The Mrs is about to drop a pair of little girls over the next few weeks, our first. Twins normally get induced at about 37 weeks we are told which is the 22nd of August.

Mrs wants to hang on until 1st of September so that they are the oldest in the year rather than the youngest. I have been told by others that the youngest in the year gives that little bit of a head start in life as they will be younger when they leave school but will have had the same education. So, oh wise ones of STW, should we defer the inducement until after the 1st or impatiently meet them before then?

Cheers then!

The health of mother and kids comes first.

If this allows for deferring until September, defer until September.

Those who are old for their year are statistically more likely to succeed both in academic and sporting terms.

The health of mother and kids comes first. is the ONLY important thing here.

Slight fix for you.

As above, kids and Mum will decide.

But if you have a real choice, older in the year is supposed to be better
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8227268.stm

In terms of actual day, try to get them to arrive on a Saturday morning to maximise your paternity leave (assuming 2 weeks off, you get 3 full weekends, 16 days straight! Winner!)

The health of mother and kids comes first.

Of course, goes without saying. It is looking like we might have the choice though, hence the question.

If it comes to a choice then yes the date that makes them oldest in the year.

The OP wouldn’t have been given the choice if it wasn’t medically safe.

Of course nature could change all that.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/month-of-birth-and-education-schools-analysis-and-research-division

The above is a link to a goverment paper on birth month attainment. The graphs are pretty clear (and harsh for those of us with summer born kids).

This article may interest, not formed my own opinion as I’ve not needed to. http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/08/40-week-pregnancy-myth

I guess Mrs will have to keep her legs crossed then.

I was an August baby but never really thought much of it. Now I am wondering who I sue for my stunted development!

Where we are late August babies parents have the choice to put them in their actual year or defer them and put them in the next year as the oldest, might be worth a call to your lea to find out what date that is for your area, but at the end of the day health of mother and babies comes first always

My brother’s gf has been told she’s going to be induced on 29th August. First thing I said is can’t it wait a few days.

Our daughter is March so mid year, it’s quite noticeable the difference in the older and younger children in her year. I guess as they get older it levels out somewhat, but at early stages there is a marked difference.

Not on a weekend. Worst hospital staff cover on a weekend, so you want Tuesday or Wednesday really – get in, good staffing for a few days, then the weekend.

definately hold on til sept if you can.. they ll start school a year later and be raring to go and do well come the time PLUS if they are in any way sporty they ll be the oldest in thier age group in many sports..

Not on a weekend.

I did think this very thing when little deadly decided to make an appearance in Lincoln in the early hours of Sunday morning. I decided that suggesting it (and the resulting inferences) might not be the best course of action. Thankfully it was a quiet day in maternity. 🙂

To the OP, nature may make your decision for you, but best of luck whatever happens.

If education is all that you are concerned about, why not just hold them back a year and send them to school as if they were born on 1st September?

If you hold them back a year they just miss Reception and then go straight into year one. ( well they do at our school ) As such holding a child back was pointless for us. Is probably different if there medical reason though.

If the medical staff see no risk in doing so, I’d definitely hold on.

In terms of British Cycling bike racing for kids (e.g. cyclocross) the age group you are in is dependant on what year you were born, not what year you are in at school. So it doesn’t make any difference whether they were born in August or September as they will still be in the same age group.

I have a December born son who is one of the older ones in his year, but races against a lot of kids in the school year above.

This is just for info.
I’m not saying this should be taken into account when deciding a date for an induction!

Don’t worry about school years until later. They’ll cope with whichever one it is whatever. Especially with each other to bounce off.
I don’t mean to be rude, but IMO it’s a little frivolous in comparison to what’s about to happen.
Take every option you can to make the birth as smooth as possible and minimise as many risks to your wife and children as possible.
Inductions don’t always work immediately or as smoothly as some people believe.
We had our first child in January. Wife was induced on a Sunday and spent the next 4 days with contractions rising and dropping , with no sleep, in and out of delivery suites. It left her mentally and physically exhausted by the time she was dilated enough on the Wednesday. The baby became stressed by it all too, and they then needed to go to an emergency caesarian for the birth. They’re both doing fine now, but it was no cakewalk.
I’m not saying all inductions go like that, but it’s more than people realise. I know of two others from when my wife was in hospital. Complications happen.
If delaying the birth means the kids will be a bit bigger , then the birth may be a little more difficult than it would otherwise have been. It would probably be fine, but if there are other complications, or your wife doesn’t react to the induction in the predicted way, then these things can add up. Especially with twins.
You both need to talk to your medical people. As it’s your wife’s idea then I know you’d have trouble convincing a pregnant mother to change her mind. But make sure she understands any risks she’s taking.
Personally, the risk outweighs the reward for me.

