We know what you did last winter
June 9, 2013 10:41 PM Subscribe
An interactive calendar showing birthdate rankings and estimated conception dates for each day of the year. Hover over your birthday to see how common it is (darker purple = more common), and what the estimated conception date is. This appears to use US data only, perhaps explaining the sudden drop in birthrate on July 4th, and the northern hemisphere-centric baby boom in the summer months.
This must be broken because I know for a fact my parents never fucked. Nope, didn't happen. No way.
Well, maybe not each other.
posted by louche mustachio at 10:53 PM on June 9, 2013 [16 favorites]
Well, maybe not each other.
posted by louche mustachio at 10:53 PM on June 9, 2013 [16 favorites]
I know I was a bit late, but if I were conceived at a Halloween party, I'd have been right on time. Oddly, it seemed like nearly all my friends were born in November when I was in school, and it's odd that that's not more common in the survey because, come on, Valentine's Day.
posted by LionIndex at 10:56 PM on June 9, 2013
posted by LionIndex at 10:56 PM on June 9, 2013
I've known for a long time I was the result of an birth control mishap (or as my mom more graciously put it, a "nice surprise"). Now it all makes sense as according to this I was conceived on Valentines Day.
On preview, me too discopolo.
posted by The Gooch at 11:01 PM on June 9, 2013
On preview, me too discopolo.
posted by The Gooch at 11:01 PM on June 9, 2013
I've known for a long time I was the result of an birth control mishap (or as my mom more graciously put it, a "nice surprise"). Now it all makes sense as according to this I was conceived on Valentines Day.
I, too, was a mistake/accident. Hehe.
posted by discopolo at 11:04 PM on June 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
I, too, was a mistake/accident. Hehe.
posted by discopolo at 11:04 PM on June 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
I was a sabotage.
posted by LionIndex at 11:15 PM on June 9, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by LionIndex at 11:15 PM on June 9, 2013 [2 favorites]
I knew a guy born on the 14th who said his mum had told him she'd thought he was actually born on the 13th, but the official time of birth was held over to the 14th to avoid the unlucky number. No idea if true, but it seems plausible given how many large buildings don't have a 13th floor. May explain the lower rankings for the 13th of most months.
posted by Athanassiel at 11:19 PM on June 9, 2013
posted by Athanassiel at 11:19 PM on June 9, 2013
Jesus, and I wondered why I and nearly all my friends were born in late August - September.
posted by duvatney at 11:21 PM on June 9, 2013
posted by duvatney at 11:21 PM on June 9, 2013
Spoiler Alert: Roughly 9 months after New Years Eve is REALLY COMMON
posted by The Whelk at 11:22 PM on June 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by The Whelk at 11:22 PM on June 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
So what is it about April 5th - 9th while nothing much is happening in the rest of April?
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 11:22 PM on June 9, 2013
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 11:22 PM on June 9, 2013
(also, for super fun parents having sex info, I can reasonably pinpoint the 1) Show and 2) place I was conceived. I made it a Life Goal to have a beer there. )
posted by The Whelk at 11:23 PM on June 9, 2013
posted by The Whelk at 11:23 PM on June 9, 2013
I was wondering why births dropped off around holidays, and it turns out there's enough scheduled/induced births to affect the data. 22% of labors are induced. I had no idea it was that high.
