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Original poster

What age would consider someone to be a young mum?

119 replies

Himitsu · 07/08/2024 21:20

Not including teen parents, as that’s a separate category.

Someone referred to me as a young mum today and I was like eh? I’m 30! I’d consider 20 to maybe 23-24 to be a young mum. Just curious what others feel! I had my first at 20 and definitely felt young then!

OP posts:
Wheredidileavemycarkeys · 08/08/2024 07:47

Under 25

Shibr · 08/08/2024 07:46

I’m early 40s and have been called a young mum - I have a toddler so I assumed they were referring to that! I definitely don’t look early 20s!!!

TooTiredOfThisShit · 08/08/2024 07:43

I was always quite pleased when people called me a young mum when I had my first baby at 27. But then I had my third at 36, and I've come to realise that lots of people say "young mum" to mean "mum of young child"!

twentysevendresses · 08/08/2024 07:41

Wow! I'm honestly surprised that 25 is considered a 'young mum'! Just goes to show how times have changed I guess!

I had my children in 1988 and 1990 (aged 24 and 26) and was the last of my friends to have children. Most mums (obviously not 'all mums') were in their early 20s at this time. It was very normal!

I was also the last of my friendship group to get married (I was 23).

Not saying that waiting is wrong at all...in fact I'd advocate for it! Just observing how things have changed.

snackatack · 07/08/2024 23:11

young family - (parent/s with small children)
young mum - under 20

I've never heard anyone call anyone with a young child a young mum - a young mum is deffo about the mum's age.

OP I feel like you are fishing to be told your young looking

2chocolateoranges · 07/08/2024 22:27

I’m one of the younger mums in both my children’s friendship groups. Most of their friends parents are from late 50s to mid 6Os whereas I’m 47. I had my eldest at 25. which looking back felt quite young.

thaegumathteth · 07/08/2024 22:12

My kids are 17&13. I was 24 and 28. I think I was seen as 'young' with ds but not Dd.

BruFord · 07/08/2024 22:09

Mmmm19 · 07/08/2024 22:03

Under 25 but I think I only know 1 person who had them in their late twenties. All others were early to late 30s so under 30 would be ‘younger’ to me
edit: that’s the age having a baby so if you are 30 but have a 5 year old yes I’d say young

Edited

Same here, @Mmmm19. I’d say under 25 is a young Mum but IRL, I only have one friend who had their first child under 30. She was 28, about to turn 29!

Firawla · 07/08/2024 22:07

Not 30! But if it was said by a much older person then I could understand that in their eyes they might consider it young so depending on the context they may say it

I would say a young mum is normally under 25. I had my 1st three under that age and there used to be young mums groups set up at the children centre which you had to be under 25 to attend. I had the 4th at 30 and it feels like a very common and average age for people these days to have babies

loropianalover · 07/08/2024 22:06

Probably 22 and under.

FeelingUnsure99 · 07/08/2024 22:06

My friend's dd has just had a baby at the age of 26. I consider that to be a young Mum. My friend was 34 when she had her dd, so I guess she thinks of her as a young Mum too.

mm81736 · 07/08/2024 22:04

Under 21
25 to 30 I would consider normal age

socks1107 · 07/08/2024 22:04

I would say under 21ish. I was 24, married, own home and a career. I certainly didn't feel young

Mmmm19 · 07/08/2024 22:03

Under 25 but I think I only know 1 person who had them in their late twenties. All others were early to late 30s so under 30 would be ‘younger’ to me
edit: that’s the age having a baby so if you are 30 but have a 5 year old yes I’d say young

Missmarymack2 · 07/08/2024 22:03

Why does it matter ? Just out of interest

mewkins · 07/08/2024 22:00

Yeah I've heard people use the term in place of 'new mum' whole the kids were under 3ish.

I think I was occasionally called a young mum and I was 31 when I had dd so not particularly young. I'm rubbish with ages and could easily mistake a 35 yo for a 25 yo.

TheGoogleMum · 07/08/2024 21:58

I had my first age 30 and that felt like an average age, i befriended other mums age 26-36 approx. To me young is maybe 26ish?

Bignanna · 07/08/2024 21:54

Under 20

Isittimeformynapyet · 07/08/2024 21:53

ApplesOrangesBananas · 07/08/2024 21:42

She is saying a young mum as in young motherhood ie she is new to motherhood.

why would you bring money into it… how crass.

Show quote history

It wasn't anything to do with money, that was just an example of an alternative descriptive word for anyone who might be a mum.

"Young mum" is not synonymous with "new mum" to my understanding. Happy to be in a minority though.

Greigeisthelatestbeige · 07/08/2024 21:53

Anyone under 30.

My kid's classmates mums would have had kids in their mid 30s although were probably in their early 30s when their first child was born..

There was one young mum who must have been in her mid 20s when our kids were in reception. They moved house and left the school after the first year.

Looking back she must have felt very out of place as we were all in approaching 40 at least. But she'd no doubt have said we were 'older mums' and would have been right too.

Berlinlover · 07/08/2024 21:48

Under 30.

SaltAndVinegar2 · 07/08/2024 21:47

Ginkypig · 07/08/2024 21:38

30 is young nowadays but it was practically ancient in my day!
most people used to start their families in their early 20’s and by 35-40 didn’t have any children under say 8ish except for those families who had a late surprise.

30+ used to be seen medically as geriatric pregnancy didn’t it? I don’t know if it still does now though.

to be honest I don’t really think it matters

I think people started younger but continued later too. Having your 6th child at 40 having had the first mid 20s was normal. Even now I know quite a few mums my age who had their last child the same age as my first but have 2 or 3 older ones. I had my first at 37 and in my child's reception class there are mums my age with older kids in secondary, mums 8 years younger than me with kids in secondary, as well as mums who are in their early 20s. Several grandmas who are within 10.years of my age too. I'm definitely old in this setting!

35+ is considered old from a health risk in pregnancy point of view - although they tend to avoid mentioning it to the mother - but that's the age at which health risks to mother and baby shoot up. Things like pre eclampsia, placental separation, haemorrhage.

space99 · 07/08/2024 21:47

I would say under 22

LBFseBrom · 07/08/2024 21:45

Pleatherandlace · 07/08/2024 21:22

Under 25. Although I think sometimes people use the term to describe someone with young kids

I would say under 25 or 26 too.

RockahulaRocks · 07/08/2024 21:44

I would have said under 25 in the past but I think I know of one mum under 30 at DD’s nursery so nowadays, I’d say under 30.