Spring is a symbolic time to give birth: flowers are blooming, the sun is finally shining after another dreadful Michigan winter, and new life is everywhere.
My firstborn was a summer baby, and other than a two-week heat wave to cap off a very long pregnancy, it was a great time to have a baby. Then I had my second baby last April, and I found this timing was even better.
Of course, you can’t always plan for these things. Maybe you weren’t ready for a baby; maybe you’ve been trying to get pregnant for months or years. Babies born at any time are a gift, and there are pros and cons to whatever time of year your baby makes his or her debut. But, if your due date happens to fall in the springtime, you have a lot to look forward to.
The end of your pregnancy coincides with winter when (let’s face it) you don’t want to move anyway. Nesting and cabin fever are natural companions. Bonus: you likely didn’t have to be pregnant over the summer! Enjoy a cold beer and weekend get-aways with no pregnancy-related inconveniences.
Hopefully you won’t have to worry about snowstorms affecting your birth plan. My parents were on-call for childcare duties for our older son, and I was worried about them driving across the state in a blizzard. Although we live only four miles from our hospital, my pregnant brain found all kinds of worst-case scenarios involving snowstorms and icy roads.
You can get outside and eventually sneak in some exercise after the baby is born. I had a C-section with my April baby, so although I wasn’t out walking right away, sitting on our back deck or even opening the windows to let in some fresh air boosted my mood immensely.
The baby will be more resilient by the time cold and flu season rolls around. My Baby #2 was almost eight months old when winter really struck, so I didn’t worry as much about taking him out in public, which, I must admit, is also due to him being the second child.
Your baby will be a bit older to celebrate holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas and might be able to engage a little in your holiday traditions. My son loved playing with the wrapping paper from his Christmas gifts and looking at Christmas lights. Also, you don’t have to worry about extended family members wanting to pass around a teeny-tiny baby at your family parties!