(This also explains why there are fewer births on the 13th of the month.)
posted by mokin at 11:24 PM on June 9, 2013 [4 favorites]
(This also explains why there are fewer births on the 13th of the month.)
posted by mokin at 11:24 PM on June 9, 2013 [4 favorites]
Is there an annual spike in condom prices in China around mid-July? Along with fuel, that's getting doubly shafted.
posted by Seiten Taisei at 11:32 PM on June 9, 2013
posted by Seiten Taisei at 11:32 PM on June 9, 2013
Excellent follow up link, thanks Mokin! I'm fascinated that Northern Europe has a spring peak instead of fall. Also mildly amuses me because I'm a European living in the US, and both my boys are spring babies.
posted by Joh at 11:37 PM on June 9, 2013
posted by Joh at 11:37 PM on June 9, 2013
Hmmm. It shows me as having been conceived a month and a half before my parents were married.
posted by pjern at 12:34 AM on June 10, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by pjern at 12:34 AM on June 10, 2013 [3 favorites]
I'm also wondering about that little spike in early April. A late Spring Break? Make-up sex after a poorly-received April Fools' joke? An artifact of births being induced on December 30th for some reason?
posted by hattifattener at 12:36 AM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by hattifattener at 12:36 AM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
I am so dumb with things like this.
What does the number on the sliding scale indicate, and why does it vary in opposition to the "less/more" indication? Also, how do you even figure out what it regards as the likely conception date for a given birth date? All I'm seeing is two separate graphical representations, not something that links them.
posted by Decani at 1:16 AM on June 10, 2013
What does the number on the sliding scale indicate, and why does it vary in opposition to the "less/more" indication? Also, how do you even figure out what it regards as the likely conception date for a given birth date? All I'm seeing is two separate graphical representations, not something that links them.
posted by Decani at 1:16 AM on June 10, 2013
Duh. Read the instructions, Decani. Okay folks, I get it now. :-)
posted by Decani at 1:21 AM on June 10, 2013
posted by Decani at 1:21 AM on June 10, 2013
My three kid's birthdays are in a spread from 14 AUG to 10 OCT. Clearly I am only allowed to have sex during a discrete 60 day period each year, usually when it's cold out.
posted by longbaugh at 2:18 AM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by longbaugh at 2:18 AM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
I'm also wondering about that little spike in early April. A late Spring Break? Make-up sex after a poorly-received April Fools' joke? An artifact of births being induced on December 30th for some reason?
If you are due in late December/early January, it makes sense to induce on December 29/30. You don't want to have your baby on Christmas or New Year's, and having a baby in the final few days of the year has a tax benefit vs. having your baby in the first few days of the following year.
posted by dseaton at 2:22 AM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
If you are due in late December/early January, it makes sense to induce on December 29/30. You don't want to have your baby on Christmas or New Year's, and having a baby in the final few days of the year has a tax benefit vs. having your baby in the first few days of the following year.
posted by dseaton at 2:22 AM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Virgoes represent!
posted by ceribus peribus at 2:40 AM on June 10, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by ceribus peribus at 2:40 AM on June 10, 2013 [4 favorites]
Wait, why is there a birth rate drop on the 4th of July? Because people schedule around the holiday?
posted by Omnomnom at 3:30 AM on June 10, 2013
posted by Omnomnom at 3:30 AM on June 10, 2013
Wait, why is there a birth rate drop on the 4th of July? Because people schedule around the holiday?
I don't have a good answer for you there seeing as my son was born on July 5. Anecdotal evidence: I can tell you there was only one other birth (albeit a fairly small hospital) that day, we got the full attention of the staff.
posted by jeremias at 3:46 AM on June 10, 2013
I don't have a good answer for you there seeing as my son was born on July 5. Anecdotal evidence: I can tell you there was only one other birth (albeit a fairly small hospital) that day, we got the full attention of the staff.
posted by jeremias at 3:46 AM on June 10, 2013
I was due on the 4th of July but my mom's doctor wanted to go fishing and induced labor a day early.
posted by octothorpe at 3:48 AM on June 10, 2013
posted by octothorpe at 3:48 AM on June 10, 2013
I was wondering why births dropped off around holidays, and it turns out there's enough scheduled/induced births to affect the data. 22% of labors are induced.