The other side to the argument could be that they might come out naturally between the two dates you’re looking at, with no induction needed. I’d guess that would be best, but I’m no expert. Speak to your doc’s.
Good luck to all of you whatever you decide.

I suspect you may not have a lot of choice as to when your partner is induced, when push comes to shove (to use an appropriate idiom).

Worst hospital staff cover on a weekend, so you want Tuesday or Wednesday really – get in, good staffing for a few days, then the weekend.

Oh shit. Wrecker Jnr is due Christmas 😐

Congrats Tormy! Twins eh, that will keep you busy 😉
Our youngest was born in August. He started school at 4 and was still 4 when he completed his first year! He’s the smallest in his class but holds his own with the other boys physically and academically in the classroom so I wouldn’t worry too much (although stats seem to say otherwise and I must admit I think starting school at 4 seems too young to me, if we had the choice we may have held him back)

I guess that means you won’t be biking down here for a while?

Oh shit. Wrecker Jnr is due Christmas

So was mini dd – but he decided he liked the look of Lincoln Cathedral instead of the stable I’d been building in the back garden and arrived two weeks early. 😯

So was mini dd – but he decided he liked the look of Lincoln Cathedral instead of the stable I’d been building in the back garden and arrived two weeks early

Early would be fantastic please!
Did you get my mail DD?

I don’t mean to be rude, but IMO it’s a little frivolous in comparison to what’s about to happen.
Take every option you can to make the birth as smooth as possible and minimise as many risks to your wife and children as possible.

Of course, I am amazed that this even needs to be said, the question I am posing is based on a situation where there is no difference either way. We will be taking the advice on any professionals as our foremost concern but if it makes no difference then the question posed is valid, and not, I believe, frivolous.

I guess that means you won’t be biking down here for a while?

To be honest, I reckon she will sell my bikes to pay to send me to the vets after this!

Ha ha! I have a spare you can ride if you need to escape 😈

OP – when we had our twins we were told that they nearly always come early and true enough Laura and Chloe made their grand entrance at 35 weeks.
I guess that if they do induce at 37 weeks there will be good reason for it though so let the professionals do their thing.

I would get as much biking in right now if I you, as you may struggle for the next 6 months or so, sorry.

My three bits of advice:
1) blackoout lining for the bedroom curtains
2) if anyone offers help – take it!
3) in the future always buy toys in pairs – there will be fights otherwise

Good luck.

I reckon being born in early Sept had a big effect on my self confidence in school. I was picked on a lot, and had I been younger than everyone else rather than the oldest, I reckon I’d have had a much harder time dealing with it.

I don’t think it’s frivolous given the situation you are in, with the possibility to choose.

According to my mum, a teacher of 30 odd years, the difference in behaviour and ability is very noticeable in the early years, but much less so as they come to leave school. However, if kids struggle early on it can make it a lot harder to catch up, which would tend to back up the statistican reports above.

I was born 30th of August, and it was hard for me, when I started school at 4 I was nearly a year younger than some of the kids & at that age a year is a huge difference… I was forever catching up. I eventually repeated the final year of infant school and was fine from then on…

Just my own experience, and your two may remain fully unaffected…

Oh shit. Wrecker Jnr is due Christmas

Our youngest arrived on boxing day at about 5pm ish. Almost had to deliver the baby myself in reception with the cleaner to help, since the triage nurse on the phone had delayed us coming in. In hindsight she was very keen for my wife to stay at home for as long as possible as they didn’t have enough staff.

Luckly for all concerned a midwife finally arrived and the baby was born 30s later in the room next to reception.

Almost had to deliver the baby myself in reception with the cleaner to help, since the triage nurse on the phone had delayed us coming in. In hindsight she was very keen for my wife to stay at home for as long as possible as they didn’t have enough staff.

😐
I’m already starting to dread this……

I’m already starting to dread this……

Stay strong brother. How bad can it be? 😯

Well, it would appear that the discussion was entirely academic as the Wife gave birth to two beautiful daughters today. Best day ever. Never again. 😀

Awesome news!!

Congratulations Torminalis!! 😀

Thanks man!

Awesome news! Happy dadding!