What’s the best age to have your first baby?

[chatterbug22]

Subjective I know but interested in people’s opinions on this. Know it’s 100% different for everyone and there’s a number of factors. Are you happy with the age you were/are or would you change it to younger or older, had circumstances been different?

I was 29 I'm happy with that. I have an established career but I feel "young"

You can't give an age but I'd say the age for you personally where you've worked out who you are and are fairly stable overall.

I was 31, that felt right to me. Young enough to not be too worried about infertility (obviously I know this can happen at any age - but more likely if you're older), old enough that we were financially secure, I had an established career and we'd had plenty of time to just have fun together in our 20s.

I was 30 and happy with that. If we’d been in a better position financially I think 28/29 would have been ideal.

A lot depends on where you live though. In my hometown I’d be older than the average mum. Whereas I feel pretty young compared to other parents in my current area.

I was 27 - I’m very happy with how that worked out. Younger I wouldn’t have felt ready and it was still important for me then to be able to do what I want when I want and I was focussed on establishing my career. I had another in my early thirties. I’m in my late thirties now and personally I feel like I wouldn’t have the same energy for a newborn and toddler that I had in my late 20s/ early 30s.

I was 29 (but the year I turned 30) and it was perfect to me.

I had my middle child at 26 and that felt perfect to me. Travelled, partied, married, had completed home renovations and financially stable. When we had our first we were young but were lucky to be able to afford to buy our first home and had already been travelling together as we met in Secondary School. So still a good situation, but not as good as we were when we had our 2nd.

I would say between 26-31 but yep very subjective

I was 32 when I had my first and 34 with triplets.

Funnily enough I was just saying to someone the other day that if anyone ever asked me this, I would say mid to late 20s. I had mine a few years older. I feel like I'd bounce back a bit more a bit younger 🤣

I'm 33 and pregnant with my first and feel like this is perfect for me.

Me and DH have been discussing this a lot. We're planning for 31 for me, 33 for him. Hopefully it happens within that timeframe and no issues

I was 20 when I had my first and 27 when I had my second. I’ve enjoyed it both times tbh! 27 I feel more patient but I’m married now where as I was a single mum with my first.

When you feel emotionally, financially and mentally prepared and are in a good relationship. I have seen great parents of all ages- but they were all mentally ready for kids.

When you’ve had some fun, figured out who you are and got into a reasonable position financially. All the above obviously hugely open to interpretation!

I’ve just had my first at just turned 37. I was ready sooner but things didn't work out that way. So I'd say for me, around 34 would have been perfect (but I’m over the moon I’ve finally got a baby tbh!).

I was 23 when I had my eldest with my dh. I'm now mid 30s - sometimes I do think I should of waited till I was in my 30s (to establish a career, find myself, just enjoy being a young adult) but on the flip side my dc have met my grandparents and had a close relationship to my grandmother before she passed away earlier this year which has been a joy to experience.

There is no best age.

Everyone has their own 'right' age. I had my first at 37 and that was great for me. However I was lucky to get pregnant easily. It wasn't until I started ttc that I realised I did really want a baby. So in hindsight maybe I should have started sooner in case there were problems - although it really wouldn't have entered my head before 35. Far too busy enjoying my adult DINKY life

I had my first at 24, it was good for us. We met young, bought a house at 22. Looking back it probably seems young as we were only just starting our careers, but we had savings, career plans and were very stable. Everything felt right for us.

I had ds a few weeks before I was 29, I was senior ish at work with 7 years experience under my belt, married and had a mortgage. I think it was pretty good timing. I dropped my hours until now (ds 4) and have moved into a more senior role (as high as I want for at least the next fee years!) So I don't think it's affected my career really. For me that's more about stage of life than chronological age, though I've got the ability to run around and play with ds and enough life experience to feel young and grown up together!

Biologically, early 20s. Most of us haven’t even left education by that point, never mind having our own home and job and reliable partner. By the time some or all of these things come together, we’re likely to be at least 35. Society sucks for women. If only it was slightly easier to bear children when we’re meant to, and then have a decent stab at a career…

I think 30ish is a good balance, all other things being equal. I had mine at 25 and it did feel a bit too early (accident!)- none of my friends had children at that point and I wish I could have gotten a bit more carefree time travelling around and having lazy Sundays in bed. I especially wish I’d gotten to spend more time with my husband as a couple on our own- we had only been together 4 months when I found out I was pregnant!

I was 26 with my first, 27 with my second and will be 28 with my third. I wish we'd been more financially stable but if it hadn't have been for Covid, we would have been loads better off. (The 3rd was a contraceptive failure, not planned, before everyone piles on that we shouldn't have more)

I was 28, established career, owned a nice home, a fair chunk in savings and it felt right for me. Having my second at 32 (well will be 33 when she comes out) and it doesn't feel better this time around, feels the same