To think 42 is too old for a baby?

I was born 60+ years ago to a mother aged 44 and a father aged 52, I was their last child in a large family, but with a huge gap.
Personally I would have much preferred having parents in the normal age range, in those days my friends parents were mostly in their 20’s -30’s.
Things have changed and parents have children later.
It is still a big question, but one only individual parents can decide.
I just hope that they do their research thoroughly.

I'm smack between the two (40). Seriously, very little difference between 38 and 42.

Good points. ^

Though, as I said, some of these women 'having babies' at 48-54-ish, were actually taking on younger family members children. Not many people said much about it, as it happened so often!

You're welcome. I am here to educate. 😆

No good comparing times where women died at 50 and were still having baby’s until 49.
Nobody had any quality of life at that time, so I suppose they were none the worst OFF for it
Expectations have changed massively over even the last 20 years.
Anybody considering more than one child needs to consider carefully these days the cost is just outrageous.

Was she though? More likely that any baby she had was a baby of a younger family member.. Probably a teen niece or teen daughter of hers. Happened a LOT back in the day - pre 1980s. Very unlikely she was having babies in her 50s. The chance of a woman carrying a baby to full term in her 50s is less than 1%, and the chances of conceiving is pretty much that too. Seriously. You really think your granny was having babies in her 50s? 😆

Well honestly. The OP thinks 38 is fine, 42 is not. Ridiculous

I had two children in my early 40s. I am a good mum and my children are doing well.

This. ^ Good post! What happened to you is far more likely to happen than not, if parents are mid 40s when the child is born. I can't believe I'm having to explain it FGS!

YABVU - I say this as I sit here nursing my 2 month old aged 42!

For me personally as I had mine in my 20s or 30s but no I do not judge others. I known friends have their first kid 40s and I was nothing but happy for them.

My now 8 year old was born when I was 42 and she is a treasure. I’m grateful every day.

Patronising much 😂

Error

Yes you are absolutely being a judgemental cow. It's none of your business and with friends like you, who needs enemies? Go and find something constructive to occupy your time.

My granny was having babies in her 50s 😬

Personally for me, yes. It's way too old.

If she had no other children and it was her first and only chance I'd view it differently.

I think we've sold women a lie in these last couple of decades that it's totally normal and cool, and only the 'clever' women have babies 40+ and the council estates thickos are the ones having babies in their 20s. It's harmful and damaging and out bodies are not designed to be at peak fertility in our 40s.

Just because it's physically possible in some women's cases, doesn't mean you should do it.

my youngest of two is 11 and the idea fills me with abject horror! No way would I want to go back to the newborn days 11 years later in my mid 40s. Eek!

Yes best to be diplomatic, but if am I am being honest I agree it’s too old, especially if you have older kids etc, why would you want to go back to sleepless nights and nappies and the school runs. But aside from the fact of having a baby at 42, I would think more about being 60 with an 18 year old.

My dad was 47 when I was born. I was an only child and my life was hell with his dementia, his mental health when I was younger and he lost my mum.

My mum was much younger than him but she was dead by the time I was 11. He lived until almost 90 (all be It The last couple of years lost to dementia).

I did have my dads age in mind when I had my last at 40, but my dh is younger than me by 6 years, and his family, at least, all seem to live very long and healthy lives. So I figured he’d have a better chance of being around and being younger.

I had my first at 22, my first husband was 10 years older than me. I wouldn’t have considered having a child at 40 if I was still with him.

(Which I know actually doesn’t make sense as my mum was young and still died young).

This is my point
if i had a baby when younger it would have been with a guy financially, emotionally and physically assaulting me and probably the child. I would have no savings, poor emotional health and would have been exhausted

i had a ‘friend’ who was seeping this attitude out towards me being an older mum, she then seen the life i could offer the children. And predictably the snippy jealous remarks started. The cow is no longer considered a friend

by doing the right thing ‘holding off’ in having children as you have a degree of selflessness and intelligence to not allow a future child to suffer, you are penalised by being an older mother

At that age it depends on the health of the mtb . If she's fit and healthy then why not ? Her life , her body .

Me too, although my DS is a strapping 12 year old. Also we found having a lot of life experience as parents was very helpful.

Worthwhile.

No one over 60 is saying age is just a number. And I’m certainly not saying that as a 45 year old with a 77 year old mother who is at the end of life. Age is a number when you’re young.