What is the Most Popular Birth Month?

July through October tends to be the most popular birth months in the United States. August is, overall, the most popular month for birthdays, which makes sense. A late August birthday means December conception. Cold weather, snow, romantic fires and holiday parties seems to create just the right equation for the beginning of human mating season. Breanna Herring, CNM, UnityPoint Health, explains what it’s like being on the labor and delivery floor during a baby boom—and how our teams provide exceptional care no matter how busy it gets.

Why are these the most popular birth months?

“Of course, the first thing we do when we see a full labor and delivery floor is count back nine months to see what was going on! Terms like ‘polar vortex’ strike a little bit of fear in anyone who helps deliver babies."

“We do see many women who try planning what month to get pregnant, with a hopeful due date in mind. I’ve seen teachers aim for late summer, so they can be off work during the last couple months of pregnancy, when they're most uncomfortable and feel chasing around a classroom full of children would be difficult. I also see some women aim for a fall due date, so they can stay home with the new baby over the holidays.”

Does a long winter mean a busy maternity summer/fall?

“Definitely. When there's a particularly bad storm going on, most of the labor and delivery care team will stay at the hospital to avoid being stuck at home if someone comes in to deliver. When we're stuck at the hospital, we know other people are stuck at home."

Are more babies conceived during the colder months?

“The Center for Disease Control and Prevention tracks birth data nationwide, and July through October are the busiest birth months, with August typically having the highest number of births. It appears more babies are conceived during the winter months, which makes sense when you live in a cold Midwestern state - there's not a lot to do in January when it's freezing and dark at 5 o’clock.”

How do care teams prepare for the summer baby boom?

“The labor and delivery unit tries to staff with the possibility of being full all of the time. Then, when things are busier, they can have hands-on deck and work together to take care of everyone, equally. We do have to look ahead to our due date list when trying to plan vacation time. It's a lot harder to take time off when we know we have a busy month coming up.”

Is it exciting or stressful when you’re working, and there are lots of babies arriving?

“It's a combination of both. Being a part of any birthday is great - but trying to give each family the attention they deserve can be tough when we have several women in labor at the same time. Thankfully, UnityPoint Health has awesome nurses, and they make every family feel like they're the only ones having a baby that day, even if their provider can't spend as much time with them as they'd like.” 

What's the best month to have a baby?

“There are many factors to think of if you're trying to plan the best month to conceive. I personally think aiming for a summer birthday is better, because my medical mind wants to avoid brand new babies being exposed to cold and flu viruses in the fall and winter. However, if summer is a busy time for the woman or her partner, it's probably better to aim for a different time of year, so the new parents can enjoy bonding time with baby after birth. We have lots of farmers, and planning for a baby during planting or harvest is not ideal. Ultimately, it can take up to a year for a healthy fertile couple to get pregnant, so you could start out with plans for a spring baby and end up joining the baby boom in the fall.”

If you have any questions about getting pregnant, make sure to contact your provider.