For the majority of us, we don’t really have full control over what month our baby is going to be born. There are a whole lot of factors including when the body gets pregnant and if the baby will be born prematurely, full-term, or even later.
For parents who are expecting a baby to be born in December, that potential birthday can come with some conflicting feelings. We want our kiddos to be given the best chance at life and we hope they make positive memories to carry them through.
However, the reality of a December-born baby means that parents get to worry that their special day will be overshadowed by the holidays. It’s not easy to compete for attention when the whole family celebrates Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Christmas.
It’s not all bad, though! In fact, there are some pretty significant perks that babies born in December have over those born in other months. Take a peek at these six interesting facts about babies born in the last month of the year.
People with December birthdays are more likely to live to be 105 years old
There have been studies that have pointed to December babies – well, any baby born in the winter – being more likely to live longer than 100 years old. One study published in the Journal of Aging Research noted that there’s an increased chance of living longer even. "This study suggests that the December-born have a significantly higher risk of surviving up to age 105+ compared to the June-born," said the study.
December-born babies are more likely to be morning people
A 2009 study in the journal Sleep shows that people who were born in December tend to be morning people. They like to go to bed earlier in the night to wake up sooner than other people born in different months. This correlates with a 1999 study that studied human circadian rhythms and had a similar conclusion to December people rising earlier in the day.
Allergies might be an issue for a December baby
There are a variety of reasons people can get diagnosed with allergies and they can range in severity as well. For babies born in December, there might be a connection with food-allergy-related reactions. A report in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology found more kids born in the winter months, like December, were brought into the emergency room in Boston due to allergic reactions.
A career in dentistry might be in your December baby’s future
A census analysis out of the UK Office for National Statistics featured in the British Journal of Family Medicine found that people born in December are more likely to take up the dentistry profession. The reason why isn’t fully understood, but the theory has to do with vitamin D. Kids who are born in December have larger doses of it when they're born through their moms who were pregnant in the summer months.
People born in December tend to be less irritable
Babies who are born in December and up into adulthood have fewer tantrums that people with birthdays during other parts of the year. One study says winter month birthdays come with chill kids who aren’t as irritable as kids born during other months of the year.
December babies are more likely to be sporty when they grow up
Sports and athletics might be in your future if you have a December baby. A study published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine claims kids born in December tend to be more athletic and physically fit than babies born in the warmer summer months. The theory on why this is has to do with vitamin D being more prevalent to moms pregnant in the summer months and somehow this adds up to more active babies.
