Are you thinking about trying to conceive? Are you wondering if there is a specific time that you should try to conceive? This might be something good to think about. If you are not feeling rushed and can take your time, it can be to your advantage to choose when you conceive, as this will determine when the baby is born. Conceiving during the fall means a summer baby, and there are many advantages to having a baby born during the summer.
Conceptionmoon
Well… first you might ask what a conceptionmoon is. Simply put, a conceptionmoon is a vacation that you go on specifically for the purpose of conceiving baby. It is best to plan this vacation around a time that you will be conceiving. Now… here is my thought. The most popular locations for conceptionmoons tend to be tropical resorts (such as in Florida or the Bahamas). Going on a cruise can also be a good conceptionmoon. When is the best time to take a vacation like this? The fall. If you travel during the summer, you are likely to pay higher rates for airline and accommodations. Traveling during fall, you will still get warm temps in tropical places (or even somewhere like Las Vegas), but you will also get the great rates that come with traveling off season.
If this is not your first pregnancy, then you know how hard shopping for maternity clothes can be. The selection of maternity clothes at most department stores is minimal, while specialty store prices are sky high. Considering this, it can be significantly cheaper to buy things like tank tops and sundresses than it is to buy sweaters and pants. Not to mention the concept of finding (and paying for) a maternity winter coat.
Personally, I also think that summer maternity clothes are much more attractive than winter maternity clothes, too. There is something about a big pregnant belly under a flowing top with an empire waist that just looks so beautifully feminine. In winter clothes, which are often dark colors, that big belly can end up just looking like the hump on a whale. I would much rather be at my biggest in June or July than in December or January.
Not only does the maternity clothes situation work out better in summer, baby clothes tend to be easier in the summer too. For some reason it is hard to find clothes for the smallest of newborns. If your baby is under 10 pounds, there is a good chance that the newborn or 0-3months sizes will not fit for the first month… or maybe longer. What you will find will most likely be onesies and shorts. Finding warm clothes for a 6 or 7 pound baby can be next to impossible.
If you can find good winter newborn baby clothes, then your challenge is getting them on the baby. For the first few weeks, newborns like to be curled up in a little ball (just like they are in your womb), and they aren’t too happy to have their limbs tugged on for getting dressed. At least in summer you only have one or two layers of clothes to get on. Putting several layers of clothing on a newborn can be unbelievably challenging… especially since they often spit up and you will have to change their clothes several times a day.
A friend of mine had her baby in March in the middle of the rainy season. Getting the baby dressed to go out (not to mention keeping the baby dry in the rain) was so challenging that she practically never left the house for the first two months! Talk about cabin fever!
RSV
What is RSV and what does it have to do with conceiving a child? Well… RSV is a very common virus. It is the virus that causes the common cold in most children and adults, but is very serious in young babies. This virus is most common from October through March (flu season). While RSV is common, it can cause serious complications in infants, particularly those younger than 3 months old. It is the most common cause of hospitalization in babies under 6 months old.
This is why having a baby in the summer can seriously be to your advantage. If you have your baby in the summer, he or she will be past those crucial months by the time flu season hits. Because RSV is a highly contagious virus, you should really think about when you want to have your baby if you plan on putting him or her in childcare. Babies in day care centers often pass RSV back and forth, so having your baby during the summer will give him/her a much better chance of not getting a bad case of it. Take it from someone who is currently nursing a baby sick with RSV, it is a nightmare. Luckily, he is 6 months old and has narrowly avoided hospitalization. I am very glad that he is old enough to fight it off at home.
Summer Birthdays are the Best
Growing up, your child will likely be thrilled to have fun summer birthday parties. Summer birthdays allow for pool parties, or parties at the park or the beach. You could also plan a fun trip to an amusement park for a birthday party, without having to worry about what the weather will be like on that day.
Summer birthday parties can also be easier on your pocketbook. During the school year, children have a larger group of friends that they see on a regular basis. Because of this, you will most likely end up with a much bigger guest list for a February birthday than you will for a July birthday. Considering the fact that most places like Chuck E. Cheese (which will probably be where you’ll end up if the birthday is in the winter) charge per child, a smaller guest list can be a great thing!
In addition, summer is one of those great times of the year that does not have too many other expensive holidays nearby. My birthday is very close to Christmas; growing up I always hated the fact that I got “Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday” presents. It was also hard that I had to wait until the end of the year to ask for toys I wanted. I was always envious of friends who had birthdays in the middle of the year, because they only had to go a few months in between gift giving times.