Food for thought: that's not always for convenience. I was induced because I was nearly a month late. I wonder what proportion is induced because of complications rather than scheduling.
posted by Peevish at 3:53 AM on June 10, 2013
Food for thought: that's not always for convenience. I was induced because I was nearly a month late. I wonder what proportion is induced because of complications rather than scheduling.
posted by Peevish at 3:53 AM on June 10, 2013
My mother also said something about my conception being the result of an over-consumption of vodka which was a fairly exotic drink in 1963 that my parents were not familiar with.
posted by octothorpe at 4:24 AM on June 10, 2013
posted by octothorpe at 4:24 AM on June 10, 2013
This must be broken because I know for a fact my parents never fucked. Nope, didn't happen. No way.
Jesus, just stick to the religion blogs and appearing in pancakes and such, OK?
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 4:29 AM on June 10, 2013 [5 favorites]
Jesus, just stick to the religion blogs and appearing in pancakes and such, OK?
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 4:29 AM on June 10, 2013 [5 favorites]
that's interesting that there's big chunk of low rate days around late november thats larger than around late december, since xmas is a much bigger holiday than thanksgiving, i'd of thought the opposite.
posted by fuzzypantalones at 4:56 AM on June 10, 2013
posted by fuzzypantalones at 4:56 AM on June 10, 2013
I'm Nov. 30 and I already knew that Thanksgiving week is sort of barren as far as births go. I assume it's something of a statistical anomaly, because of the jiggery-pokery about scheduling and inducing births, that means that same blank space shows up in the conception chart as a particularly unerotic beginning of March, but I can't quite figure out why there would be such a large one following, through like, all of April, except that there's that purple spot. So again, an anomaly from the methodology rather than any indicator of actual probable conception dates.
posted by dhartung at 4:56 AM on June 10, 2013
posted by dhartung at 4:56 AM on June 10, 2013
fuzzypantalones: I think Thanksgiving looks more important on this chart because it moves around each year. Christmas does not. Christmas has the lowest rate, except for Feb 29th.
posted by Monday at 5:02 AM on June 10, 2013
posted by Monday at 5:02 AM on June 10, 2013
This needs some fine-tuning. For instance, what day of the week was it? What was happening in the local news? What was on the radio? What was the weather like where they lived?
If that date is accurate for me, I was conceived in a trailer parked down near the Niagara River on a Saturday in June when the newspaper promised:
posted by pracowity at 5:03 AM on June 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
If that date is accurate for me, I was conceived in a trailer parked down near the Niagara River on a Saturday in June when the newspaper promised:
Cool tonight, with possibly a few light showers, low about 50. Sunshine, cloudy intervals and a little warmer Sunday, high around 70.An ideal time for fucking.
posted by pracowity at 5:03 AM on June 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
There really is a drought in late November, huh? I recall noticing that the "early" kids in my grade (born between the cutoff in October and the first of the year) were rare; this confirms it.
However, it has me being conceived around March 1. Growing up, I was told I was conceived on my parents' first anniversary, Feb 22. (they also like to point out the *apartment* building I was conceived in. No, not "that's where we lived when we were first married"..."That's where we conceived you!")
So I guess what I'm saying is, even then, I was late.
posted by notsnot at 5:22 AM on June 10, 2013
However, it has me being conceived around March 1. Growing up, I was told I was conceived on my parents' first anniversary, Feb 22. (they also like to point out the *apartment* building I was conceived in. No, not "that's where we lived when we were first married"..."That's where we conceived you!")
So I guess what I'm saying is, even then, I was late.
posted by notsnot at 5:22 AM on June 10, 2013
I've known for a long time I was the result of an birth control mishap
I remember being quite young when the sister and I heard Mom say to one of her friends, "I've got proof twice over that the foam doesn't work." and not realizing what that meant until much later.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 5:24 AM on June 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
I remember being quite young when the sister and I heard Mom say to one of her friends, "I've got proof twice over that the foam doesn't work." and not realizing what that meant until much later.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 5:24 AM on June 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
I'm still a little confused by the violet slider... it shows rankings of birthdates, correct?
