Page 2 | To think if a 33 year old has kids

Nothingcampares8 · 2026-09-20T00:24:25+00:00

It will likely be in the next two years as otherwise they will be too old

bingobangs · 20/09/2026 22:12

@CelticSilverI wish I had your energy! 😆

theprincessthepea · 20/09/2026 20:51

Depends.

If you are like me and spent your 20s raising kids - I would ideally like to not have more children after 35.

If I want to have children after 33 though, regardless - then why not?

CelticSilver · 20/09/2026 20:26

BatchCookBabe · 20/09/2026 19:32

I don't know if lucky is the word. Unusual certainly. JMO, but I would never have had 4 children at 39-40+ (With the last at 46!) I would have stopped at the 2 (at 39 and 40.) As I said JMO.

The OP is obviously being silly saying that no-one should be having them after 33-34, but 46 is an age where the vast majority of women would never consider having a baby...

Show quote history

To each their own 🙂

BatchCookBabe · 20/09/2026 19:32

CelticSilver · 20/09/2026 19:26

I had them at 39, 40, 43 and 46. All naturally conceived and healthy. I know I'm very, very lucky.

Show quote history

I don't know if lucky is the word. Unusual certainly. JMO, but I would never have had 4 children at 39-40+ (With the last at 46!) I would have stopped at the 2 (at 39 and 40.) As I said JMO.

The OP is obviously being silly saying that no-one should be having them after 33-34, but 46 is an age where the vast majority of women would never consider having a baby...

CelticSilver · 20/09/2026 19:26

bingobangs · 20/09/2026 16:12

@CelticSilverCan I asked what age you stopped? 4 in a short timeframe, wowsers!

I had them at 39, 40, 43 and 46. All naturally conceived and healthy. I know I'm very, very lucky.

bingobangs · 20/09/2026 16:12

@CelticSilverCan I asked what age you stopped? 4 in a short timeframe, wowsers!

CelticSilver · 20/09/2026 14:22

Had my first (of 4) at 39 ...

Alwaysbella · 20/09/2026 14:05

IsThistheMiddleofNowhere · 20/09/2026 14:02

Ok, perhaps I should have said "it's not unusual" rather than "it's normal".

Show quote history

Now its quite normal to have children up to the age of 45 or even 50.

neither “quite normal” nor “not unusual”

IsThistheMiddleofNowhere · 20/09/2026 14:02

bingobangs · 20/09/2026 12:38

Normal? I don’t think it’s normal & I reckon it was more common in the days before birth control.

Show quote history

Ok, perhaps I should have said "it's not unusual" rather than "it's normal".

iliades · 20/09/2026 14:00

If you have the time and headspace to scrutinise other people’s life choices, I suppose it’s a fair question. If you have broader horizons and better things to focus on, it’s a pointless thought. Choose which side you want to sit on.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 20/09/2026 13:21

Plenty of people have babies in their late thirties and early forties. Plenty of people don’t have fertility problems at this age. Some do, but it’s still possible.

Alwaysbella · 20/09/2026 13:21

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Calliopespa · 20/09/2026 13:14

MagentaRaindrops · 20/09/2026 10:19

That is beyond selfish imo and she is not considering her child at all.

My SIL was 46 when she had her last child, now 16 and he hates having older parents especially as they are also grandparents now too. I recall my childhood friend's father was in his 50's when she was born. When we were teens lots of people assumed he was her gf and she absolutely hate it.

Show quote history

These are, however, all slightly childish responses, and if she really had swapped places, she may well have found she benefitted from financial security, wisdom - other things that are surely more substantive than asking if someone was someone they weren't.

JHound · 20/09/2026 12:43

Having children after 33 for men or women is not unusual. A lot of people I know had them after 33 because they were not in a position to have children before then.

bingobangs · 20/09/2026 12:38

IsThistheMiddleofNowhere · 20/09/2026 10:55

With advances in modern medicine and IVF treatment, thats an outdated statement. Now its quite normal to have children up to the age of 45 or even 50. I had mine at 48 and I know plenty of others who had their children over the age of 40.

Normal? I don’t think it’s normal & I reckon it was more common in the days before birth control.

bingobangs · 20/09/2026 12:37

I think the problem with having them older nowadays is the fact they will be living at home longer.

