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Original poster

Men who have been uni, when do you expect them to have first child?

121 replies

MyPlumKoala · 08/08/2025 20:18

If you know men around their mid 20’s, how many years realistically would you say they are from having their first child? My DS is that age, single and has never lived away from home apart from when he was at uni.

The thought of him having a child even 5 years from now, seems not likely. I was married and had DS by the age of 28.

I’m not bothered if DS doesn’t have children, it’s his choice and his life. Just wondered how many men have kids by the age of 30 if they have been to uni and have a degree?

OP posts:
Allswellthatendswelll · 09/08/2025 07:30

36 and 39 for DH. Nct group v similar.

Friends and friends boyfriends are 37-40 and they have no kids yet!

HoppingPavlova · 09/08/2025 07:26

Late 30’s, early 40’s in my experience, depending on job role. Don’t stress OP, there is PLENTY of time before your son should even be thinking of this.

Chloe918 · 09/08/2025 07:23

In my social circle I only know of one man who was under 40 when he had his first DC and he was 37/38.

It wasn’t even a vague consideration for any of them during late 20’s and early 30’s.

ACynicalDad · 09/08/2025 07:19

I was 34 and amongst my kids friends a couple are much older only one might be younger.

BunnyRuddington · 09/08/2025 07:19

DH was 35 and 38.

sakura06 · 09/08/2025 07:16

We met at Uni and had our first when I was 28 and he was 27. We were 32 and 31 with our second as we couldn’t afford two at nursery together.

SALaw · 09/08/2025 06:55

Weird question. Loads do. Loads don’t. Same as men that didn’t go to university.

RonaldMcDonald · 09/08/2025 06:28

Unsure how this is reasonable or unreasonable
I think early to mid 30s for a first child is the norm. All of my friend’s kids are finally now having offspring and they are in early to mid 30s. I think I read stats or some article recently speaking about the advancing age.

Barney16 · 09/08/2025 06:26

Ex and I were 32, 33 and 35. Wish I had had them earlier tbh. Feel I would have been less knackered.

Superstar22 · 09/08/2025 06:24

We are 40 with 6 degrees between us, 3 each . Met at 22 when we had 2 degrees each. We had first child at 25 & second at 27.

TelephoneWires · 09/08/2025 06:19

We were young in our circles at 27. Most of my friends made through DC1 are a good 5-10 years older than me. My school/uni friend’s first children are 4-5 years younger than my eldest. I definitely felt more part of the crowd when I had DC3 at 34.

ZenNudist · 09/08/2025 06:04

Early to mid 30s very standard with the odd one starting from mid 20s and some wait til 40 or never...

Rayqueen · 09/08/2025 05:57

I'm not sure what uni has to do with it most friends and family I know it's mid 30s onwards these days. For me 38,39,40 had our kids now Im nearly 41

LBFseBrom · 09/08/2025 05:05

Tablesandchairs23 · 09/08/2025 04:58

University has nothing to do with it. People have kids when they're good and ready.

Exactly.

My husband did a four year sandwich course at a poly :); it later became a university.

He was 30 when he became a father, I was 29 then. It was just right for us and most people we knew at that time were doing the same, give or take a year or two.

I googled and found this: "In the UK, the average age for first-time mothers is now 31, while the average age for fathers is around 33.8 years. The Office for National Statistics" That seems about right from my observation.

Births in England and Wales - Office for National Statistics

Annual live births, stillbirths, maternities, and fertility rates in England and Wales by factors including parent age, ethnicity, deprivation, gestational age, and birthweight.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/bulletins/birthsummarytablesenglandandwales/2023

Tablesandchairs23 · 09/08/2025 04:58

University has nothing to do with it. People have kids when they're good and ready.

SiameseBlueEyes · 09/08/2025 04:55

My husband was 37. I was 34. We'd been married 5 years by then. Had another one three years later.

EsmeWeatherwaxHatpin · 09/08/2025 04:45

MyPlumKoala · 08/08/2025 20:18

If you know men around their mid 20’s, how many years realistically would you say they are from having their first child? My DS is that age, single and has never lived away from home apart from when he was at uni.

The thought of him having a child even 5 years from now, seems not likely. I was married and had DS by the age of 28.

I’m not bothered if DS doesn’t have children, it’s his choice and his life. Just wondered how many men have kids by the age of 30 if they have been to uni and have a degree?

I’d expect the same of a young man as a young woman. When they have met a good partner and are happy and decide to start a family together.

NewbieYou · 09/08/2025 04:42

I am 30, just married to DH who is 30. We are the second of all our friends to get married - friends age from 29 to 43 now. Of all of us - maybe 35 people - only 2 have had children (neither of the parents did university and none of the children were planned).

Another 3 couples are engaged. None of the university lot seem to be thinking of children yet.

We plan to start trying at 32 and will likely again be among the first in our group. We are in London though which skews older. And we never returned home after university.

ItsNotMeEither · 09/08/2025 04:20

I had four children between the ages of 25 and 31. My eldest is almost 36, his wife is 28. She wants to wait until she's 33 to have children.

I think being in the 30's is far more common than the 20s these days. They won't be the first in their friend group to have children, but they'll be far from the last too.

Ihatebeingsick · 09/08/2025 01:38

My DH had his first child at 25, the same year he graduated with his PhD.

KawasakiBabe · 09/08/2025 01:37

My DS is 23, uni educated, I’m not expecting GC for many years. He’s enjoying being single faaaaar too much.

I am uni educated and I was 34 when I had my first.

DashboardConfession · 09/08/2025 01:33

I met DH at uni. We were the first of our uni friends to have a baby - I was 34 and he was 33.

We do have friends who went to uni and had babies in their 20s though because the wife was one of four and wanted to get cracking with the big family.

DrPrunesqualer · 09/08/2025 01:20

AlastheDaffodils · 08/08/2025 20:25

Statistically people who go to university have children later than people who don’t.

Show quote history

I’ve noticed the average amongst my Uni friends was 7 years after completion
We Have to do a bachelors and masters and professional exams after though. So the average to qualify is 7 years.

Then 7 years after that people start families.
So most had kids mid 30s. If at all thst is

cherish123 · 09/08/2025 01:10

StMarie4me · 08/08/2025 20:20

What?
What’s Uni got to do with it?

Because they would be 22+ when they start a career.

Lavender115 · 09/08/2025 00:54

Two of DH’s close friends went to uni and never married and/or had kids.

I actually know more childfree people than those with children (we are all in our 40s).

I know this is not a question asking about women’s uni status and children but here it is. I finished uni a long time ago and had my first child at 40. DH did not go to uni. My sister is now late 40s and went to uni and never got married or had a child.

All of those not settled down (DH’s friends and my sister) seem happy with their lives. I was opting to be childfree for a long time because it was just the environment I was in. I personally am glad I have DC, however it is not the same for everyone of course.