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Original poster

What’s your gut reaction to a 38 year old being pregnant?

918 replies

Pegfriedrice · 01/03/2023 09:25

Do you consider 38 old to be having a baby? Just interested in how people honestly feel hearing it as obviously most people would be polite in person but I’m not sure if secretly they’d think it was quite old to be having a baby?

probably overthinking but hey…

OP posts:
Whydoitry · 01/03/2023 19:45

Moonicorn · 01/03/2023 19:41

It’s a balance that’s for sure. I have to be honest and say for people who have chosen to have children much later (over 36ish) for career/freedom reasons, I do see it as making the child pay the price for their ‘years of fun’. I also don’t really get that as a premise. If having children isn’t fun why do it at all Confused

Show quote history

What I found fun at 25 is very different to what I find fun at 45.

I find children fun at 45.

LovelyLisa2 · 01/03/2023 19:45

I was 38 when I had my so . He’s 15 not and most mum’s are similar age.

Sweetpeasforever · 01/03/2023 19:45

I had my first at 37 and second at 41. Felt totally normal to me but I think it probably differs depending on where you live.

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AllThingsServeTheBeam · 01/03/2023 19:45

dizzydizzydizzy · 01/03/2023 19:34

I had DC2 at 37, so I wouldn’t think anything of it. Everything was fine.

Biologically speaking, it’s probably ideal to have babies at 18 to 25ish but as most of us are still settling into adult life at that age, it’s impractical.

I loved having my kids in my early 20s. It wouldn't have happened otherwise in fact. There was nothing impractical about it! I'd have found it a lot harder to get by now on mat pay than I did back then too

Cwinters · 01/03/2023 19:46

Not at all I don’t feel or look 37. But for the last 3 years I’ve been trying to get pregnant and just recently found out it was because I had an under active thyroid. Im on the waiting list for IVF but I’ll most probably be 38 when my time comes soon. Age is nothing but a number and most celebrities not that we should judge our lives by them still don’t have children till they are in their early 40s it’s just what happens

Dartsplayer · 01/03/2023 19:46

I had my first at 36 andy second at 38. Its pretty normal these days. I know someone who had a baby last year when she waa 46

YDBear · 01/03/2023 19:48

Considering my mum got pregnant with me at 38 I would be delighted, assuming that the baby is wanted. I was an accident—my mum told dad she was pregnant and the first thing he said was “bloody hell!” Since I was subsequently much loved, I won’t complain.

Skiddlingmama · 01/03/2023 19:49

I had my first baby at 38 and my second at 41. I don’t consider myself as too old.

HeavenIsAHalfpipe · 01/03/2023 19:50

PermanentlyinUAT · 01/03/2023 19:31

OP I don't know anyone who had a baby before 30. Not one of my friends or acquaintances. Most people were having babies at 38 and into their 40s.

Certainly among highly educated women in highly paid careers, 38 is very much the norm.

Incredibly snobby, classist, sweeping generalization there. Hmm I know LOADS of successful career women in highly paid professional careers, who are highly educated, who married at around 28-29 and had their first baby by 30-32. Yes, women who went to uni, and have successful careers are not generally having their first baby at 19, but nor are most of them having their first baby in their 40s!

Didn't take long for the 'only lower class uneducated women have babies at a young age' bullshit to rear its head! Hmm

JosieHetty · 01/03/2023 19:51

I had second child at 35 and third at 37. No issue.

spriggit · 01/03/2023 19:51

I had my son at 39 and he is an absolute blessing. I didn't feel broody at all ever until I turned 38, so had always thought I didn't want children. Turns out I was wrong and thankfully able to have him.

Folklore9074 · 01/03/2023 19:51

I know loads of mums who had their first at 38 or 39. I wouldn’t think anything at all.

Emberino · 01/03/2023 19:52

Congratulations

Clarabell77 · 01/03/2023 19:52

I wouldn’t think anything of it. I was 37 with my second and felt much more relaxed than with my first when I was 27.

Your sister sounds quite nasty.

MNbingo · 01/03/2023 19:53

I’d just smile and inwardly think,”yeah …your life is now ruined”.

But I think that about pregnancy announcements at any age.

TangBloodyFastic · 01/03/2023 19:53

I had DD1 at 38 and DD2 at 40

I didn't consider myself too old nor did any of the midwives who saw me while I was pregnant. Both pregnancies and labours straight forward.

Michellelovesizzy · 01/03/2023 19:53

its Normal

Juststopamoment · 01/03/2023 19:54

Completely normal. My sister went to NCT and she said everyone was in their late 30s-40s. I had my first child at 38.

TheFormidableMrsC · 01/03/2023 19:54

I had my second at 42 and encountered nothing but positivity! The odd "you must be mad" joke but nobody said anything rude and they would have got short shrift if they had. 38 is a perfectly reasonable age to have a baby. Your sister is an idiot.

pinkpantherpink · 01/03/2023 19:55

Congratulations I'd say

None of my business how old she is. Good luck to her/you

CallCollect · 01/03/2023 19:57

My reaction would be that it is very possible for a woman to leave it to 38 to conceive and still go on to have a big family

choccytime · 01/03/2023 19:59

I had just had my 39th birthday when i had my fourth [and last ] ! child, perfectly normal

TK3011 · 01/03/2023 20:00

Its not late at all. I became a mother at 43.
despite having a recurrent miscarriages history, pregnancy was spontaneous and went well and blessed with a healthy boy who is going to be 14 soon.
It's all Allah's will.
Congratulations and best wishes to all Mom to be.

jenkel · 01/03/2023 20:01

Nothing, I had my dd at 36 and at the time there were parents younger and older than me,

AmyA64 · 01/03/2023 20:01

As someone who is 38 and desperately TTC #1 ecstatic for the Mother to be. in my circle of acquaintances most women were 36+ before having their first, I think it’s totally normal these days

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