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

[Pegfriedrice]

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…

This.

A little over the average age, I expect, but not geriatric. I wouldn't give it a second thought.

I honestly wouldn’t give it a second thought. At least a third of the mums in my DC’s classes had their children over 40, some over 45.

Wouldn't bat an eyelid, my mum had me at 38.

That nice...what's for tea?

I had my first at 26, 2nd at 29 and 3rd at 39. Who cares what other people think. What do you want? x

I don't see the problem. Lots of my friends had babies at that age.

Normal age to have a baby, where I live. Most of my friends went to Uni, have careers & on average married aged 35. Anything before that was considered young.

I married at 40, had my son at 44. Most people assumed that we had IVF. Some have asked. Almost every doctor / midwife was surprised that we had a natural conception.

I wouldn’t think anything.

Where I live mid to late 30’s is the average age for a first baby. In my NCT group we were all having first babies and our ages were 34, 38, 38 and 41.

For a seccond or third child I wouldn't even blink. For a first child if I really thought about I would say upper end of average. Honestly don't listen to people's opions they're crazy I just had a dr tell me I was getting on for my first child...I'm 30.

None really.

That's quite an odd attitude for your sister to take. It's totally normal to want to give your child a sibling. The only thing I'd say is my friends who had small children in their 40s did find they didn't have as much energy as the first time round. But it's up to you to decide.

I don’t think so. When someone posts their 15 year old child is pregnant on mumsnet, there are always two distinct reactions.

I assume that people who worry about being over 30 and pregnant are usually from communities where people have children young.

wouldn't think anything, it's a completely standard age to have a baby

She is 38 not 83!!!

What an odd question!

I had my dd at 22, far too young, I always thought since I should have waited.
At 38 I'd have been ready, I wouldn't judge anyone, I'd think it sensible

I was 38 when I had my first. If they were happy I would feel happy and think happy thoughts for them.

Although it is still definitely old to be a mum and their is no getting away from that. Most mums were late 20’s early 30’s when when my first started school. I would say well under 5% were 38 or above.

The emotional maturity and financial stability in ‘older’ parents is actually better, and I say this out of experience.

Given 31 is the average in the U.K. and that is lowered by teenage pregnancies, which probably cover a higher percentage of unplanned pregnancy than those in older women, and biologically many women cannot get pregnant once in their 40s, the likelihood is that the average planned pregnancy age is probably mid 30s anyway.

I was 35 when I had my 1st and waited for a 3 year gap for my 2nd who arrived when I was 38. It was a bit of a risk as fertility does decline when you get past 35 but I decided that as we got pregnant 1st try the first time there were clearly no existing underlying issues so I took it. I also knew that it wouldn’t be the end of the world if I didn’t have a second.

I was almost 38 when I had my third and within a year of their birth I started having peri symptoms. I'm now 41 going through a whirlwind of emotions with a stroppy toddler.

Sorry to be a Debbie Downer but life can change for us ladies earlier than may be advertised.

I did have some judgement from people but not lots.

Im 32 and if I am to have kids it will be when I am 38/39/40 due to how the timing of things has worked out and I feel like that is pretty normal.

I would literally not bat an eyelid. Totally normal in my opinion.

Is your partner the same age?

That would be a normal age to have a baby in my social circle

I'd be surprised if the woman was a bit older than that, but 38 isn't massively abnormal.

OMG sorry you had to go through that...that is crap and you should tell your sister how you feel !! As someone who had kids 'late', it sucks to hear people assuming you had issues (which were actually unrelated to age) because of it and judging you.
I just want to tell such people to mind their own bloody business and no thanks for your shit support but you have to be polite so I keep quiet.
Ultimately, even if you decided to have kids at I dunno...45...you need your own family to be there for you and support you, right? I mean...that is literally their job !!