If that is so then nearly everyone has sex on Christmas eve!
posted by coachfortner at 5:28 AM on June 10, 2013
If that is so then nearly everyone has sex on Christmas eve!
posted by coachfortner at 5:28 AM on June 10, 2013
I remember being quite young when the sister and I heard Mom say to one of her friends, "I've got proof twice over that the foam doesn't work." and not realizing what that meant until much later.
posted by The Underpants Monster
Oh so eponysterical!
April is the cruelest month...
You'd think all the spring rains would make folks frisky, but no, they just want to sleep.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 5:36 AM on June 10, 2013
posted by The Underpants Monster
Oh so eponysterical!
April is the cruelest month...
You'd think all the spring rains would make folks frisky, but no, they just want to sleep.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 5:36 AM on June 10, 2013
In the US, about 31% of births are by C-section. An additional 22% are induced. http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2007754,00.html. So an actual majority are scheduled to some degree.
However, it is wrong to assume that the reason so many births are by induction or C-section is so that they can be scheduled. Waiting and letting nature take its course is a risky business. In my experience (two inductions) responsible doctors do inductions or C-sections when there are risk factors like large babies, or being very overdue, or low fluid levels, etc, because it gives them more control over the process, and lower risk of major birth injuries and death. However, once you're scheduling the birth anyway, you may as well schedule it at a convenient time...
posted by OnceUponATime at 5:37 AM on June 10, 2013
However, it is wrong to assume that the reason so many births are by induction or C-section is so that they can be scheduled. Waiting and letting nature take its course is a risky business. In my experience (two inductions) responsible doctors do inductions or C-sections when there are risk factors like large babies, or being very overdue, or low fluid levels, etc, because it gives them more control over the process, and lower risk of major birth injuries and death. However, once you're scheduling the birth anyway, you may as well schedule it at a convenient time...
posted by OnceUponATime at 5:37 AM on June 10, 2013
Hmmm. It shows me as having been conceived a month and a half before my parents were married.
As it turns out, first children sometimes grow really fast and look like full-term infants even when they are less than 9 months from the wedding. Weird.
posted by jeather at 5:37 AM on June 10, 2013 [11 favorites]
As it turns out, first children sometimes grow really fast and look like full-term infants even when they are less than 9 months from the wedding. Weird.
posted by jeather at 5:37 AM on June 10, 2013 [11 favorites]
In the US, about 31% of births are by C-section. An additional 22% are induced.
It's also wrong to assume that C-sections and inductions are exclusive. Many unsucessful inductions lead to C-sections, so a single birth could hit both statistics.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 5:39 AM on June 10, 2013
It's also wrong to assume that C-sections and inductions are exclusive. Many unsucessful inductions lead to C-sections, so a single birth could hit both statistics.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 5:39 AM on June 10, 2013
I interpreted "22% of deliveries..." to mean that an induced labor which ended in a delivery by C-section would not be counted in that statistic. I welcome correction if someone wants to dig up the original CDC data.
But, of course, many C-sections are emergency are not really scheduled. Many inductions aren't really either -- they are done immediately following some symptom or test result.
posted by OnceUponATime at 5:46 AM on June 10, 2013
But, of course, many C-sections are emergency are not really scheduled. Many inductions aren't really either -- they are done immediately following some symptom or test result.
posted by OnceUponATime at 5:46 AM on June 10, 2013
I think it is more interesting that people pretty obviously lie about how much sex they are having when they self-report unless there are big seasonal effects in fertility.
posted by srboisvert at 5:57 AM on June 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by srboisvert at 5:57 AM on June 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
I think it's hilarious because I went through high school in a (graduating!) class of about 30 kids and about half of us were born in April. I wonder what happened in July/August of 1984, in Italy/Europe?
