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Just curious what’s the common age for 4th baby

118 replies

Shaz83 · 08/11/2024 16:44

Hi just curious what is the common age for last baby 4th or 5th?

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Vettrianofan · 10/11/2024 11:10

Shaz83 · 10/11/2024 09:50

What age did you have your last child was it 35?

Shaz83 · 10/11/2024 10:14

BeatsAntique · 10/11/2024 10:02

You seem quite anxious about this ‘time on earth’ thing. Do you have any health or other worries? If you have three children under 4 now and you’re 41, surely the difference in the number of years you’ll spend with all your children is negligible? There may only be two or three years between them.

Yes I am very anxious about this earth thing I may just have it in my head that it’s not normal to have a baby at 42…. But in fact it is…

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Dramatic · 10/11/2024 10:08

I had my fourth at 30

BeatsAntique · 10/11/2024 10:02

You seem quite anxious about this ‘time on earth’ thing. Do you have any health or other worries? If you have three children under 4 now and you’re 41, surely the difference in the number of years you’ll spend with all your children is negligible? There may only be two or three years between them.

Shaz83 · 10/11/2024 09:54

Lemonade2011 · 10/11/2024 09:25

Mine I had 22,25, 31 and surprise no4 @32 so now 45 with 2 adults and 2 young teens at home, it was a bit of a crazy house at times but wouldn’t change it ❤️

Awww lucky you that’s nice.

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Shaz83 · 10/11/2024 09:52

BlastedPimples · 10/11/2024 09:49

4th at 41

1st at 33

Oh ok did you think about having a baby at 41 and how much time on earth you will get with them?

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Shaz83 · 10/11/2024 09:50

Vettrianofan · 10/11/2024 09:35

I didn't want any children after the age of 35, and wanted to get on with a degree once my youngest started school when I entered my 40s (currently in my second year).

Good luck OP with whatever you decide. We all meet our life partners at different stages of our lives. As a PP has said, this is all down to luck. It really is.

What age did you have your last child was it 35?

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BlastedPimples · 10/11/2024 09:49

4th at 41

1st at 33

Shaz83 · 10/11/2024 09:48

RampantIvy · 10/11/2024 09:37

Grin DD is 24 now. I think it is a little late for that.

Oh god ☺️sorry there is me assuming.

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RampantIvy · 10/11/2024 09:37

Shaz83 · 10/11/2024 09:35

Sorry u suffered with infertility that’s horrible. Can you try for a sibling for your dc?

Grin DD is 24 now. I think it is a little late for that.
Shaz83 · 10/11/2024 09:35

RampantIvy · 10/11/2024 09:28

I think you are overthinking it. I had DD at 41. Not by choice, but due to infertility. My main worry is that we don't live near family and as we get older DD won't have any siblings to share the burden with when the inevitable happens.

Sorry u suffered with infertility that’s horrible. Can you try for a sibling for your dc?

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Vettrianofan · 10/11/2024 09:35

I didn't want any children after the age of 35, and wanted to get on with a degree once my youngest started school when I entered my 40s (currently in my second year).

Good luck OP with whatever you decide. We all meet our life partners at different stages of our lives. As a PP has said, this is all down to luck. It really is.

Vettrianofan · 10/11/2024 09:33

It's a lot of hard work but the chaos is worth it all. Really enjoying seeing all four growing up together.

RampantIvy · 10/11/2024 09:28

Shaz83 · 10/11/2024 09:22

There are no large age gaps in mine. My 3 are under 4. It’s more like I’m thinking will I be selfish to have a baby at 42 given my age.. concerns are my child might get less time with me on earth. just insecure about that really. Am I being silly to think that… what are other’s opinions that’s all really…

I think you are overthinking it. I had DD at 41. Not by choice, but due to infertility. My main worry is that we don't live near family and as we get older DD won't have any siblings to share the burden with when the inevitable happens.

Lemonade2011 · 10/11/2024 09:25

Mine I had 22,25, 31 and surprise no4 @32 so now 45 with 2 adults and 2 young teens at home, it was a bit of a crazy house at times but wouldn’t change it ❤️

Vettrianofan · 10/11/2024 09:24

1st 24, 2nd 27, 3rd 32 and 4th I was 34.

Shaz83 · 10/11/2024 09:22

persisted · 10/11/2024 09:03

Those people saying that you have 'less time' with your children when you have more might just mean that you have less time available per child.

I am the eldest of 5, I was organising myself from my early teens because parents were running about after small children. There wasn't really any time for me, and I knew that.

if you have large age gaps also think about the experience the youngest child will have. My youngest sibling grew up as an only child in some ways. They were living at home when they rest of us moved out. They had more 1-1 time with our parents as we weren't there, but they didn't get the sibling experience we did.

There are no large age gaps in mine. My 3 are under 4. It’s more like I’m thinking will I be selfish to have a baby at 42 given my age.. concerns are my child might get less time with me on earth. just insecure about that really. Am I being silly to think that… what are other’s opinions that’s all really…

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persisted · 10/11/2024 09:03

Those people saying that you have 'less time' with your children when you have more might just mean that you have less time available per child.

