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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:
pussycatinfluffyslippers · 01/03/2023 10:22

Pegfriedrice · 01/03/2023 09:33

She said it to me with a tone of almost disgust at the thought of someone my age having more children which made me feel a bit shit!

Your sister is a nasty cow, isn't she?

It's absolutely none of her business and you need to very firmly tell her that.

moviesanddonuts · 01/03/2023 10:23

Honestly, your sister sounds really judgemental. It's nobody's business but the parents. And, for what it's worth, a lot of my friends have been pregnant around this age and I've never heard anyone say that it's "too old" or anything other than congratulations.

Schnooze · 01/03/2023 10:25

If pushed to put an age limit on it I’d probably say 40 but that’s more from the personal point of view I’d have been too knackered to do it after then. If other people felt ok, then all good to them.

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Families
GoldenCagedBird · 01/03/2023 10:26

I had dd at 28 last year. I was the first out of my friends. Many of them aren’t planning to have DC until 35+.

90% of women at bf groups and mum meet ups were 10 years older than me.

but 28 was ‘old’ for my family, with them having first babies between 17-20. but they didn’t go to university and settled down young.

WimpoleHat · 01/03/2023 10:26

Perfectly normal age, especially for a second child. Your sister is being very odd indeed. I had my second just before my 36th birthday and was consistently described as “the young mother” by one of the older ladies in the village!

IncompleteSenten · 01/03/2023 10:27

As long as she didn't want me to babysit I wouldn't care. It's her doing it not me.

HarlanPepper · 01/03/2023 10:27

these days it's totally standard! congratulations if this is you :)

BitOutOfPractice · 01/03/2023 10:27

I’d think “congratulations! How exciting! A new baby, how lovely!”

MrsXx4 · 01/03/2023 10:27

I was the youngest in my NCT group at 33. Others were 36 and up and are now having their second babies 4 years later in the ages of 40ish. I find it totally normal for my friendship group, even all the preschool mums look to be my age or older. I’m pregnant again now at 37 due in May. I still don’t feel that I am done and may discuss having another at some point, I’ll be likely 40ish if I do have another.

Abouttimemum · 01/03/2023 10:27

Good for them is what I’d say! I had my son at 38 and most of my friends had their children in the their mid-late 30s and early 40s.

UnctuousUnicorns · 01/03/2023 10:27

My third child was born a fortnight before I turned 39, uneventful pregnancy resulting in DD who is perfectly healthy. Being pregnant at 38 is no big deal at all. 🤷‍♀️

Fleur405 · 01/03/2023 10:28

I had my first at 38. As far as I can tell no one cares. But then, I couldn’t give a shit if they did.

ChillysWaterBottle · 01/03/2023 10:28

Perfectly normal in my peer group x

Saracen · 01/03/2023 10:29

Totally normal. I wouldn't think twice.

Crunchingleaf · 01/03/2023 10:30

I can’t judge as I was pregnant at that age. It’s not an unusual age to be pregnant at when I went for my appointments there was a wide variety of ages not just whatever age people think is the ideal age. I would have preferred to have my youngest two at a younger age but life circumstances meant that wasn’t to be.

Highdaysandholidays1 · 01/03/2023 10:30

My boss was pregnant at 41, had her lovely boy at 42. nothing but congrats here.

horriblejackie · 01/03/2023 10:30

Very normal where I live. It's actually a very normal age to have a baby in general before contraception many women had kids this age it just would have been unlikely to be their first.

Galadriel90 · 01/03/2023 10:31

I wouldn't bat an eyelid. Lots of my friends had/are having babies into their 40s.

Arthurflecksfacepaint · 01/03/2023 10:31

My gut reaction would be that she was 2 years younger than me when I had my last one!

YMZ · 01/03/2023 10:33

Interesting question. I had a child in my twenties and twins in my thirties.
My first child got my energy and my twins benefited from experience and better finances.
It’s an entirely personal choice.

Ansjovis · 01/03/2023 10:33

For me yes I'd consider the woman old. However that is because my grandma was 38 when I was born so that has skewed my frame of reference. I wouldn't make any comments to anyone though.

Threeboysandadog · 01/03/2023 10:35

I had my third at 42 after a nine year gap and two miscarriages. Family and friends were delighted for me as they had always known that I wanted a third. Work/school mums were surprised as they assumed I was finished. I enjoyed it every bit as much, if not more, than the first two. Your sister sounds jealous.

Mum23amazingkids · 01/03/2023 10:36

My gut reactions is : how wonderful congratulations .
its as normal as any age . I had a kid at 19 , 33 and 39 . I never had any bad reactions apart from the oldest

MoggyMittens23 · 01/03/2023 10:36

It would be too old for me personally but I wouldn't care what other women did and it's not like it's unusual these days. Congrats!

Wishawisha · 01/03/2023 10:37

Amongst my group of school mums I’d say that was a perfectly average age.