I wish they had data for other countries, it would be amazing to be able to compare seasonal fucking trends.
posted by lydhre at 6:11 AM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
I wish they had data for other countries, it would be amazing to be able to compare seasonal fucking trends.
posted by lydhre at 6:11 AM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Back in college, I discovered that a ton of people living in my dorm had nearly the same birthday as my own (April 9, 1977), give or take a week or two. This in turn led to me realizing that I (and a good deal of my dormmates) had probably been conceived in some kind of drunken debauchery on or around July 4, 1976. Bicentennial babies!
posted by Strange Interlude at 6:14 AM on June 10, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by Strange Interlude at 6:14 AM on June 10, 2013 [5 favorites]
When I was 13 or so, some perverse influence drove me to try to calculate this date for myself. Take my birthday, subtract 42 weeks (I was two weeks late... sorry mom), and you get April 15th. The significance of this date did not occur to me until a few years later, when I filled out my first income tax return and thought "huh, I'd be getting back way more money if I had another deduction to claim."
posted by Mayor West at 6:14 AM on June 10, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by Mayor West at 6:14 AM on June 10, 2013 [4 favorites]
Jesus, and I wondered why I and nearly all my friends were born in late August - September.
People retreat indoors during the late fall/early winter. You can't get pregnant twice at the same time. Early indoor season successes imply less frequent necessity for success as the winter wears on.
Also, you or your wife really wants to avoid having to buy her a new winter jacket just for maternity.
posted by Nanukthedog at 6:28 AM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
People retreat indoors during the late fall/early winter. You can't get pregnant twice at the same time. Early indoor season successes imply less frequent necessity for success as the winter wears on.
Also, you or your wife really wants to avoid having to buy her a new winter jacket just for maternity.
posted by Nanukthedog at 6:28 AM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Our daughter was conceived via a "happy accident" during a vacation to Argentina. Apparently birth control spirals the wrong way down the bloodstream or something.
posted by Rock Steady at 6:32 AM on June 10, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Rock Steady at 6:32 AM on June 10, 2013 [3 favorites]
I wonder what happened in July/August of 1984, in Italy/Europe?
The Olympics was going on but without the Soviets. Lots of boredom?
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 6:40 AM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
The Olympics was going on but without the Soviets. Lots of boredom?
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 6:40 AM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Jesus, and I wondered why I and nearly all my friends were born in late August - September.
People retreat indoors during the late fall/early winter. You can't get pregnant twice at the same time. Early indoor season successes imply less frequent necessity for success as the winter wears on.
Also, drunken holiday parties.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 6:59 AM on June 10, 2013
People retreat indoors during the late fall/early winter. You can't get pregnant twice at the same time. Early indoor season successes imply less frequent necessity for success as the winter wears on.
Also, drunken holiday parties.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 6:59 AM on June 10, 2013
Hunh, that was quite the April Fool's Prank, mom and dad.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 7:04 AM on June 10, 2013
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 7:04 AM on June 10, 2013
Anecdata: I have a ton of friends who were born in late October/early November of the same year. I used to think I was a Valentine's baby because of the timing, but apparently I was 10 days late if I was. (I can believe that. I'm regularly late.)
posted by immlass at 7:11 AM on June 10, 2013
posted by immlass at 7:11 AM on June 10, 2013
Oh wait! I, too, should read the instructions. I'm too old to be on this chart.
posted by immlass at 7:12 AM on June 10, 2013
posted by immlass at 7:12 AM on June 10, 2013
Me too, immlass, me too.
posted by dejah420 at 7:15 AM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by dejah420 at 7:15 AM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
People retreat indoors during the late fall/early winter. You can't get pregnant twice at the same time. Early indoor season successes imply less frequent necessity for success as the winter wears on.
Incidentally, several Northern Hemisphere, long-gestating, large mammals run on the same rutting cycle. In them it's been attributed to success of the offspring. If the baby is gestating in mom it isn't freezing to death and mom has just fattened up during the peak eating season when she gets knocked up.
