5 reasons May babies are special

Babies born in May or with May due dates have a lot to celebrate: A baby born in May will have a spring in their step and can expect lots of good fortune in their future. Here are five reasons May babies are special.

Babies born in May: Why they’re special

1. They’re pretty lucky

A 2004 survey of more than 40,000 people found that babies with May birthdays tend to be luckier than those born in any other month. According to British psychologist Richard Wiseman, who led the research, that could be because of the “changes in how some parents interact with their babies during summer and winter.”

Related: 20 May baby names

2. They’re more optimistic

In another survey, this time involving nearly 30,000 people, Wiseman discovered that people born in May also have a more positive outlook on life. In fact, a 2011 Journal of Affective Disorders study came to a similar conclusion. Swedish psychologist Jayanti Chotai, who helped Wiseman with his research, says your little Taurus or Gemini may be more optimistic, in part, because of the influence of daylight hours on dopamine, the brain chemical that controls our reward and pleasure centers.

3. They’re night owls

I always wondered why my son refused to go bed before 8 p.m. and now I know why: A 2009 study published in the journal Sleep showed that spring and summer babies are more likely to go to sleep later than fall and winter kids. On the other hand, the researchers found your kiddo’s birth season doesn’t affect what time they’ll wake up.

Related: Best Taurus-inspired baby names

4. They have a lower risk of respiratory disease

Babies with May birthdays are better protected against respiratory conditions than little ones born in any other month, according to a 2015 Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association study. That means springtime kiddos are less likely to develop asthma or respiratory infections, the findings show.

5. They have fewer allergies

If you’re a fall or winter baby, you’re probably dealing with a bad case of allergies or asthma right now. But your May-born little one? Not so much. According to a 2016 University of South Hampton study, spring kiddos are least at risk for developing allergies, hay fever, asthma and eczema.

There are so many reasons why May babies are special, but these five are proof that mamas will have so much fun with their little ones born during this month.

A version of this story was originally published on May 1, 2018. It has been updated.