6 reasons August babies are special

It’s been a hot summer and no one has felt the heat quite as much as the mamas with August due dates.

An August due date sure has its challenges, but it also has plenty of positives. August babies are destined to be as sunny as the weather that preceded them!

Related: 20 August baby names for your little ray of summer sunshine

Here’s why August babies are so special

1. They’re gonna be big at birth

Statistically speaking, summer babies have higher birth weights than kids who come into the world during the other three seasons. Higher birth weights are linked to positive outcomes in both the short and long term, so this really is a good thing, mama.

2. They’re gonna be tall in adulthood

The same study that found summer babies are born big also suggests they grow up to be taller than their peers as adults. The research suggests there’s a lasting link between the vitamin D exposure pregnant mamas get and the height of our babies.

3. They’re less likely to develop bipolar disorder

August babies (and their September cousins) have lower rates of bipolar disorder, according to a 2012 study published in the journal PLOS One. Again, prenatal vitamin D is thought to be a factor but researchers don’t yet know exactly why August and September born kids have lower rates of this illness, they just do.

4. They feel lucky

A 2005 study found that people born between March and August are more likely to consider themselves “lucky” when compared to those born between September and February. Only 44.9% of the fall-winter born people reported feeling lucky, while 47.9% of the spring-summer babies felt luck was on their side.

5. They’re just more positive

That may be because hyperthymic temperament (the tendency to have a positive, upbeat attitude) is linked to spring and summer birthdates. Positive people may be more likely to see themselves as receiving good luck.

6. They’ll be the youngest (or oldest) in class

There’s a lot of research into the academic success of August-born babies. Much of it points to the disadvantages August-born kids face as they enter the classroom, but the decisions parents make for individual kids can make all the difference.

Related: 6 reasons September babies are special

According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, which recently examined the academic outcomes for public school kids in Florida, kids born in August aren’t as likely to attend or graduate from college as kids born in September. Kids born in September are likely to be the oldest in their class when starting school, while kids born in August are youngest. For some kids, that may mean they’re the smallest and least skilled student in the class, and the data suggests this can follow them through their academic careers.

For some kids who just aren’t ready, the answer is “redshirting” or delaying kindergarten for a year. For other kids, those who are ready to go to kindergarten, letting them be the youngest is fine. Either side has positive benefits.

An August baby who gets redshirted will be the oldest in their class, a position which studies have proven is statistically beneficial. One who enters school as the youngest will graduate from high school early, earning them a lifetime of bragging rights and an extra year of grace come college time. Gap year, anyone?

Whether they’re redshirted or start right on time, your August baby wins.

A version of this post was published August 2018. It has been updated.