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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:
Scottishmamma · 01/03/2023 10:39

I had my much longed for first baby at 40…not my intention but getting pregnant took longer than anticipated. Never came up against any negative attitudes regarding my age. I was a little concerned about it myself. My Dr reassured me that it was very common these days.

Wishawisha · 01/03/2023 10:39

So yes my gut reaction would be how nice and what a normal age to have a child at. My gut reaction at someone having a baby at say 25 would be surprise though.

Lambchop1 · 01/03/2023 10:39

I was pregnant at 39. 40 was my cut off point.

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Travelissue123 · 01/03/2023 10:39

Congratulations....

starfishmummy · 01/03/2023 10:39

Not a problem. Had my dc at 40+

Whydoiwearsomuchleopardprint · 01/03/2023 10:40

Had my third at almost 40, think it’s fine and don’t worry what other people think! Most of my friends had their kids older so no one would bat an eyelid where I live!

reddwarfgeek · 01/03/2023 10:40

38 is definitely a normal age to have a baby. I've just turned 38 and I'd have another. A woman at work is 38.5 and expecting her 2nd.
A couple of friends had their first at 41 and 43.
I think up to 45 is fine (maybe even a couple of years beyond) and wouldn't raise an eyebrow these days.

RoseslnTheHospital · 01/03/2023 10:41

First reaction, congratulations. Second reaction, still congratulations. 38 is very very normal these days, I wouldn't think about the age of the mum at all.

Jorun · 01/03/2023 10:41

I'm 38 and having a c section tomorrow. Tell her to jog on

Mira28 · 01/03/2023 10:42

It sounds absolutely normal to me 🙂

Comtesse · 01/03/2023 10:43

Your sister is being horrible. Tell her to wind her neck in.

Sleepygrumpyandnothappy · 01/03/2023 10:44

Totally normal, wouldn’t occur to me to think anything about their age. But I had mine at 38.

Itsonlyagame · 01/03/2023 10:45

I was 35 when my son was born and they youngest in my antenatal classes.

KevinsChilli · 01/03/2023 10:45

I'm 36 and planning to TTC my first later this year when I'd be 37. I haven't given any thought as to what other people think!

Lotusflower16 · 01/03/2023 10:47

Your sister doesn't sound too pleasant. She should mind her own business.
I wouldn't care if a woman had a baby at 38. I generally don't care about women's choices, it's thier bodies and their lives.
Don't get disheartened by her comment, she was just mean.

cheapskatemum · 01/03/2023 10:47

My gut reaction would be: Congratulations! I might be biased though, because I had DS4 when I was 38.

Basecampzero · 01/03/2023 10:47

turnthebiglightoff · 01/03/2023 09:41

I'm 18 weeks with number 2 at 38 (after some losses). A friend of mine said "god there's no way I'd have another at my age, I was done by 30!!"

I replied "if we had all settled for our first boyfriend more of us might be done by 30"!!

Fight the spite with spite. She's not mentioned it again.

Excellent response.

Is your sister jealous OP because you had a career/great single life before settling down (nothing wrong with having children earlier either btw, many reasons to do this too!), and she can't bear the idea of you also having children? Some people are just jealous generally.

I wouldn't even give it a second thought. I met someone yesterday who's in their 60s with a 14 year old. She seems like a lovely mum with a happy daughter.

LBOCS2 · 01/03/2023 10:47

A friend of mine has recently announced she's pregnant, she's 37 at the moment and will be 38 by the time the baby arrives.

My first thought was "wow, her two are going to be quite close together", as she has an 18mo. And then my second thought was "ah; she's probably got half a mind on her fertility levels, I probably would have considered it that soon if I was particularly keen for two at that age".

I don't think it's old at all. I do however have another friend who is approaching 38 and hasn't started a family yet (which I know is very important to her), and I worry a little for her as I hope she manages to get what she wants as she's getting older and it may be more difficult to conceive.

DM had me at 37, almost 40 years ago. It was VERY unusual then. Not so much now.

SpanielSprint · 01/03/2023 10:47

I wouldn’t give it a second thought. Perfectly normal in my social circle, most of whom wanted to establish their careers and achieve financial stability before starting their families.

merrymelodies · 01/03/2023 10:48

I had my first at 37 and my second at 40. No one batted an eye.

StillWantingADog · 01/03/2023 10:48

Ha well I had my second baby two weeks after I turned 38.
I have friends far older having babies so I wouldn’t bat an eyelid.

WedonttalkaboutMaureen · 01/03/2023 10:49

Your sister is a dick. Does she often try to undermine your confidence or put you down?

In my NCT class we were ALL aged between 34 and 42 so it seems perfectly normal age to me, especially for a second.

Smartstuffed · 01/03/2023 10:49

No gut reaction - perfectly normal these days.

At a stretch, I might give her the benefit of the doubt if I thought her comments and tone of voice were possibly less a judgement on my choice and more a reflection of her own internal dialogue at that moment - ie distaste as she imagined herself pregnant at 38 hence a general questioning of any woman who'd consider it. But that would be pushing it.

HVPRN · 01/03/2023 10:50

turnthebiglightoff · 01/03/2023 10:00

@HVPRN thanks so much :-) 20 week scan on Fri - don't feel completely out of the woods yet but that's probably normal.

Absolutely is normal to feel like that. I over analysed and was hyper tuned-in to my body, right through to the end! 💛 my DD is a darling, bright as a button :) take care

creamwitheverything · 01/03/2023 10:50

My reaction would be oh lovely a brand new baby to look forward to,! I had my second child at 41 and everyone who mattered to me and was important in our lives were thrilled and very excited for us and themselves,II years on and this child of ours is much loved and its all worked out great,

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