use and enjoy all year round!

Funnily enough- her great grandmother on my side is born on Christmas day, and on my other side is born on halloween! My birthday is in the middle of the summer and I HATED it because all my friends were off at summer camp or on family trips during MY birthday- so there are good things and bad things about being born any time of the year!

Good Luck!
-M.

My hubby and I are both December babies, and our second son is a December baby. December is a really tough month. It seems as though there are Christmas/holiday parties every weekend. So planning b-day parties is sooooo hard, and you know people are just so busy that they really don't want to be there.

I had a really hard time postpartum with our December baby. I felt trapped in the house. It was way too cold for daily walks.

I didn't read all of your responses & i know this response is way after your original post... but wanted to add a thought:
our twins are december babies - the 26th! We talked to another family in our church who's daughter is a Christmas Day baby and they celebrate her half birthday - she loves it that way.
We decided to kind of do that too... our babies were actually conceived in July and due in March, but they were 3 months preemie - so due dates in my mind don't mean a darn thing lol... on their bday we had a cake and special dinner, just my husband, stepdaughter, them and me... and then we just had their birthday party with family and friends in March (to also celebrate the anniversary of their NICU graduation).

We tried for 3 years for our blessings and at the beginning i have to admit i always calculated when the due date would be and secretly wished it would be any month but December, ironic really... but as time wore on i didn't care so much, just wanted to be pregnant! But there's nothing wrong with thinking about it :)

Hate having a Dec. birthday....but really in the scheme of things it doesn't really matter to me that much at all-it is but a second on the day of my birthday that I think about it. No matter what you do a dec birthday will always be lumped with christmas. I have never received the presents that I might have had it been, say, in June. Even my own DH does not gift me (and I totally agree btw) as much because we are in a spending spree for everyone else. Also-all of your presents ar grouped together so there is not other time of the year to hope for stuff-hated this when I was little b/c I thought a summer birthday would be nice for a bike or school clothes or something.

I have a December birthday, Dec 17, and my advice would be to not combine birthday presents with Christmas presents. Too many people do that to their kids, so the kid end up hating when their birthday is. For me, my birthday was no different than having a birthday any other time of the year. I still had birthday parties, and my parents always kept my birthday presents seperate from my Christmas presents. It also gave me two things to look forward to in the month instead of just one.

Skip the month of April so you don't have a December baby! My oldest was not planned and she was born December 16th. The next 2 were planned and we did not try where we would have a baby around Thanksgiving or Christmas. Baby #2 was born in February and Baby #3 was born in April. Her birthday usually falls right as the kids are getting out for Christmas break. When we have her birthday party very few kids come. I always get the usual excuses of; "we are heading out of town," "we have a Christmas party to attend that day," "we have relatives coming into town that day to celebrate Christmas with them on that day," "we have last minute Christmas shopping to do that day,"
and on and on and on.
And even though her birthday is the week before I have still had relatives that send one gift to her and on the card write, Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday! So tacky.

Well, we conceived at the beginning of March in 2006 and our daughter's due date was Dec 10 (had her on Dec 4th)...remember it is 40 weeks not just 9 months (Conceiving in April would give you a due date of VERY late December or January).

My daughter's birthday is early enough in December that it doesn't really get lost in the Christmas season but my neice and some close friends who have birthdays mid-late December, and my nephew whose birthday is Jan 3 do get a bit lost in the holidays. Parties are hard for planning because all the Christmas parties and family get togethers.

Babies are a gift regardless of when they are born so you just deal with what your are dealt. Best of luck to you.

I don't have a December baby, but my first was born Jan 9th, two weeks after Christmas. It's hard to budget what we want to do for both because they are so close together. Plus, he has to go 11.5 months with NOTHING else. I think we are going to start celebrating his "non-birthday" in Jun or Jul so that he can have a summertime, outdoor pool party!

My birthday is 10 days before Christmas. Growing up, I hated it because I always got, "This is for your birthday AND Christmas." It was never fair and I resented having a birthday in December, especially so close to Christmas.

It shouldn't matter what month you conceive or have the baby. Whenever you are blessed with a child, having a healthy baby should be your only concern. I'm not sure I exactly know what your question is but IF you do have a December baby, make sure his/her birthday is clearly defined and different from Christmas and never make it a joint party. I hope that helps.

My nephew was born on Christmas Day.

He is now 15 years old and has never once complained...

What ever you do, don't wrap the birthday presents in Christmas wrapping paper! My brother has a Dec b-day and hates it so much that his b-day presents have santas and Christmas trees on them.

I personally feel that planning the most amazing experience of childbirth on a political holiday or someone elses birthday is silly. (silly being a very polite word choice) This is a human being! This is going to be the best thing you ever will do! It is our job as a mother not to let ANYTHING get in the way of our childrens special days; weather it be their birthday, an achievement at school, loosing their first tooth, conquering a huge fear. Just let life happen!

I think it depends on how you handle the birthday. If you are able to fully seperate the birthday from christmas, and encourage family to do the same, great! If not... I would aim for another month... :)

Don't worry about the due date! You conceive and a baby will be born whenever and wherever..My son was born the beginning of January....! A late Christmas present...I think its great and not a big deal.

My dad was born on Christmas, as a child he hated it. He said everyone would combine his birthday with Christmas. So it never really felt like he celebrated his birthday. So aside from being born around Christmas I wouldn't see issues of it.

Keep in mind, your due date would only be in December if you conceive between April 1-9. Otherwise your more likely to have a January baby.

April is the month i FOUND OUT!!! So we conceived in March. I think my pos prego test was on like 04/20. My baby girl came on 12/21/2008.
My hubbys bday is on 12/16 and mine is late Jan. Personally I am not a fan of Dec bdays because they get over shawdowed by the holidays...so we plan to have parties during the summer when its nicer and we can be outside.
Good luck...i will say the pregnancy was fairly easy since you didnt have to worry the HOT swelling summer months at the end. :)

My latest baby was born at the beginning of December. It has its pros and its cons. One of the biggest pros for me was that breastfeeding was more comfortable. There's nothing like trying to nurse an infant in the hot weather, the baby gets sweaty, you get sweaty.... winter is much better for these first weeks. But one of the biggest cons for me is that you're stuck in the house. If it were my first it wouldn't be that big of a deal. But when you have two older ones, being stuck in the house isn't as fun. Best of wishes!!

We have a December baby, 12/27. It is HER day and it is NOT combined with Christmas.

I set up a different area of the house for HER birthday because a lot of her gifts do arrive with the Christmas gift shipment, but her birthday gifts are in BIRTHDAY paper.

We always celebrate on her day, no 1/2 birthdays, etc. You'd be surprised how many people are ready to get the children out of the house by 12/27!! Parties have always been successful.

There is nothing wrong with a December baby, we love her just as much as we would if she were born any other month! PLUS you get the tax deduction!!