Before I get started on my rant, I would first like to say that I don't mean to offend anyone who has chosen (or been chosen) or been born in December. Mostly, this is the grumpy bellow of a woman who's reaching the end of her due date day. ;)
WHY in the world would ANYONE want to have a baby in December? [In Saskatchewan]
I'm sure that people can think of reasons to NOT have a baby pretty much any month of the year, but as a woman who has had an April and a March baby, December seems like the worst option. I could fault careless family planning... but,
planning really had no part in this ;)
10 REASONS WHY DECEMBER IS AN AWFUL MONTH TO HAVE A BABY:
1. It is stupid cold. Vehicles are less reliable at -40° C
As everyone around here can attest to, cars/trucks do not like the cold. If you don't plug your vehicle in or park in a garage, you're pretty much guaranteed to not have a reliable mode of transportation the next day. When you need to be ready to head to the hospital so that you can have your baby, you kinda want a reliable form of transportation; especially from the farm. I wonder where they would let us park if we arrived at RUH Emergency in a four-wheel drive John Deere tractor?...
2. It is too close to Christmas.
I think it's because Christmas is such a benchmark event in pretty much everyone's life around here, but I have had too many comments like, "Well, hopefully you'll have your baby before Christmas." or "Maybe you'll have a Christmas baby!" Neither of these comments are encouraging to a woman who's due date is Dec. 9th!!! If baby waited for Christmas Day to be born, I would be 16 days overdue!! Not happening, people! ;) (Lord, help me... I DO feel as though I may be pregnant forever)
3. It is stupid cold. We are stuck inside the house too much.
In the summer, I can barely keep my kids IN the house, but in this cold, we don't get outside nearly enough. Having a massive pregnant belly doesn't help our cause! SO, we're inside much of the time and our little old house feels even littler as my busy toddlers stampede throughout and pull out every toy they own, only to play with it for 2 seconds and discard it on the floor, providing a dangerous obstacle course for a mama who struggles to see her feet these days!
4. There are too many gatherings.
Of course 'tis the season to gather and make merry, but being great-with-child makes it more difficult to get to many gatherings. Furthermore, being a woman who may or may not be battling ridiculous hormones, I can't be expected to have control of my emotions as I receive the knowing sympathetic "look" from every woman who has ever had a baby. Oi vay! As if having largely swollen body parts isn't unattractive enough, the blotchy face of a woman who can't keep it together completes the pathetic appearance I'm [NOT} going for. ;)
5. It is stupid cold. I can't walk myself into labour.
With my first two pregnancy experiences, I did a lot of walking near the end. Perhaps this was my futile attempt to hasten the arrival of my babe, but at least it felt like I was DO-ing something! I did walk down the driveway one time this evening, but by the time I returned to the yard, my thighs were frozen. Not helping my cause...
6. There is far too much baking and sweets to indulge in.
For most of this pregnancy, I was doing pretty good and not gaining as much weight as I did in my other two. However, as we approach Christmas, there is more and more baking just lying around for the taking and this pregnant mama does not need much convincing to indulge.
7. It is stupid cold. Babies get a poor first impression of the world!
Seeing as this is our third child and we have pretty much a whole basement full of baby gear, there isn't much we've needed to purchase in preparation for this child. BUT, because he is a December baby, there IS more gear needed, believe it or not! I never bought a warm carseat cover for my first two babes, but as the temps have been hovering below -30° for a week now, I think it's been bumped up the priority purchase list! You gotta think that these frigid temps are a brutal welcome to the world for the sweet babies born this month!
8. It is year-end, so money is more tight.
Of course we all spend extra money leading up to Christmas and as the year comes to an end, things are a little more 'tight'. This is unfortunate as my motivation to cook plummets and my desire to eat out sky rockets!! ;) It's also unfortunate that online shopping can prove to be such a good distraction...
9.
It is stupid cold. I have a nasty sinus cold AGAIN!
Yes, you can get a cold at any time of year, but THIS is the season where colds roam rampantly. I think that I can thank my sweet Kalena for 'sharing' these brutally plugged sinuses with me. :( To a mama who has struggled to sleep for the past few months, this is NOT a welcomed addition!
10. It is STUPID cold!!!
Have I made my point? ;)
I do pride myself on generally being a "glass is half full" kind of gal, so I DID track down a positive thing about this time of year. ;)
I do wear what I like to call, "comfy" clothes fairly often these days. ;)
Forty weeks. I truly pray this baby boy does make his entrance VERY soon! He can't help it that he's a December baby ;)