I am the eldest of 5, I was organising myself from my early teens because parents were running about after small children. There wasn't really any time for me, and I knew that.

if you have large age gaps also think about the experience the youngest child will have. My youngest sibling grew up as an only child in some ways. They were living at home when they rest of us moved out. They had more 1-1 time with our parents as we weren't there, but they didn't get the sibling experience we did.

89redballoons · 10/11/2024 09:00

Average life expectancy for women in the UK is around 80, so if you have a baby at 40 you can expect your child to lose their mum at 40, whereas if you have a child at 20, their mum might live until they were 60.

However, it's only an average. My dad was 26 when I was born and had a fatal heart attack at 47. He had a pretty unhealthy lifestyle as well as being unlucky, and maybe in a different life if he hadn't had children in his 20s he'd have looked after himself better and lived longer.

Conversely, a girl I went to school with had a baby when she was 29, with her husband who was about 45 at the time. But he was a semi-professional cyclist and extremely fit and well; and he'd also built up a solid career so they were extremely well provided for.

So you can look at the averages, but they're only averages, and everyone's individual situation will be different.

BeatsAntique · 10/11/2024 08:44

I was definitely a ‘one and done’ mother, but I wouldn’t pay whoever is saying that to you any attention. Most women in my social circles are only just having their first baby at 36/37 and up! None of them seem concerned about a lack of time. In theory, if you had it at 40 the child would still be grown and out of the house before you even retire!

Shaz83 · 10/11/2024 08:31

downwindofyou · 09/11/2024 07:27

Will you have less time alive with your dc if you have them at 40 than at 20. Well obviously. I can't understand how this is even a question.

But as people generally live longer or can still expect to have 40+ years with them. Isn't that enough? I mean time is running out for all of us but I doubt many people are lamenting that 40-50 years is not enough time to be a parent to a child.

This is such a peculiarly um... obvious thing that I'm not sure if you are being serious op or trying to create some kind of drama on here. Not sure what sort of drama or why but it's kind of a weird question. It's like asking if you need to wear a coat in cold weather. 🫤

Maybe I’m just looking for reassurance to say having a baby at 40 doesn’t impact the child given how long you get with them… if that makes any sense.. I’m not here to cause drama I’m just a deep thinker who thinks too much into things and like to read other people’s opinions on it. That’s all…

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distinctpossibility · 09/11/2024 23:36

That we've stayed together, that we've stayed healthy, that we grew up in an inexpensive area, that friends didn't move away. We've been so lucky to be able to prioritise what really mattered / matters to us. I do not take for granted how my life has panned out... but I digress, I was more trying to illustrate that having more than 2 or 3 kids is just a personal choice like any other (and not get dragged into putting an age limit on any kind of life milestones as all our lives are a series of Sliding Doors moments... If I'd snogged a different fella than DH at the end of term BBQ in 2005 my life might look completely different!)

Shaz83 · 09/11/2024 22:51

distinctpossibility · 09/11/2024 21:30

It's more luck than judgement to be honest 😂

What you mean?

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distinctpossibility · 09/11/2024 21:30

It's more luck than judgement to be honest 😂

Shaz83 · 09/11/2024 21:21

distinctpossibility · 09/11/2024 21:14

What makes you want to have 4,5 or more children? Presumably you are well off so you can afford big houses with each child having their own room, 7 seater car, huge food bills etc.

I have had 4 kids in just over 7 years (first when I was 23 and final at 30 in 2019)... and, at the risk of sounding like a knobhead, the honest answer is I am just very good at it. Practically in terms of falling pregnant easily, having easy pregnancies - never sick, simple vaginally deliveries, pain free breastfeeding until aged 2 each time - so nothing to put me off or make me think twice about my own health, etc. We are not rich but met very young, getting on the housing ladder in 2007 when a 3 bed semi was £90k in our area; we have gradually upgraded with small windfalls and with home improvements and it has taken 3 or 4 houses moves to get where we are. We have plenty of space - our house is technically a 7 bed but we only use 5 as bedrooms.

We both don't really have careers - as in our jobs arent a calling or a vocation but just something to do until our tea is ready - but we are reasonably well-paid (not by MN standards! £65k a year between us) and quite easy jobs so are quite time rich. We really wanted 4 kids and really enjoy having them. We have one set of local grandparents, fairly local, but they don't do loads of childcare, just a school run and teatime a week - at its peak they did one 6 hour day a week which we were grateful for but didn't need. But crucially I (especially important as the primary carer imo) am well supported emotionally by lots of friends I have known since childhood, and we as.a couple just really like each other and get on well.

Our life is busy and fun and yes, expensive, but it is not especially hard work. The things that have been tricky - death, redundancy, illness - are tricky with one kid or ten, and our four wonderful kids are a.comfort and a joy (and yes, a worry, but a powerful and purposeful worry if that makes sense. When things are bad we keep going and make changes for them.)

It is totally different strokes for different folks and in the same way I look at people with hard jobs (as an example, doctors) and think "What on earth do you get out of doing that?", I know my life choices are baffling to just as many.

Edited

Aww that’s nice you seem like you got it together well done 🙂

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