Average age of first-time mothers is now 30 - how old were you?

I wouldn't expect MN users to match the research, though... The research shows that first time mothers NOW are averaging 30, whereas MN is full of mothers who had their kids x years ago when the average age of first time mothers was younger, iyswim. The age of MN users with pfb under 1 year old would be a fair comparison.

34

Hard enough then. Couldn't have done earlier.

39 just! No regrets. Had enjoyed good jobs, travelled, got a masters, met DH. Right time and many of my friends of similar age followed same pattern. Not unusually old at school gates either.

31, which was almost five years ago. Younger than any of my friends/associates/DH's friends, other than one other woman. Most have had a baby mid-30s or older.

Unusually, younger than my own mother having her eldest, by two months!

39 for my first and it was the right age for me. I was not with the right man during my 20s & early 30s to have children. This is the right time for me.

I was 22 when I had ds1 then 22 for dd1 and then 31 when I had my 3rd child ds2 and yes they all have the same dad lol ( I get asked that a lot due to age gaps).

I was 33 (34 later in the same month). It was the right time for me as I didn't want a child before this point - no maternal instinct at all.

Even if I had wanted one earlier, I suspect I wouldn't have had one due to financial constraints - while we were secure, there was little disposable income and maternity leave would have increased the monetary pressure. Although, where there is a will, there is a way, so who knows.

I wish dh had talked me into it much earlier. We got married at 33 and started trying straight away. Took ages as you can see.

My body is ruined (not that it was so wonderful in the first place) and, despite not being 40 yet, I feel and look like an old lady.

I had a miscarriage early on in our relationship (I was 26ish) and I think if we'd had our dc then I would be healthier now. Though dh and I might not have lasted.

I agree we are designed to be young mums. Just mostly not mentally prepared for it.

27 and it was absolutely the right time for me.

23 with 1st now 32 with 3rd. I'm a mw the average ago for 1st time mum where I work is 37 we have a lot of intervention and high risk pregnancies.

Whether we like it or not our bodies were designed to give birth in our younger years the research show there are more chances of complications the older you get. However not everyone has met their partner or wants kids in their 20's.

My mum remarried and had me at 37! My dad was 49 this was early 80's so not common and I often felt embarrassed of their age kids would tease and call them my grandparents.

26 got married whilst pregnant (wedding booked before getting preggers). Been with DH since I was 16. (Now 35).

17 & no regrets

20 I was working full time and in a long relationship olds wasn't planned but I wouldn't change it for the world. I'm now with someone new ds is now 12 and I'm expecting 2nd. I love my life as it is.
Also as I had ds young I had an early smear which diagnosed CIN3 pre cancer cells. If I hadn't have had early smear it would have been too late for me. Ds saved my life.

will be 29.5 when my first baby is born (currently 17 weeks pregnant) so bang on average then! Feels a good time, I am married but have enjoyed a couple of years of married life first. Don't have a mortgage yet but who can afford that in London suburbs?! DH is 35 so I may have waited longer but he didn't want to be 40+ when having our last child (ideally we want 2 with a reasonable gap).

29, a month off my 30th.

31

Maybe wish I had been able to start a little earlier but I do recognise that starting when I did, I was secure, with the right man, married, and had had a good career (which I subsequently abandoned so glad I at least had it once).

35 although I was one of the first among my friends.

31 and I wish I'd been able to start earlier, but wasn't married/settled before then.
If i'd started younger, I'd probably have had more - I have 3 but youngest was born when I was 36 and I felt knackered enough after that not to go for another one.

32, I had developed my career, traveled with and without my DH and settled into a lovely community near my parents. Just right for me, though still felt like a big leap into change even at 32.

I was 30 - very nearly 31

That was 32 years ago though & I think the average was quite a bit lower then

29 then 31 for my second. I'm glad I didn't leave it any later as I can't imagine dealing with the teen years in my fifties. I'm knackered as it is in my forties!

But I think whatever your age, you make it work for you whether you're a teen mum or having your first in your forties, you just get on with it.

26, having been married at 23.

It works for us, although it is weird being the youngest parents at school. It won't be so bad when p3b starts, as the parents of his classmates are more likely to be closer to our ages then. But it does make for awkward conversations and we are financially disadvantaged compared with families where both parents worked for ten or more years before TTC.

22

No regrets

I started full time work at 16 (apprenticeship) and had worked my way up through several jobs and promotions so don't feel like I missed out on a career at all. Hoping to retrain once DC are older and have another career, but not sure what in yet!

I wanted a baby at 27 , a year after I got married. After almost 10 years of trying I finally became a mum to my first baby through adoption at 36 years old.

I remember being pregnant (sadly miscarried) when I was 33 and being told I would be a geriatric mum by a work colleague.33 is no age!