How old is too old to have a baby?

Had our first at 25, absolutely full of energy. Easy.

Last ones at 36. Beyond fucking knackered and timing means as the eldest leaves school and becomes pretty self sufficient, the youngest took their first day at primary. I will be telling DC categorically to have DC close together and we'll before 35. I would never do this again if I had my time over.

If I’d had no fertility problems and could have had kids whenever I wanted, I would have had one at 30ish and one at 32-33. So done by 35. As it happened I had one at 37 and no others stuck.

I’m 45 and definitely feel too old now - DS is 8 and I wouldn’t choose to go back to the baby phase. Up to about 42 I would probably have gone for it.

It depends more on your circumstances, your support network, your finances and your general health. I wished I had had my babies 5 years earlier to be honest (1st at 37, 2nd at 41 because we struggled).

My. Mum had her last of 4 in the early 90's when she was 29 - she was referred to as a 'geriatric mother' back then and reckons she was the oldest in her antenatal group 🤣

I was 37 with my first and actually asked if that would be written on my notes and the midwife just laughed and said 'oh no, we don't even bat an eyelid these days till you're over 40'

A common theme here is that a second or subsequent pregnancy is so much harder and a lot of people are putting it down to age.

If you had your first at 33 it's a breeze but if it's your second, you're knackered and feeling 'too old'.
Same with 35, 37, 40 etc

With my first I had plenty energy, didn't feel particularly knackered, when she was born I didn't even mind the sleepless nights.

I'm exhausted with my second, not because I'm a few years older, but because I'm also looking after another child!

I work in healthcare and they still, in medical terms, use elderly primigravida & advanced maternal age in the notes for those who will be 35+ at due date. Geriatric pregnancy not such much anymore.

Wouldn't have appreciated those terms being used personally!

Ideally, before 30.
31-34, oldish, but manageable.
35 or more, old.

Glad I wasn't 35+ in retrospect as you have to consider family support.

My partner and 3 out of 4 grandparents have all died within the last 10 years so it would have been difficult having a young baby/toddler with such limited support around.

I think if I had another one now at 42 I'd literally cry but my life is so busy and I know how difficult the younger years are. I think you walk into parenting with a colossal sense of naivety first time round so perhaps a first baby in your 40s with no other demanding older children to worry about is much more appealing than someone who has other children already.

It’s a tough question - I had mine at 35 and 40 and I think early/mid 30s is probably the best age as you have had fun, establish a career path but still have energy. Having said that I wouldn’t swap my kids for anything in the world. For upper limit, I would say 40 is the maximum - with the second one, we are so tired every day but its also because we are dealing with 2, rather than being tired because of the baby.

It didn't come to it but to me giving birth 35 plus wouldn't have been what I wanted. If I'd have fertility difficulties I would have said I'd go up to 39 giving birth, and cut off then. I wouldn't have wanted to be 40 giving birth.

I had fertility treatment (but no pregnancies) for 17yrs, stopped actively trying at age 38 and planned our lives accordingly. I fell pregnant naturally age 39 (lord knows how after all that), and again at age 41. My boys are now 25 & 23 and it has been a breeze. Older doesn't always mean worse/more tiring.

There are cases where woman have given birth in their 60s or 70s (eg after menopause) using ivf, which imo is too old. About 10 or 20 years ago it almost seemed there were clinics in competition to have the oldest mum.

I'm amazed at some saying 30 for example which I think is younger than the average first time mum.
I'm 46 with 2 teens and can't imagine wanting a baby but I fully appreciate I could feel completely differently if I'd never had children

35

any older than 35 your mid 50's before they are starting to move out/be independent etc

I was 20's, I would have had mine earlier if i could have!

I think 34-35 knocking on 50s is just pushing it even 40s is pushing it.
But i dont have to look after them thank god i chose not to have any.

There's no right or wrong answer...I had my only dd no problems at 41... Easy pregnancy, easy birth. Lots of energy but dd slept well after 4 months and dh and I tag teamed her so we both got sleep. I've had another mum friend who just had her dd at 45 and again all easy and went well and she really enjoying dd. She got two D's and never thought she have a dd. I think after 45 maybe... Depends on health, support etc....

It didn't come to it but to me giving birth 35 plus wouldn't have been what I wanted. If I'd have fertility difficulties I would have said I'd go up to 39 giving birth, and cut off then. I wouldn't have wanted to be 40 giving birth. Thankfully as it happened I was younger than 35.

40. I had my only baby at 34 and I am knackered 6 years later. The thought of doing the first 18 months of sleepless nights again at this age makes me want to lie down.

I met my husband when I was 39. Id always hoped for another child, having had one aged 20.

We conceived our child naturally and he's nearly 10 now. He loves having a grown up brother and we are fit and active and in my opinion have coped perfectly well so don't let all these comments put you off!

I'm due to give birth to baby no.2 at 36 and don't feel too old, I may have started sooner had it been feasible but only because I always wanted children not because I think mid - late 30's is too old. I would like no.3 sometime in the next few years.

On both sides of our family lots of people including my Grandmother and DP's Mum had very healthy babies and pregnancies at 40. The women in our families also tend to live well (healthy and at home) in to their 90's. My 78 year old MIL has my little one a couple of days a week and is fitter than most people I know, I do wonder if having babies later in life played in to this. I'm sure I've previously read there's some evidence to suggest it does!

I had my first one at 24 and my last at 32. I bounced back at 24 but felt haggard in my 30s so for me no older than 35!

As someone who was fortunate enough to find love and easily have children at 26 and 32, I decided that 35 was the cut off for me. However if I had not met someone until much later I'm sure the age would have been older. I'm 38 now and feel like I could probably easily do it if I didn't already have two!!

Got married at 36, I had my first at 38 and had a mc when ds was 8 mos (it was a planned 2nd baby). 41 would be pushing it for me, 40 would be better. But I’m low energy 😂

Had my first at 29 and my second is due when I'm 33. I feel so much older and more tired than with my
first. I think if I'd been in the right place to do it, I'd ideally have finished having kids by 30.

It’s interesting how people assume - older parents mean a high chance of having a child with a disability when that’s simply not true. There may be small percentage increase but whilst the risk increases, the chance of disability still remains low.

Wow