If You Get Holiday Stress, a 'Jageun Agi' Is Born

Average Weight 9g Less During Early Pregnancy Holiday Experience
Careful Consideration Needed to Avoid Holiday Syndrome

Women in South Korea who experience the Lunar New Year holiday during early pregnancy give birth to babies weighing on average about 9 grams less than those who do not. This means that the holiday stress experienced by pregnant women is directly transmitted to their babies. Not only adults but also newborns can suffer from holiday syndrome, requiring special care.

Babies Are Smaller Especially in Early Pregnancy and in Yeongnam and Honam Regions

[Image source=Pixabay]

In 2017, Professor Son Ki-tae and his team at Curtin University in Australia analyzed the relationship between pregnant women's holiday experiences and newborn birth weights using data from 8,589,426 newborns born in South Korea between 1997 and 2014. The pregnancy period was divided into early, mid, and late stages. Babies born to mothers who experienced the Lunar New Year holiday during early pregnancy weighed on average 9.4 grams less than those who did not.

Even when the holiday was experienced during mid to late pregnancy, babies weighed on average 6.2 grams less. The more holiday stress experienced during early pregnancy, the more likely a "lighter and smaller baby" is born. Additionally, the impact of the mother's Lunar New Year holiday experience on newborn weight reduction was more pronounced in the Yeongnam and Honam regions, with an average weight difference of 16.2 grams less.

Women have to prepare food, ancestral rites, and entertain guests even during pregnancy, and the stress from these activities is linked to the baby's birth weight. The socioeconomic status of women also had an effect; women with higher education levels than their husbands showed a smaller decrease in newborn weight. The research team pointed out, "In the serious context of low birth rates, policies should be sought to reduce the high holiday stress experienced by women in South Korea."

Babies Also Have 'Holiday Syndrome'

On September 21 last year, a baby burst into tears after receiving a flu shot at Mirae Children's Hospital in Buk-gu, Gwangju. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, it has been found that newborn babies also experience holiday syndrome. When people think of holiday syndrome, they often imagine adults' excessive housework such as preparing food and entertaining guests, but babies also feel fatigue due to excessive attention from relatives and long-distance travel.

Lee Jeong-hee, director of the Korea Rudolf Steiner Anthroposophy Research Center, said, "During the holidays, frequently holding and touching a newborn because they are cute can actually be overstimulating from the baby's perspective."

In fact, during holidays, parents raising newborns often post concerns on various online communities such as, "My baby is only 40 days old; should I visit my parents' or in-laws' house?" and "The adults say they will come to see the baby, but what should I do?"

There are also reports that around the holidays and afterward, babies become more fussy about sleeping or more demanding to be held, making it difficult for parents. In response, Director Lee says that while it is good for the whole family to gather and enjoy time together during the holidays, newborns require more careful consideration.

When traveling long distances with a baby, it is recommended to take breaks at rest stops every hour because sitting in a car seat can be uncomfortable and cause motion sickness. Babies experience more motion sickness than adults because their semicircular canals, which help maintain balance, are not fully developed. Also, holding a baby upright or immediately after lying down can strain the baby's spine, so it is better to smile at the baby closely while looking at their face.