Credits: Social Media
Crazy thing that happens if a baby is born when the clocks go back
The clocks went back in the UK last weekend, and will do the same in America this Sunday, but have you ever thought about what happens if your baby is born when the clocks change?
A doctor says women having babies on the night the clocks go back is one of his “favorite, most interesting medical phenomenons” – and things get even crazier if you’re welcoming twins.
What happens if a baby is born when the clocks go back
Speaking on TikTok, Dr Arthur Joustra explained that when he was in medical school, he was working in a hospital on the night the clocks went back and two babies were born at specific times which meant something “very interesting” happened.
The first one was born at 1:45 am, and the second one came half an hour later, at 1:15 am. However, the clocks went back an hour at 2 am, so legally, the first baby was younger than the second baby even though it was born 30 minutes earlier.
One of his colleagues previously worked with a mother who went through the same thing but her babies were twins. She gave birth to the first twin at 1:50 am and the second one at what should have been 2:20 am.
However, as the clocks went back at 2am, it was only 1:20am. This meant that legally, the first twin was actually younger than their sibling. How strange! The phenomenon is pretty rare, but does happen every now and again.
The clocks go back or forward at 2 am for ease. By that time, most businesses, restaurants and even bars are shut, so the time change affects the least amount of people possible. Historically, it was also the time when there were no trains on the railroads.
Midwives say clock changes are a complete ‘nightmare’
In the comments, midwives are saying it’s an absolute nightmare when they have to work on the night the clocks change because the systems go into meltdown.
“Its a NIGHTMARE. Even documenting the placenta before the baby – it wont let you do it,” one person wrote.
When asked what they do in that situation, she said the midwives have to put the wrong time and write a note to explain what really happened in writing.
Many things have medical time limits when giving birth, and this all seems incorrect when the clocks change, too.
Another said: “As a midwife the clocks going backwards & forwards boggles my brain. Drug frequencies, timings of ABX, I cannot compute!”
For example, when the clocks go forwards, it looks like the mother has been pushing for too long on the system.
“Us computer programmers are WELL versed in the pitfalls of timezones and clock changes. The whole thing is a disaster area,” someone else added.
The systems often go into meltdown when a baby is born at exactly midnight too as many only give 11:59 pm or 12:01 am as birth time options.
Technically, if a baby is born at midnight, that is the start of a new day, but parents are often allowed to choose their child’s birthday.
Another commented: “I am a midwife and as a student delivered a baby bang on midnight! Our system wouldnt recognise midnight as a time, so the parents were able to choose if baby was born at 23.59 or 00.01 and choose the baby’s birthday.”
How interesting!
Dr Arthur Joustra is an F3 NHS doctor working in Nottinghamshire, UK, currently completing training in the emergency department.
