Is it too late for a third baby?

I had a third with a 4 year age gap between the last 2. I was almost 10 years younger than you when I had third and it is way harder than I remember, particularly the toddler years. Primary aged kids need so much parenting still, and that is hard throwing another into the mix

Our age gap was bigger than we wanted for a number of reasons, but it eas definitely long enough to forget how hard toddlers are. I dont regret DC3 for one minute, but it's harder than I thought it would be.

I don't understand why people start these threads. There's one every couple of weeks! Of course 47 is too late to start trying for a baby. Far too late.

@Yolo12345 Don't do it. You will be nearly 50 when its born!!! You will get all these 'my great auntie Maud, and my great gran had a baby at 48. 50, 52' type posts, but pay no attention to them. Most of them very likely took on a young female family member's baby and raised it as their own.

Also women who actually DID have babies at roughly that age - naturally (which would have been very few) did so because there was no contraception. No way would any level headed woman be having a baby by choice at nearly 50! (Well, very VERY few!) You just have this craving because you're about to hit menopause and it's the 'last chance saloon.'

Many women get this. I did. And I did try for a baby at 42 - though, not 47. I already had 2 who were in their early teens... I didn't fall pregnant and I'm soooooo glad I didn't. If I had fallen pregnant with a 3rd one (and I'd had the baby at 43-44) I'd have a school age teenager at 60! 😱

Yes, too late. I can't fathom wanting to be navigating my child's A-Levels in my late 60s.

I had triplet friends at school whose parents were 60 and 46 when she gave birth. They were both dead before my friends turned 20.

My great grandma had her last at 47, but I wouldn't do it.

Can you ensure that you won't be a burden on your young adult child?
It's not a great age gap for your kids either. The third could end up feeling left out if the older 2 are close.
I think you're being rather selfish.

Awkward age gap, too late, your children don't need a baby or toddler taking up all your attention while they navigate puberty.

Becoming a grandmother’s not actually in your control it’s not your decision.

Going against the grain, you’re healthy and had two healthy pregnancies, you could give yourself a year and see if you can get pregnant naturally? I do know someone who had a baby naturally in her late 40s (mum of a friend in primary).
As long as you’re willing to accept the increased risk of miscarriages and have all the prenatal screening and feel like you could cope physically you could see what happens.
I wouldn’t be going down IVF route though when you already have two children

Nope, I didn't say that. I am 46 and say no to both!

But you could imagine being a new mother?
You are not young at 47 years old

I mean that's not ideal! Can't imagine being a grandma yet lol!

9 and 7 are great ages, enjoy them! You do not want a newborn thrown in the mix, that's aside from all the health risks that come from being 47.

I think it is too late, but maybe consider whether you'd find fulfilment in retraining to work in a nursery. You could be around babies/toddlers all day but hand them back! And I think nurseries are usually staffed by fairly young, child free women, so you could really fill a gap.

Babies/toddlers take up an awful lot of time and attention just catering to their physical needs. You need to assess whether you would still have enough left to give your 2 existing children the attention they will need as they enter the phase of leaving primary/starting secondary, bearing in mind a likely depletion in energy levels over the next 5 years.

Also, there are so many fun things you can do easily with older kids that would be much more difficult with a little one in tow e.g. theme parks, water parks, hiking, museums, theatre, cinema, adventure activities like Go Ape, camping - would the older ones miss out because family life will revolve around the little one?

I must say this is also true. My 12 year old isn't chuffed I'm 52. I'm not the oldest mum but she frequently brings up that I'm old. My 14 year old doesn't feel like this as I was 38 when I had him. Being past 40 seems like a big deal with her mates

I had my first at 29. He is 22 and at uni 200 miles away. I had to do the 8 hour trip and help lug boxes to my car. He was worried about me driving so far in this heat.

I was very mindful that I had my youngest at 40 so will be doing the same for her in my sixties.

Would you want to be doing that in your almost 70s?

I know lots of his peers at that uni don't go home but all of his school mates are back at home during summer, Christmas and Easter. You normally are still very dealing with big life changes as they become young adults.

It's not too late, but look far ahead.

Honestly I wouldn't more for not wanting a teen still at home and in school when I want to retire.

But only you know what you want your situation to look like when you are approaching 70.

IMO, yes. I’d hate to be ten and having a mum who is 57.

I’d give it a try, but in the knowledge it might not happen.

Sorry but yes. IVF required. High chance of complications and DS.

Too late. You need to find something else in life to fulfill you now. You need a goal, whatever that is.

Yes
I have friends your age that are on their second grandchild
There’s more to life than having babies

I would say yes it’s too late think of the long term too and how it would affect the child you are 47 now you would be 64 by the time they finished secondary school (if you are UK based) also think of how it would affect your other two children too

Yes it’s too late. And I say that as somebody who had a third at 40. Adore the third but wouldn’t want to be any older when they hit teens/early adulthood

This. It's not fair on the child.