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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to wonder why there's no bosom-hoiking at Simon Cowell becoming a dad at the age of 53

78 replies

Newcupboards · 31/07/2013 22:37

because if a 50 year old woman were to be pregnant MNetters would be lining up to cry "too old!" "selfish!".

OP posts:
FrancesDeLaTourCoughngIntoABin · 01/08/2013 07:42

I had no idea!

But I agree with you OP - I suspect if this was a woman plenty of people would be talking about how infirm she'll be when the child is a teenager.

However it is less erm...important...if men become fsathers later, from a biological/childbirth point of view. No impact on their bodies. Still doesn't change the fact that he'll be in his early 70s when his child leaves school.

FrancesDeLaTourCoughngIntoABin · 01/08/2013 07:44

"erm" simply because I couldn't think of the word. I'd be worried about the impact of pregnancy and childbirth on the body of a woman in her early 50s, plus the relatively higher risks to the baby. I think there are some risks that are slightly higher from an older sperm but fewer. Could be wrong.
How old is his OH?

TheDoctrineOfAllan · 01/08/2013 07:46

Because no-one thinks he will be the primary carer.

NicholasTeakozy · 01/08/2013 07:46

Simon Cowell is going to be a dad? Simon Cowell? Really?

FrancesDeLaTourCoughngIntoABin · 01/08/2013 07:49

OK....I'll do it

LadyBeagleEyes · 01/08/2013 07:50

There was loads of outrage when Tina Malone got pregnant as Op linked to earlier.
I agree with you OP.

LayMizzRarb · 01/08/2013 07:54

OP, you seem to have done a very good job of raising the subject. Shame it's another of those threads where the OP starts a discussion without offering a personal opinion, and then gauges the general consensus before deciding what they think....

FrancesDeLaTourCoughngIntoABin · 01/08/2013 07:54

I think the OP's side of the fence is clear else she wouldn't have started the thread

northernlurker · 01/08/2013 07:56

I don't mind his age. I think the whole possible carryings on when she was still married etc is rather seedy and Simin Cowell is generally loathesome but his age is the least of the problems.

Sparklingbrook · 01/08/2013 08:01

There you go. Grin Oh no, sorry, I meant .

bornagaindomesticgoddess · 01/08/2013 08:02

Well, I am 49 years old and have been wondering if I should have another baby. I have 2 on ice after IVF treatment a few years ago.

MarmaladeTwatkins · 01/08/2013 08:04

The dirty article.

He should be seeing to those man boobs and that fanny hair rather than impregnating poor wimmin.

I for one am DISCUSTED.

Tweasels · 01/08/2013 08:06

I've just read the Tina Malone thread (only 2 pages though) and there was a mixed response, just like there is to Simon's bizarre news. Every time someone said she was too old they were pulled up on it.

I got the impression that more people were concerned about her motivation, which people have also questioned in Cowell's case also.

As many others have succinctly put already - meh

Sparklingbrook · 01/08/2013 08:06

Fanny hair Marmalade? Oh you mean the hair on his head! Grin

Sparklingbrook · 01/08/2013 08:07

SC hasn't actually confirmed any of this......

Tweasels · 01/08/2013 08:09

Fanny hair Grin

juule · 01/08/2013 08:12

"The woman farmer from S Wales who had an IVF baby at age 62 has said she underestimated how exhausted she would be."
Almost everyone underestimates how exhausting looking after a child can be.

"There is a reason why we become infertile in old age. "

There may be but I doubt it's because looking after babies/children is exhausting.

MackerelOfFact · 01/08/2013 08:29

Becoming a father? In the Ronaldo sense?

I can't imagine him having a paternal bone in his body. I read a boak-some quote from him in the paper yesterday along the lines of "sometimes when I'm having sex I just want to finish so I can have a cigarette".

Ew. Ew. Ewwww.

BadgersNadgers · 01/08/2013 08:31

So if you had to be impregnated by an older man, which of these prime specimens would you choose?

  1. Simon (bitch tits) Cowell
  2. Des (cuprinol) O'Connor
  3. Bruce (get off the telly, you're a fucking embarrassment) Forsyth?
Sparklingbrook · 01/08/2013 08:32

I would prefer Kevin Bacon Badgers or Rob Lowe maybe.

GoodTouchBadTouch · 01/08/2013 08:35

I think its fine for a bloke to reproduce at 50. Presumably he still has swimmers and it was a natural conception.

Totally weird and a bit gross in my opinion for a 50 year old woman to get pregnant. Obviously they would have IVF, cos it wouldn't happen naturally.

Anyone know the cut-off age for IVF in this country?

googlyeyes · 01/08/2013 08:41

I think men should be judged (or not!) in exactly the same way as women if they are going to be 50+ when they have a baby.

I have read hundreds of posts on here where people argue that parents should have equal status, that the mother is not in fact the primary parent, so then it should matter just as much if either parent is going to be significantly older.

Stating the obvious, but just because men CAN have babies at an older age than women it doesn't make them any younger biologically, and statistically men die earlier than women

kim147 · 01/08/2013 08:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheDoctrineOfAllan · 01/08/2013 08:49

I don't think any of the older mums have been celebs or otherwise obviously rich enough to pay extrA childcare help.

Bowlersarm · 01/08/2013 08:50

I don't really want to satisfy the OP, as it's an obvious attempt to provoke a goady thread, but, ok, here goes,...

Men are able to become fathers until well into old age. It is seen as a natural thing. No one raises an eyebrow (apart from the OP)

Women can occasionally fall pregnant naturally around the age of 50. In that case I think you're wrong and most people don't hoik their judgy pants or bosoms or whatever you said. They just say things like "wow that's amazing" and start being a bit more careful about their own contraception.

It's the medical intervention to achieve the natural pregnancies that men can achieve at any old age, but women can't, rightly or wrongly, that divides opinion.