Since Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and other fall/early winter festivals harken back to our agrarian "harvest fests" seems like we've still got some Fall "fattening-up" going on too. Maybe we just aren't as far removed from our animal ancestors as we'd like to believe.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 7:17 AM on June 10, 2013 [4 favorites]
Incidentally, several Northern Hemisphere, long-gestating, large mammals run on the same rutting cycle. In them it's been attributed to success of the offspring. If the baby is gestating in mom it isn't freezing to death and mom has just fattened up during the peak eating season when she gets knocked up.
Since Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and other fall/early winter festivals harken back to our agrarian "harvest fests" seems like we've still got some Fall "fattening-up" going on too. Maybe we just aren't as far removed from our animal ancestors as we'd like to believe.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 7:17 AM on June 10, 2013 [4 favorites]
Pair this with the FPP about surgeries on Friday and the holiday gaps seem like an even better idea.
posted by maryr at 7:24 AM on June 10, 2013
posted by maryr at 7:24 AM on June 10, 2013
If that is so then nearly everyone has sex on Christmas eve!
Makes sense, Kids are in bed early and it is the end of a stressful period with a day or more off the next day. And in my household (both in my parents and mine) kids were/are allowed out of bed to open stockings after 6AM but weren't/aren't to get the parents up so there is the chance for early morning sexy too.
Friend of mine's older sister was born nine months to the day of her very religious parents wedding which we always thought was hilareous.
It's too bad the data wasn't just on naturally occuring births; the scheduled births skew the data too much for the chart to actually be useful in anything more than cool pattern sort of way.
posted by Mitheral at 7:33 AM on June 10, 2013
Makes sense, Kids are in bed early and it is the end of a stressful period with a day or more off the next day. And in my household (both in my parents and mine) kids were/are allowed out of bed to open stockings after 6AM but weren't/aren't to get the parents up so there is the chance for early morning sexy too.
Friend of mine's older sister was born nine months to the day of her very religious parents wedding which we always thought was hilareous.
It's too bad the data wasn't just on naturally occuring births; the scheduled births skew the data too much for the chart to actually be useful in anything more than cool pattern sort of way.
posted by Mitheral at 7:33 AM on June 10, 2013
Mitheral: Makes sense, Kids are in bed early and it is the end of a stressful period with a day or more off the next day. And in my household (both in my parents and mine) kids were/are allowed out of bed to open stockings after 6AM but weren't/aren't to get the parents up so there is the chance for early morning sexy too.
That's so contrary to my childhood experience that you might as well be talking about a completely different holiday. We always had a big party on Christmas Eve, with parents and kids staying up much later than usual, and then parents/uncles/grandparents drunkenly attempting to assemble various bicycles, drum kits, Ataris 2600 and Castles Greyskull for maximum under-tree impact. Us kids would then wake up at approximately 4 am and begin pestering our parents to go downstairs as soon as theoretically possible. Watching my father attempt to load 35mm film into his Canon at 5:30 am (with what must have been a pounding hangover) was so painful. I can't imagine my parents ever had sex on Christmas Eve, and my brother's and my spring birthdays appear to bear that out.
posted by Rock Steady at 7:47 AM on June 10, 2013
That's so contrary to my childhood experience that you might as well be talking about a completely different holiday. We always had a big party on Christmas Eve, with parents and kids staying up much later than usual, and then parents/uncles/grandparents drunkenly attempting to assemble various bicycles, drum kits, Ataris 2600 and Castles Greyskull for maximum under-tree impact. Us kids would then wake up at approximately 4 am and begin pestering our parents to go downstairs as soon as theoretically possible. Watching my father attempt to load 35mm film into his Canon at 5:30 am (with what must have been a pounding hangover) was so painful. I can't imagine my parents ever had sex on Christmas Eve, and my brother's and my spring birthdays appear to bear that out.
posted by Rock Steady at 7:47 AM on June 10, 2013
June 23, 1979 here. I've come up with two scenarios: it was a Saturday, and the episode of SNL sucked that night. OR, the disco power of Donna Summer's "Hot Stuff", #1 that week, worked its magic.
posted by DecemberBoy at 7:50 AM on June 10, 2013
posted by DecemberBoy at 7:50 AM on June 10, 2013
The person who wants to REALLY fuck with some heads will come up with a way to figure out what sex position people's parents were in when they were conceived.
