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

23, had been together for 6 yrs and married for 1.

I was 22 and 25. Married and settled. Thinking back I think I woild wait 2-3 year more before having my first and grown myself as a person first.

I had just turned 20*

I had 20 just 2 months before the birth of my 1st child he was planned and it's the best decision I have ever made to have my kids young

I think fertility and miscarriage are much more important things to consider if possible than the "I won't have enough energy when they're teenagers/ I don't want to be an older Mum" thing.
I think fertility and risk of miscarriage are things it would be good if more women were aware of before they decide to try for children, so as part of girls/people's general PSHE education

voitured "don't get what all the fuss is about older Mums"

yes, I agree, so there's only 14 years between say a 28 year old younger Mum and a 42 yr old older Mum.

We don't make this much fuss about men getting older, thinking of them as old when they're only 40. Something very strange going on AKA sexism!

People saying they don't want to be too old to run around after their own kids when most people have plenty of energy in say their fifties, or worrying that they won't get to spend much time with their DGC's -
as others have said good or bad fortune regarding our health will make much more difference here than the odd 5 or even 10 years.

30 which is just about right! Not too young not too old.

42 - don't get what the fuss is about older Mums - just get on with it!

29 started trying at 26/27

Next child I was 32 and I was 33 for the last one

I had a miscarriage after baby number 1 so maybe I would have stopped at 2...or kept going til we got the 4 we originally planned

had been trying for 8 years

Bastard miscarriages and unexplained infertility.

I was 18, living in my own home and working full time.

It is an extremely young age to have children and while I don't regret it, I would advise against it.

However I am an amazing parent! Not my own words but those of my first borns paediatric specialist nurse. In her words, I have coped much better with DS's medical issues than most other parents irrespective of age. I've always been willing to learn treatment regimes and as a result I'm one of only two families trained to do certain medical procedures, when the hospital covers thirty families.

However. whilst my children's needs are covered, I am aware that whilst I haven't missed any experiences (have an education, house and travelled with DC's), I am acutely aware that I've never had a time in my life where I've only had to look after myself. That is something I have missed out on, and now they are older and I now have more time to myself I notice it more.

There is no universal best age but I would say that late twenties/early thirties is probably the recommend age- but I know life doesn't work like that for anyone.

29 (3 days before my 30th) and had 2nd at 31

Would have loved to be young mum. My mum was 20 then 22 when she had us and had her social life and career back on track when she was 40 and we had moved out!

27. Younger would have been OK for me, 24 or 25 maybe, but I've no major regrets about 27.

29 - however had things gone to plan I would have been 26/27

42 - (and no such comments about 'elderly prima gravida' - that was over ten years ago I really don't think the medical profession use that expression any more).

Yes, I find it very hard but in all honestly I think I would find being a parent hard at any age - it is certainly the hardest and most challenging thing I have ever done in my life (and no way would I have had another ).

I am glad I have the memories of a successful career and enjoyable time in my 20s and 30s to look back on.

35 and 3 months and 39 and 11 months. Feel very old and tired but very happy to have met the right person and had children at all.

31

31. Married at 22 but wanted financial / career security and to live a bit before having a baby.

21

30, so bang on average.

I am the youngest in our NCT group which really surprised me. My mum was 22 when she had me, my grandma the same, so I always imagined if be 22 too. With uni, travelling, career and not meeting my DH until I was 27 that was never going to happen!

It was always important to me to have children so I didn't want to wait until older in case I had trouble conceiving. DS was conceived 1st month trying and we weren't even trying for DD but not being entirely 'careful' so it shouldn't have come as such a shock. I'm now 32 which in my mind still buys me a few years to make the decision on whether to try for no.3.

22. Had got married and was planning about 9 years later. Dd had other ideas.

Most of my friends were about 25ish. But a few were in their 30's.

19- I'd had all four dd's by the time I was 26, it was the perfect decision for me and I don't regret starting earlier than average.

32 years. On average for my circle of friends

30- it was about the right age for me. It didn't seem old but then I also had one aged 40yrs.

30 & 31. Now I'm 50 and when I say I have a 20 yr old son people gape at me. I thought it was about the right age for me to have a child although I might have waited longer if things in our lives had been different.