Goawayimreading · 20/09/2026 11:34

JoustingContest · 20/09/2026 10:58

Actually agree with this and I had my second at 37-
now in my mid fifties I could cry with how exhausted I am - kid number one leaving for university today- number two will likely be another 2 years which just feels epic at the moment
I love them -I'm not horrible and I'd never make them feel ousted- hence son took 2 gap years- but my god I need some space and time for myself- I honestly think I'd have coped better younger (though not too young)
To be fair I do know a few women who were older than me but they just had one and I think that has made it do-able for them.
Also it's only really my late 40s onwards that it's felt so very difficult- I thought the trenches of young kids was hard but realise now that the energy you have in your late 30s early 40s isn't so bad- it's later that the energy drop hits!

Show quote history

When did it happen? I am 46, and it hasn’t yet but I am mindful that while I’m not early forties I haven’t yet hit late yet. But maybe it’s one of those where it’s different from person to person.

JoustingContest · 20/09/2026 10:58

Slightyamusedandsilly · 20/09/2026 01:46

More or less agree. While obviously people can have babies at whatever ages they want, some ages are too young and some are too old. Having children is a young adult's job. Not having children when you're a child yourself or when you're grandparent age.

Actually agree with this and I had my second at 37-
now in my mid fifties I could cry with how exhausted I am - kid number one leaving for university today- number two will likely be another 2 years which just feels epic at the moment
I love them -I'm not horrible and I'd never make them feel ousted- hence son took 2 gap years- but my god I need some space and time for myself- I honestly think I'd have coped better younger (though not too young)
To be fair I do know a few women who were older than me but they just had one and I think that has made it do-able for them.
Also it's only really my late 40s onwards that it's felt so very difficult- I thought the trenches of young kids was hard but realise now that the energy you have in your late 30s early 40s isn't so bad- it's later that the energy drop hits!

IsThistheMiddleofNowhere · 20/09/2026 10:55

With advances in modern medicine and IVF treatment, thats an outdated statement. Now its quite normal to have children up to the age of 45 or even 50. I had mine at 48 and I know plenty of others who had their children over the age of 40.

DeftGoldHedgehog · 20/09/2026 10:39

20s to 40s are all good. Lower end of twenties you may still be in education or training and have less money and experience. Higher end of 40s age brings more risks and much lower fertility.

Redpaisley · 20/09/2026 10:28

TotaleclipseinFrance · 20/09/2026 09:30

It's fiction but Reginald Perrin was a grandfather to two toddlers by 47.
I say this just to refute any suggestions that having babies young is some kind of poverty phenomenon as he was clearly middle class.

This book was written about 50 years ago.

The oldest of my grandparents was 45 when I was born.

Then again the stereotypical granny was grey-haired in a rocking chair knitting in 1980. The song 'grandma' was about then.

So it doesn't make sense. Maybe they meant great, great grandma.

Show quote history

World has changed quite a bit from 50 years ago.

Redpaisley · 20/09/2026 10:26

Slightyamusedandsilly · 20/09/2026 01:46

More or less agree. While obviously people can have babies at whatever ages they want, some ages are too young and some are too old. Having children is a young adult's job. Not having children when you're a child yourself or when you're grandparent age.

So 35 is grandparent age?

LydiaJayne · 20/09/2026 10:26

Calliopespa · 20/09/2026 01:55

How many times will this question be asked on MN?

Yes, people can have babies - and more than one - after age 35.

And some others can't at 20.

Fertility is very dependent on the individual, but child bearing after 35 is not unusual these days. At all.

I actually think there might be a rule that this type of thread must be posted at least every three days

Everyone must know that it's a personal choice issue, do what suits you OP. Why would you care what anyone else thinks of does?

Valeryvictorious · 20/09/2026 10:22

My friend’s daughter has just had her first, she’s 43.

MagentaRaindrops · 20/09/2026 10:19

Longtimelurker1980 · 20/09/2026 10:14

Someone I know had their fourth child at 52 with a new much younger partner. She always looks very happy with life and her lovely little boy?

horses for courses. If we are still fertile then intrinsically we are ready and able to reproduce.

Show quote history

That is beyond selfish imo and she is not considering her child at all.

My SIL was 46 when she had her last child, now 16 and he hates having older parents especially as they are also grandparents now too. I recall my childhood friend's father was in his 50's when she was born. When we were teens lots of people assumed he was her gf and she absolutely hate it.