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 7:53 AM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 7:53 AM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
It's pretty funny how strong the inverse correlation is between being a popular birthday and a popular conception day.
Notice the big wave of birthdays starts in July and ends in October. Most of those days are uncommon days to conceive a child. Then as soon as the wave ends in October, the conception frequencies pick up again, which starts another big wave of birthdays in July the next year.
posted by straight at 8:34 AM on June 10, 2013 [3 favorites]
Notice the big wave of birthdays starts in July and ends in October. Most of those days are uncommon days to conceive a child. Then as soon as the wave ends in October, the conception frequencies pick up again, which starts another big wave of birthdays in July the next year.
posted by straight at 8:34 AM on June 10, 2013 [3 favorites]
The Gooch: "I've known for a long time I was the result of an birth control mishap (or as my mom more graciously put it, a "nice surprise")."
My mother kindly explained to me that I am living proof that the IUD has a failure rate. Also that I am the reason my father had his tubes cut. "But it was a happy surprise," she'd assure me after that...
pjern: "Hmmm. It shows me as having been conceived a month and a half before my parents were married."
My parents wedding anniversary is a mere five months before my oldest sibling's birthday. They totally admitted to that one, too.
I have concluded that they were terrible at birth control, having only managed to have one out of three on purpose. I'm not entirely sure I want to know that about my parents, but there you go.
posted by Karmakaze at 9:52 AM on June 10, 2013
My mother kindly explained to me that I am living proof that the IUD has a failure rate. Also that I am the reason my father had his tubes cut. "But it was a happy surprise," she'd assure me after that...
pjern: "Hmmm. It shows me as having been conceived a month and a half before my parents were married."
My parents wedding anniversary is a mere five months before my oldest sibling's birthday. They totally admitted to that one, too.
I have concluded that they were terrible at birth control, having only managed to have one out of three on purpose. I'm not entirely sure I want to know that about my parents, but there you go.
posted by Karmakaze at 9:52 AM on June 10, 2013
My sister was born on May 5th after my parents had been Married on October 13th. My great aunt supposedly proclaimed at the time: wow she's certainly a big baby for being two month's premature.
posted by octothorpe at 10:03 AM on June 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by octothorpe at 10:03 AM on June 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
My father used to regularly ask "when's the baby due?" when told about wedding dates. Until the time everyone blanched at his question. (Answer: about 5 months after the wedding, from a fairly religously conservative family.)
posted by jeather at 10:06 AM on June 10, 2013
posted by jeather at 10:06 AM on June 10, 2013
The calendar gets both of my children's conception dates wrong by a week. I know the exact dates because I was watching my temperature so I know when I ovulated. Both babies took a week longer than predicted.
It gets mine much more wrong than that, since I was born six weeks early, as confirmed by my birth weight and other details of my health at the time (three years after my parents got married).
posted by artistic verisimilitude at 10:49 AM on June 10, 2013
It gets mine much more wrong than that, since I was born six weeks early, as confirmed by my birth weight and other details of my health at the time (three years after my parents got married).
posted by artistic verisimilitude at 10:49 AM on June 10, 2013
Well, my birthyear isn't on that chart, but having had four kids, I do know how to count.
*grumble*
It was late September. Geminis represent!
posted by BlueHorse at 10:53 AM on June 10, 2013
*grumble*
It was late September. Geminis represent!
posted by BlueHorse at 10:53 AM on June 10, 2013
My projected conception date is two days off from my father's birthday.
