December babies — what makes them special?
If you’re having a December baby, you — and they — are already special. December babies are rare, and the rarest of all birthdays (in the West) are 24 and 25 December. What this proves isn’t clear — maybe Mums have more influence over birth than they think, and consciously or unconsciously they decide not to give birth over the festive period. It’s certainly partly due to the fact that Caesareans and induced labors aren’t scheduled for the holidays and it may even be partly a factor that nine months before December, in late March or April, we’re perhaps not thinking about starting a family. The most popular birth month (in the West) is September, showing that many of us make a New Year’s Resolution to have a child.
Early risers are born in December
A couple of studies have shown that December-born babies are the most likely to enjoy early nights and rising with the lark. Again, it isn’t clear why — but it may be related to diurnal day length and those born during the period of shortest days and longest nights are ‘programmed’ to make the most of daylight hours, which means that your December-born child is very likely to be ready for school without needing any nagging or reminders!
Winter born — sweet natured
Okay, it’s only one study and a relatively small sample, but when 366 students were asked about their temperaments, those born in winter were calmer, and the December-born students, in particular, had far fewer temper tantrums.
December sports stars
A study published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine reveals that winter-born children: in October, November, and December tend to be natural athletes. The mechanism for this isn’t entirely clear, but one possible reason is that those born in the winter months have benefitted from natural Vitamin D created by their mothers during the high summer months of late pregnancy, which builds stronger bones, higher endurance, and greater resilience. And in another study, described below, this same reason appears to offer December babies another advantage.
Born in December — live for longer
The American Journal of Aging Research published a study showing that December babies live longer than those born in any other month. Why? Well, we don’t know — but partly due to that high production of Vitamin D, which as well as contributing to longevity, may also reduce their risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease — a finding produced by the same study.
Originally published at: https://www.maternitynurse.co.uk/
