Maria Sykes

Maria Sykes

June 16, 2024

6 Reasons December Babies Are Special

We have no control over our birth month. But of the twelve months, if you were born in December, science is on your side. Whether you’re supposed to give birth to a December baby or you are a December baby, we’ve got some good news. December babies are extra special!

Many parents have anxiety over giving birth to December babies – for a number of reasons. Some don’t want their newborn’s special day to be overshadowed for the rest of their life; others worry about bullies picking on them because they’re the youngest in the class. Hopefully what you’re about to read helps put you at ease… Because research suggests that being born in December can give you quite an advantage in life.

1) Did we mention they’re super special?

baby girl 6 months old lies in a crib in the nursery with white clothes on her back and laughs, looks at the camera, baby's morning, baby products concept
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While it doesn’t apply to every single December baby, those who are born on December 24 or 25 have two of the rarest birthdays!

2) They Are More Likely to Live to 100

Happy Smiling Asian Little cute baby boy wearing yellow bib enjoying eating porridge or pureed food while sitting on high chair at home. Cheerful Lovely Mom feeding her son with baby spoon. BeH3althy
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Speaking of birthdays, December-born babies are likely to live the longest, according to the Journal of Aging Research. In fact, upon reviewing their findings, researchers found that they have a “significantly higher risk of surviving up to age 105-plus compared to the June-born.”

Read More: Antibiotic use in babies linked to allergies, asthma and other conditions, study finds

3) December-Born Babies Are More Likely to Be Left-Handed

baby eats milk from a bottle
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According to a 2014 study published in Cortex, psychologists from the University of Vienna found that from October to February, more boys were left-handed. (3) If you want to more about left-handed people, check out these 11 unusual facts (from memory to life expectancy).

4) More Likely to Be Sick-Free

Curious adorable little African American infant lying on bed
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In June 2015, Columbia University Department of Medicine researchers published an article about how birth month affects lifetime disease risk. During the study, they analyzed records of 1.75 million patients between 1900 and 2000 as well as 1,668 disease and birth months and other factors (e.g., exercise and diet). (4)

Researchers emphasized that babies born in June, August, January, and December didn’t provide a significant advantage or disadvantage when it came to contracting major diseases. However, other late months, “such as October and November, were associated with increased risk of disease.” (5) In comparison to others born late in the year, the study suggests that December babies may have more of a fighting chance against disease.

Read More: Hospitals Need ‘Baby Cuddlers’ to Help Babies With Opioid Withdrawal

5) December Babies Are Not as Irritable

Smiling little kid laying in wooden baby bed under blanket, holding toy, mother finger touching happy kid nose, unrecognizable loving mom playing with awaken cute toddler, closeup
Source: Shutterstock

Compared to people born in winter, summer-born babies tend to be more moody. A study presented at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology surveyed 366 university students about their temperaments. Not only were people born in winter more steady, but December babies threw even less temper tantrums. (6)

6) Younger May Mean Smarter

crawling funny baby boy indoors at home. Cute baby and young mother at home
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Believe it or not, being older doesn’t guarantee intelligence! Two groups of economists in 2006 and 2007 found that children who started school a year later had significantly lower IQ scores and performed more poorly than their younger counterparts. (7,8,9)

It’s not so bad!

Adorable newborn baby laying in the basket with Christmas lights decoration.
Source: Shutterstock

If you have concerns about December babies, just take a moment to realize how much potential they have. From higher IQs to stronger immune systems, babies born in December are a force to be reckoned with.

Read More: The Future Includes Babies born from Artificial Wombs