...oh my god
posted by The demon that lives in the air at 11:55 AM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
...oh my god
posted by The demon that lives in the air at 11:55 AM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Ew I was apparently conceived 4th of July weekend. Ick. I do not know why this bothers me so much.
posted by Sara C. at 12:08 PM on June 10, 2013
posted by Sara C. at 12:08 PM on June 10, 2013
Even worse:
Two of my three younger brothers conception dates are my parents birthdays...
My third brother's conception date is MY SIXTH BIRTHDAY.
posted by Sara C. at 12:15 PM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Two of my three younger brothers conception dates are my parents birthdays...
My third brother's conception date is MY SIXTH BIRTHDAY.
posted by Sara C. at 12:15 PM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Ew I was apparently conceived 4th of July weekend. Ick. I do not know why this bothers me so much.
This perhaps?
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 12:16 PM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
This perhaps?
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 12:16 PM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
I was due on the 4th of July but my mom's doctor wanted to go fishing and induced labor a day early.
I was born on July 4 and family lore has it that the doctor arrived slightly late to the delivery room still smelling of beer and hamburgers.
Thus was my life laid before me.
posted by 1f2frfbf at 12:50 PM on June 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
I was born on July 4 and family lore has it that the doctor arrived slightly late to the delivery room still smelling of beer and hamburgers.
Thus was my life laid before me.
posted by 1f2frfbf at 12:50 PM on June 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
Happy birthday, Mom! Apparently my father gave her something special for the occasion: 50% of my DNA (and presumably some spares).
posted by maryr at 12:55 PM on June 10, 2013
posted by maryr at 12:55 PM on June 10, 2013
This must be broken because I know for a fact my parents never fucked. Nope, didn't happen. No way. posted by item at 10:51 PM on June 9 [9 favorites +] [!]
I was absolutely sure I (and my siblings) were the second coming of christ, what with the clearly immaculate conception thing going on. Then I got pregnant with my first child and threw up for eight months. My mom commented "I always knew what I had done the night before because I started throwing up the next morning when I got pregnant." My entire world view was destroyed in an instant.
(I'm only here for the snark, mmmkay?)
posted by Michele in California at 8:29 PM on June 10, 2013
I was absolutely sure I (and my siblings) were the second coming of christ, what with the clearly immaculate conception thing going on. Then I got pregnant with my first child and threw up for eight months. My mom commented "I always knew what I had done the night before because I started throwing up the next morning when I got pregnant." My entire world view was destroyed in an instant.
(I'm only here for the snark, mmmkay?)
posted by Michele in California at 8:29 PM on June 10, 2013
The first uptick in births after the first of the new year is babies born January 6th, which is 266 days after April 15th.
Woo Hoo! Finally finished the taxes, honey!
posted by straight at 11:18 PM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Woo Hoo! Finally finished the taxes, honey!
posted by straight at 11:18 PM on June 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
All four of my grandparents, both of my parents, most of their siblings and three of my own siblings were born in September; the other one was in late August.... apparently, as I've always believed, we have a long and glorious family history of the, ahem, right way to celebrate New Year's Eve.
(The only explanation I can come up with for my own birthday --- early January --- is dear ol' Dad must have returned from a long stretch of sea duty the spring before.... or yeah: the taxes were done!)
posted by easily confused at 7:32 AM on June 11, 2013
(The only explanation I can come up with for my own birthday --- early January --- is dear ol' Dad must have returned from a long stretch of sea duty the spring before.... or yeah: the taxes were done!)
posted by easily confused at 7:32 AM on June 11, 2013
Creator Lane Harrison is on board with my "What position were your parents in when they fucked and conceived you?" idea.
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 2:28 PM on June 24, 2013
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 2:28 PM on June 24, 2013
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posted by louche mustachio at 10:52 PM on June 9, 2013