def getBirthdate(self, string=True):
        """
        Returns the birthdate as string object

        Parameters
        ----------
        None

        Examples
        --------
        >>> import pyedflib
        >>> f = pyedflib.data.test_generator()
        >>> f.getBirthdate()=='30 jun 1969'
        True
        >>> f._close()
        >>> del f

        """

        if string:
            return self._convert_string(self.birthdate.rstrip())
        else:
            return datetime.strptime(self._convert_string(self.birthdate.rstrip()), "%d %b %Y")