There are pros and cons of having a summer and winter baby. The timing of when you will get pregnant and when you will have your baby can be up in the air. As Parents, Kalen (my husband) and I realized quickly how little control we had over timing. Even with a plan, life happens. Whether it’s your birth control failing, a substantial life-changing event happening, infertility, super fertility, or a miscarriage, you can only do so much when planning for a child.

In our case, it was a miscarriage. However, we were blessed to get pregnant some months later, which gave us our second son and our first summer baby. Our eldest son was born in the winter, so we were surprised by some aspects of our second pregnancy. There are pros and cons to having both a summer and winter baby. Here is what I found:

Three Pros for having a summer baby:

1. Loose summer dresses that are easy to put on

   1. I loved throwing a simple dress on and not worrying about matching bottoms or trying to come up with an outfit. Getting dressed was more manageable when I could wear a dress and sandals.

2. Vitamin D and bright colors cheer you up even if you step out on your porch.

   1. The sun just makes you happy. Bright flowers, decorations, and clothing are more vibrant in color. All of this helps to boost your mood after just having a baby or about to give birth to one.

3. Motivation to get out and move instead of staying cooped up all day.

   1. After you give birth, you mainly rest at home, trying to recover physically and mentally. Cabin fever can be easier to deal with when the sun is out cause you can go outside for a change of scenery. Even if you haven’t given birth yet, it is lovely to go for a walk and get some fresh air while pregnant. You can also go for drives, which can be pretty with all the blooming flowers and plants.

Three Pros for having a winter baby:

1. Unlimited sweatpants and sweatshirts

   1. Loose and cozy clothing is the best for pregnancy. If you don’t have AC, wearing sweats is extremely lovely. I also found that people are less likely to ask to touch your belly when pregnant and wear baggy clothes.

2. More excuses to snuggle up in a blanket and stay home!!!

   1. Although getting out in the sun is nice, it can feel like you must leave just because it is sunny. However, during winter, you don’t need to leave the house as much because of the gray and sometimes gloomy weather. Cuddling on the couch with a pillow and hot tea or coffee becomes preferred.

3. Cooler outside and inside to help with those hot flashes, especially at night.

   1. Whether you have air conditioning does not matter because it’s cold outside. You don’t have to worry about overheating, and it’s easier to regulate your temperature because you can add or remove a blanket.

Cons of having a baby in the summer:

• The heat sucks, especially if you don’t have AC

  • My body fluctuated in temperature during this pregnancy, especially at night. Getting sweaty and slimy in the cracks and crevices of your body adds to your very uncomfortable symptoms in the third trimester.

• You might need maternity clothes unless you want to wear dresses and skirts every single day

  • Although it’s easy to throw on a dress or skirt, I’m not a dress or skirt person, so I didn’t feel like doing this every day, nor did I have any summer dresses.

• The feeling of missing out can be stronger

  • It felt like I was missing the summer and one of the best parts of the year. It has been ingrained in me that summer is when you rest, go on vacation, and do fun activities. So, being pregnant and having a baby in the prime of summer left me feeling like I missed my whole summer. This made me a little sad.

Cons of having a baby in the winter:

• Stuck inside with lots of gray weather (depending on where you live)

  • Cabin fever is intense during winter, and constant rain or freezing weather does not help.

• Sick Season

  • Since COVID, it has felt like the sick season is year-round, but so far, more people have been getting sick in the winter, and having a baby or being pregnant with sick people everywhere is the worst.

Although I listed them as negatives and positives, I enjoyed both pregnancies. They both had aspects about the weather or season which I found annoying or amazing. At the end of the day, if I had the power to choose, I couldn’t tell you which one I would do again. I loved being in my third trimester in the winter, but I have been enjoying the first six weeks postpartum in the summer.

If you had the power to choose, what would you choose?