To ask how old you were when you had 1st Baby?

[Starlive23]

My MIL is firmly of the belief that I'm an 'old' mum (her words, not mine!) As I was 34 when I first became a mother.

I thought I was probably about average, or at least I seem to be for my group of friends.

MIL was 24 so yes I can understand that I'm a full 10 years older, but not quite as decrepit as she has made out. This charming remark was followed by the suggestion that my eggs will soon be dried up so if I want more I need to do it this year (I'm 35). Am I being naïve or is she old fashioned in her views?

23

23 and felt like a baby myself. I consider 27/28 to be the optimum age

28 when I had my first and 35 when I had my second.

Ive heard us 'older' (mid 30's+) mums been referred to as geriatric mums before

Wasn't through choice though as I've had years of fertility issues. DH and I both said yesterday if we had no issues conceiving we would have had them younger and with a much smaller gap.

Having a crazy toddler and a 9 year old with adhd is tiring to say the least

31 and second at 34

First at 17 then 19 followed by 25 and 29. Felt like an older mum at 29.

I too find it really weird people saying it was so much harder having a baby in 30s than 20s.... 30s is still young! Even if in baby making terms it’s at the older end, you’re still physically fit, it’s well before infirmity sets in... I found it no harder having DC4 than DC1 at all (the difference being 33 not 19)

I'm 36 and my first is 6 months old. The rest of my NCT group is of a pretty similar age (a couple of years in it for most) so certainly feels pretty normal to me. Some of my friends have kids a few of years older (eldest/first kids ranging from 8-2) and are looking at number two now, some haven't had any yet and my little one is one of 4 babies in our circle born in the last 12 months. As long as you're happy it's all good!

Not old unless you’re from the demographic that has babies in its teens.

23 when she was born.

I was 39 and three out of the other seven in my NCT group were older.

37 and 39, only left a year between sections despite being advised to leave two I got pregnant first time with DC2 though, and I thought it might take a while. My own cut off was 40. I didn't meet DH until I was 34 so was lucky to get pregnant easily both times. The fertility dropping off a cliff at 35 myth is based on ancient french data, it's more early 40s

I had my first dc at 33 and my second dc at 37. My mum was a bit concerned when I had hit 30 and wasn't ttcing, as she had all her kids by the time she was 28. Whilst older people thought I was an 'old' mum, most of the ladies I met at ante natal classes and baby groups were a similar age to me.

I'm glad I had my kids in my thirties, as neither I nor dh were ready to become parents in our twenties.

My sister however was 33.

My sisters SIL was 31.

Most people from my parents generation were 20-25. Most from mine are 25-30.

I'd say you're slightly older for a first but only for a time frame perspective. I think it's very reasonable as well as sensible to wait until you're in a financially secure position and lived a bit.

33 when I had my first. The people I went to school with all had theirs in their mid 20s. So I found myself making a new friendship circle as my daughter now 14 and my friends children all 22/23 with babies of their own

34 with my first.

34 for first last year. My mum was 31 when she had me and consider 'old' but I didn't feel old at all during my pregnancy. Older end of average maybe.

No 1 - 32
No 2 - 34

I didn't feel like an older mother at the time. Still feels right. I'm now 50 with an 18 year old and a 15 year old.

A few friends from school had their firsts last year too. So I was in good company!

22 with my first and 25/26 with my second depending on when they make an appearance. Where I live I'm a slightly older mother, most have their first around 20.
But I've had mother's in their 40s asking me for advice so age really doesn't make a difference

27. Then 31 for my second. I'm about average in our circles, perhaps on the younger end of the scale when having my eldest.

34 now and defo not having more as I couldn't cope. But I still feel plenty young enough to change my mind. Lots of my friends are still having babies (ranging from 25-38 roughly).

I was 31 when I had my first and was the oldest of my NCT group who all were mostly on their second by 28.

I had been trying for around 4-5 years though

I was 34 but I would have liked to have been a bit younger but had fertility issues. I think that's pretty average now though. I'd probably raise an eyebrow a bit at someone having one in very early 20s now!

Why raise an eyebrow?

I was 27 when I had DS1 and 30 when I had DS2. I'm now 31, and I'm definitely still one of the younger mums. I live in an expensive area in the country so I think people wait that bit longer because they need to earn more in comparison to cheaper areas.

My mum was 42 when she had me. Back in the 1980s that was positively decrepit!

33

Average in my social circles