I have only recently found out that the monthly pattern of births in this country has changed quite dramatically since 20 years ago
September has taken over as the busiest month on the maternity ward. We used to have two smaller peaks, in March & May, which were popularly attributed to the Moon in June & annual August holidays
Now Christmas has taken over. I wonder if this is the result of planning – time-poor career couples taking advantage of the guaranteed break - or alcohol-related accident? [Cue joke about Virgo births]
It does help to explain the modern mothers puzzlement about the old habit of putting the baby outside in the garden. Nobody put babies outside in winter, despite the strong belief in their need for fresh air. I seem to remember not a few medical research reports on the adverse heath effects (both short & long term) of a winter birth.
A spring baby also meant that the house would not be draped in nappies steaming dry instead of blowing outside on the line
The graph comes from The birthday problem by Mario Cortina Borja & John Haigh which was published in Significance September 2007
