There is no such thing as the ‘right time’ to have a baby.
Just as there’s no particular ‘best time’ in your life, there’s no best season of the year either; it’s your choice.
When you decide to extend your family, you’ll make it work and know you did the right thing.
Having said that, there’s a lot to be said for being pregnant in the winter
You don’t have to worry about dressing for sweltering days, sweating though a hot spell, or giving birth during a heatwave like those poor summer mamas.
10 Best Things About Being Pregnant In The Winter
Full disclosure: it’s not all snuggly blankets, hygge and crisp evening walks. There are a few downsides to being pregnant in the winter.
It’s not easy, for example, to walk down an icy street when you’re nine months pregnant. You can’t even see the ground and you have the balancing skills of a newly-walking toddler.
It’s not all doom and gloom though. There are certainly lots of positive things about being pregnant in the cold. Here are just a few of them:
#1: It’s Not Actually Cold
Thanks to the radiator that’s living in your uterus, you probably won’t be feeling the chill this winter.
It could be the coldest winter for decades but you’re likely to be toasty warm throughout the season. While all your colleagues are piling on the woolly jumpers, winter coats and knitted accessories, you’ll probably be swanning around in a singlet.
Don’t expect your colleagues, your husband, or your elderly mother to be sympathetic, as you fan yourself by an open window. They’ll be shivering next to the radiator.
#2: There’ll Be Fewer Comments From Strangers
The great thing about winter is pretty much everybody looks pregnant when they’re wearing winter coats. Strangers won’t be able to tell whether you’re pregnant, carrying a little extra weight or just heavily layered up.
If you’re lucky, this will reduce the number of times you have to hear, “You can’t have long left”, “Is it twins?” and “You’re huge!” Be thankful for this each time you leave the house. Those poor summer mamas can’t get past the front gate before the comments start rolling in.
#3: Layers
There is something very pleasing about wearing layers. You can put on a thermal vest, a t-shirt, a longer sleeved top, a knitted jumper and then your winter coat. Now you’re ready for any weather conditions.
You don’t have to worry about getting too hot or too cold; you can just strip off or add layers as necessary.
And it will be necessary. When it’s cold outside, shops like to turn their heating up to about one million degrees.
The need for layers also means shopping for extra maternity clothes – and that can’t be a bad thing.
#4: You Can Hibernate
Winter is the perfect time to be pregnant because you don’t have to worry about going out. You don’t have to feel guilty about staying in when the sun’s shining because there won’t be any sun – only rain and snow and gale force winds.
You won’t be missing out on picnics, beer garden parties or barbecues. All of your friends will be tucked up safely indoors.
A winter pregnancy gives you the perfect excuse to take a raincheck on all those social occasions you can’t really be bothered attending. Who wants to go out when it’s cold and wet? Nobody.
#5: It’s Basically Always Bedtime
Summer mornings are bright, and no matter how exhausted you are, the sunlight streaming through your curtains is bound to disturb your sleep. And it’s not easy to get an early night when you can hear birds chirping and kids playing outside your window.
With a winter pregnancy, you don’t need to worry about any of this. It’s basically dark all the time. Dark mornings make those lie-ins easier, and dark evenings mean you can at least pretend you stayed up late – even if was only 7:30 pm. when you went to bed. Again.
#6: Nobody Will Know How Hairy Your Legs Are
Well, you’ll know. And your partner will know. OK, your midwife will know too, but that’s it. You won’t be wandering around in flip flops and shorts, so it doesn’t matter.
You can let your toenails get as gnarly as necessary. And grow your leg hair into braids. Nobody will notice.
With your thick winter tights, thermal leggings, maternity jeans and winter boots, the general public will be as clueless about the state of your lower half as you are.
If you haven’t seen down there in months, why should anybody else ?
#7: People Will Try To Help You A Lot
In summer, people see a pregnant woman and think, ‘Oh, there’s a pregnant woman.’ In winter, they think, ‘Oh my god, a pregnant woman! The roads are icy! I must help her’.
People will be falling over themselves to bring you things from the shop, run your errands and generally rob you of any excuse to leave the house in bad weather. You could argue with them, but sometimes it’s nice to be waited on, right?
#8: You Will Avoid The Bump Comments
A winter coat hides many sins. Specifically, a maternity winter coat hides the shape of your bump which, if you didn’t get the memo, is up for public discussion. Is it too big? Is it too small? Are you eating too much? Is the baby ok? Is it a low bump? A high bump? A green, spotty, furry bump?
People have plenty of opinions about baby bumps, and an inexplicable inability to keep those opinions to themselves. Luckily for you, winter means your bump will be travelling incognito, and nobody will have the opportunity to size it up.
#9: It’s The Snuggly Season
Winter is all about blankets, fires and hiding indoors with your loved ones. It’s the best time to be pregnant.
You can get home from work, change into your pyjamas and snuggly jumper, cover yourself with a blanket, and cuddle up with your partner.
Those long nights on the sofa will give you plenty of opportunity to discuss impending parenthood and prepare yourselves for the huge change headed your way.
Did I mention blankets? And jumpers? Treat yourself to a huge, soft, warm maternity jumper to hide away in for the duration of the season.
And, even better, you could save yourself some money by nicking your partner’s jumpers. If he complains, just remind him of all the pregnancy symptoms you’re currently enduring so he can have a child.
#10: Winter Food Is The Best
Salad is great, but it doesn’t help with nausea. Luckily, winter has heartier food to bring to the (dining) table.
Winter vegetable soups, spicy curries and slow-cooked stews are just some of the items on the menu. You can chow down on these guilt-free home-cooked meals and know your baby is getting some top-notch nutrition from them. Plus, they warm you up, which makes them the perfect foods to enjoy on crisp winter evenings.
Oh and, um, hot chocolate. Not for dinner, obviously, as it definitely doesn’t count as one of your ‘five a day’. The odd hot chocolate is more a well-deserved treat, and could be the perfect alternative to the mug of mulled wine you can’t drink.
Recommended Reading:
