What do you consider is a realistic age for having a last baby?

[GlitteringJasper]

Purely based on your own personal opinion?

What age is the 'cut off' in your mind for someone having their final baby?

Really interested to hear views on this!

Am dithering!

aur your opinion is valid but I think your tone put me off.

My own mother is 54 Red :o Well, for a few more minutes anyway!

I always said 30 for myself, but here I am a few months from 33 and pregnant with DC3. :) I'm not sure if I'll have more or not.

My SIL just had her second a few days ago, and she's 41. She doesn't seem old to me.

My other two were born when I was 25 and 31. :)

For me it's 37, purely due to the age gaps between DC1, 2 and 3. Plus, at 32 I'm pregnant with DC2 and I'm struggling massively - I don't think my body will cope well next time and that's not going to improve with age.

At my baby group the mums range from 21 to 43, all with first babies. It's definitely down to individual circumstance and a lot of the time it's the circumstance rather than the choice that determines when you start/stop having children.

I wouldn't give up my 20s to have babies, not in a million years. I love my babies but it's my life experiences that I use to get me through the difficult times as a parent. In addition to that, training for my career wouldn't have happened if I'd had children then so they wouldn't have the lifestyle they have now.

If I had struggled to conceive I think my cut off point for my first would be 45, if I struggle this time I'd make it 40. But I'm speaking without experience, I'm not sure how I'd handle the longing for a first child - maybe age wouldn't come into it in those circumstances unless biology kicked in to make it an issue.

Well I have a 26 year old
23year old
And twins that are 6

Aur, put your dictionary away and speak from the heart.

I would say 42 based on the fact that I've recently had my first and will turn 40 soon. I think if I'm going to have another it will have to be pretty soon, I think it might get harder, i.e. much more tiring, after 42, although I find it easy at the moment.

I had my first at 38 and my second at 41. At 42 I would love a third DC and don't feel too old for one but I do worry about the increased risk of complications. DH feels that we should not tempt fate.

Early 30s. I can't imagine entering my 50s with dependent children.

I had my last at 30 and still managed to completely ruin my body, I'll be lucky not to have a hysterectomy by 35. So I don't think age matters when it comes to preserving your own body, it depends on the person.

I had just turned 34 with my first and am currently pregnant with my second (and last) who is due a couple of months before I turn 37. For me this is enough - I don't want to be doing all that three o clock in the morning business when I'm 40.

I can only speak for myself though - I know a couple of people who have had babies past 40 who have been fine, it's just not for me.

had DD2 at 40. the lack of sleep was a killer but I would happily have another now - am nearly 44. Doubt it will happy naturally though.

I would probably say 45 would be cut off. After that I would worry about being able to keep working long enough to support them until they old enough to leave home

For me 30. Im 29 and expecting 2nd and final dc in the summer. I hate being pregnant it's a strain on my fairly young body. and I would like my career to be able to pick up again in my mid 30s without the exhaustion of very young children. I don't think there is a official limit though! It's very personal and I think people should have babies till any point that is right for them.

For me 35 is the latest, too many risks after that, also like it or not our bodies are just not the same after 40, lots of hormonal changes, tiredness, etc. having a baby toddler little child at the same time is just too much to bear

DD was born when I was 47. I'll have a two year old at my 50th and DH will have a one year old at his 60th (though he's planning an adult party so she won't actually be AT the party IYSWIM).
One of my Brownies just turned 8 and her dad just turned 70. Does that change anybody's answer??

But I was lucky enough to have DC3 at 36 and beat my cut off point by a few years.

For me, it's not about being too tired/old to cope with babies and toddlers in your 40's. It's coping with teenagers in my late 50's/60's that I didn't feel would be easy.

I think a lot of it depends on finances.

sleepywombat though I'm fairly relaxed, that IS brave.

The vast majority of answers on this thread have mentioned social reasons e.g. retirement at 60, not biological reasons. So fathers are eminently relevant (and there are biological risks to older fathers too).

I am more concerned about spending some of my retirement with DH than whether the DCs will be out of the house. I'm sure they won't want to go on holiday with me by that stage anyway unless we're paying.

I'm having my last at 39 (nearly 40). 40 is the cut off for me, in fact if circumstances had been different I think 35 better. But if I had fertility problems I am sure I would have kept trying into my 40s.

This has been my easiest (3rd) pregnancy but I do worry about health and earning power in 20 years from now. It's a greater risk definitely.

Both my parents had second families in their late 40s/early 50s and now in their mid to late 60s they are struggling financially, with health/energy to cope with teens/20 something's still living at home. And with not having the freedom of their empty nest peers. So I would recommend think twice after 45.

I've had my 2 and I am done - I was 30 when I had DS2. I suppose that makes me one of the younger ones in this group, which feels odd as I didn't consider myself a younger mum at the time.

I've been friends with a kid of older parents (i.e. 10yo living with a 50yo and 60yo) and it did feel a bit like she lived with her grandparents. They were relatively strict though, so that's a confounding factor. She had much older siblings too, so always felt like a bit of an afterthought in that house. I felt sorry for her and it put me off the idea of having kids late, rationally or irrationally.

I do think there are things to be said for starting early if you want kids and it's feasible - I have retrained post-children and have the prospect of 30 years in my new field ahead of me. My mum had me early, DH's mum started very early, DH's stepmum couldn't have kids as she started trying late (early 40s - it didn't work for her) and it is a major, often vocalised, regret of her life. All of that, plus a scientific background similar to aurynne (whom I agree with re:all the facts) made me very anxious to maximise my chances by trying to have children early. I was fortunate enough to have a very easy time of it, biologically.

I'm actually very lucky I did, because it transpired that my mum (who was very very close-lipped about any biological matters) went through the menopause proper at 45 and her sister at 40. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I'd waited and shudder slightly. I'd encourage all women in general to ask their mums about their menopause date if possible, because that's useful knowledge to have.

I like a previous poster's comment of 42+18 = 60 - that seems as good an arbitrary cut-off point as any

I had DC1 at 37 after a struggle to conceive. I have just turned 40. I would absolutely love another one but the struggle to conceive last time (and I started 5 years ago!) makes it rather unlikely without assistance. I am knackered but it is not the DC that is principally responsible for that but my high pressure job. For me the trouble with late motherhood is the clash with the highest pressure part of my career (and as the main earner this isn't something I can put down and pick up again in a few years). I will always be sad if, as is likely, I don't have another