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?

33

A few weeks shy of 45 with my surprise baby entirely naturally conceived. Midwives said it was common for women in their 40s brought up on the "after 35 you're more likely to get run over by a bus than get pregnant" theory, to find themselves accidentally pregnant.

Nearly 34.

Almost 28.and dc 2 almost 3 years later.
I wanted another dc when I was 37 but dh said no and our family was finished. There was health risks but still i regret not having dc3 , although we could not have afforded holidays and such .

My first at 18. Went on to have 2 more so I had 3 under 5.
Made my Mum a Gran at 36 ( she was also a Mum at 18)
And my DGM a Great Gran at 56 (She was 19 with her first)

37 when I had my first, second at 38, 3rd at 41.

Women who had babies in their early 20s saying they would have been too tired in their early 30s or older always makes me think a bit. If you spend your 20s with broken sleep & the other tiring aspects of pregnancy and childcare, you’re obviously going to feel more tired than someone who hasn’t gone through that. It’s all relative. My best friend & I are the same age but she had her DC at 25 and 29; we’re now 33. She says she couldn’t do it all again at this age, but she has no comparator. & someone who has their first in their teens or 20s has no comparison either.

I’m with your mum, @ZetaPuppis - children come when they’re meant to!

36

A lot of mums around me now turning 40 have 10 year olds, but I don't think it's massively unusual to have your first mid thirties. I think about 30, people start to think marriage & babies.

28 with DS
29 with DD

Hoping to have another 2 in my thirties.

I don’t think it’s “old”. Strikes me as average to have them in thirties.

I think your MiL comment about your eggs were insensitive. Unless it’s a relationship where you feel she genuinely has your best interest at heart.

I was 37 when I got pregnant with my first, 38 when he arrived. 41 now and just had my second, he's 2.5 weeks old

Why is she going on about it anyway, does she have an empty life? I was 31 and deemed an older mother in hospital but apart from that no-one said a thing. In your shoes I wouldn't even have this conversation with MIL it's irrelevant, as is her opinion.

I had mine at 35 and 37. Definitely the older end of average in my area but definitely not old enough to raise eyebrows. I don't know many people that had them before 30.

You should ask where people live. I think in London or commuter zone to London then Mother’s are generally older, due to careers and house prices / high rents meaning we move out later.

31 and then 33

34 with my first , 41 now and second due any day now!

Women who had babies in their early 20s saying they would have been too tired in their early 30s or older always makes me think a bit. If you spend your 20s with broken sleep & the other tiring aspects of pregnancy and childcare, you’re obviously going to feel more tired than someone who hasn’t gone through that

I'm 37 and definitely feel too old and tired to have another but I agree it's probably more to do with the fact I've spent the last decade parenting, rather than being decrepit!

33 with the first, then second at 37.
First one should have been a couple of years earlier, but I had two miscarriages. Waited till DS was 2 before we started trying for second.
DH and I wanted to wait until we were comfortably settled in our own house before starting a family.

I agree I had my first at 28 in London and I was considered a young mum. All the people in my antenatal class were older. And mums I met up were mostly surprised at how i interrupted my career so early.

I didn’t feel young at all as I’ve been trying since 24 and had miscarriages. I’d consider 18-22 young. Over 35 older mum. 28-35 mature mum.

I was 23, 25 and 28 and I am a similar age to most of my children’s friends parents.

I'll be 34 at the end of June.. my first is due a week after my birthday 🎂

I was 30 having my first, just had my 2nd baby a week ago at 32.

I was 28. I think that's actually a weirdly uncommon age, as its somewhere in the middle ie under 30 but not early 20s. So I wouldn't be classed as a young mum at all but am also not that late compared to my mums generation (she was 24, 30, 32). My eldest is 6 now I was 32 when i had my 2nd.

I had my first at 28 and i had elderly primagravida on my notes, This was early 70s.

23. I had my fourth at 32 and it was so much harder physically in my 30s than my 20s.

DD1 at 39 DD2 at 43. Not old at all op but miscarriage risk does start ramping up unfortunately