23 year old single and have been thinking about having a baby

Spend time with your cousin and then return her.

I remember feeling like this at your age. But you are so young. All of the world is out there. Find what's missing in your life. (Here's a clue, it's not a child).

I've just had my first. I'm 29. I run my own business and thought it'd be a breeze working from home with a baby.

It isn't.

I can't work - the baby doesn't let me. They take up an awful lot of time. Then there's sleep deprivation. The loss of a social life. The knowledge that your life is no longer your own.

I have to put my baby in nursery as of 6 months as I desperately need to return to work. It's going to cost £225 a week.

I couldn't do this without the support of my husband. It's so tiring and quite lonely. My life has completely changed. I love my baby so much but I'm so glad I waited until now to have him - I first wanted a child 5 years ago. You're still so young. I could understand the "I'll never settle and need a baby now" type feelings if you were 15 years older but you have plenty of time to find someone and have a baby, you really do.
Just to give you an insight to my day. Baby wakes at 7.30, change nappy and clothes. Feed at 8. Sit him upright for half an hour after a feed as his reflux is so bad. It's now 9. He's done a poo, change nappy. Vomits over clothes, change his clothes. Play with him for half an hour. He's now tired. It's 9.45 so he naps whilst I get dressed, get breakfast and express milk. 10.15 he's awake. Out for a walk. 12 - feed. Repeat the above. Lunch at 1.45. A 2hr nap! Yay! Plan to wash his mountain of dirty clothes and clean the house. Oh, he's crying. Cuddle him. He's asleep. Put him down. He's awake. He'll only sleep on me. Feed at 4. Repeat the above. Now he doesn't nap. Instead he cries as soon as we want to eat. So we take it in turns to eat. Bath time! Yay! He loves bath time. Then he screams when he gets out. He doesn't stop screaming until he's fully dressed and ready for bed. He's not tired now. Husband cuddles him so I get a break. Feed at 8. In bed at 9. Awake at 12, needs comforting. Awake at 3.30 for a feed. In bed at 4.30.
And repeat.

Who would be the father if most of the guys you meet are idiots or only after one thing (which surely you'd be giving them in your quest to be a mum)?

How could you say to your child - well he was an idiot, not someone I wanted to be with, but it was OK for you to have an idiot as a father.

Please don't do it, its a hair brained scheme and shows you are still not ready to be a parent.

In fact its all completely and utterly bonkers.

I don't buy the younger mother = better mother.
I'm not an older mother (I don't think) I had my first at 28/29. I now have 4 and I'm 36.
My mum had me at 29, too.
I really don't think it matters.
I have an excellent relationship with my mum as she had with hers.

Maybe the thing you feel you're missing is a partner...or a cat.

Inevitably it's your decision. But although a previous poster has said, babies are incredibly draining. It's good to have the support of a partner or a family.

I'd check out the cost of childcare - you'll probably be horrified. We moved so I could be a SAHM as childcare for us would have been crippling, on two salaries (we were looking at £1500 a month just on childcare!)

Boyfriend or girlfriend - sorry for presuming your sexuality as straight. Should have said partner.

It's your decisions but my advice would be - please, please wait.

Feeling broody for six months is not necessarily the reason you should act on it at this age. Of course people have kids at 23. Of course some of them are single mums, usually by accident or circumstances. Of course women can have babies on their own.

But. You are only 23. Life has just begun to begin for you. You could meet a boyfriend at 24, 25, 26. Date. Enjoy your youth, not necessarily by getting drunk and going backpacking across the world - or you could do that too!. Enjoy a child free relationship. Then decide in 2-3 years time if thus is what you truly want, and if you truly want or need to go it alone.

A beautiful baby is very appealing. They are deceptively draining, are babies only for a short while and increasingly expensive for two decades or more.

Just my thoughts.

If you work from home you'll still need childcare unless it's something you can do the odd hour of here and there during naps - but then they stop napping :(