To consider 30 young not middle aged

[Iftheclouds]

I still consider 30 young however someone said to me recently that it’s middle aged. Aibu to disagree with this? 30 is the prime of childbearing years and to me anyone that can have children still isn’t really middle aged.

I'm 41 and don't FEEL middle aged until I try to talk to someone who is around 20 about life, the universe and everything. THEN I feel absolutely ancient . So beats me when middle age is.

18-25 young adult
26-50 adult
51-69 older adult
70-80 elderly adult
80+ old age

That’s my interpretation

How is 30 the end of child bearing years??? Tell that to all the women who have had children over the age of 30 🤣🤣

@Anoisagusaris

How is 30 the end of child bearing years??? Tell that to all the women who have had children over the age of 30 🤣🤣

I was thinking that?!

I think it’s more likely that the majority of women have their children in their 30’s.

How is 30 the end of child bearing years??? Tell that to all the women who have had children over the age of 30 🤣🤣

Yes, hilarious. I obviously mean it’s approaching the end. I’m aware that people (including me) have kids past 30. I think you’re missing my point.

I think 30 is actually the end of our actual childbearing years. I’ve been able to have children (body wise) since I was 13. And I don’t expect to be happy having them at 40.

If that was true then menopause would happen at 30. And no 13 year old is physically ready for childbirth- their body has not developed enough for it, even if they have started their periods. Yes it's harder for people to get pregnant from their late 30s and people do need to be aware of declining fertility but don't go around scaring people with this bullshit. The average age for a first time mum today is 30 exactly.

I think it’s more likely that the majority of women have their children in their 30’s.

Again, missing my point. The majority of women not bearing children until the end of their childbearing ‘life’ doesn’t actually make 30 the prime, just the average.

If that was true then menopause would happen at 30. And no 13 year old is physically ready for childbirth- their body has not developed enough for it, even if they have started their periods.

I don’t literally mean the ‘end’. I mean it’s not ‘prime’. For most women it’s closer to the end than the beginning.

Some women have not met anybody they want to have children with by 30 what are they to do? just think nah my dusty 30something ovaries are done

@flaviaritt

I think it’s more likely that the majority of women have their children in their 30’s.

Again, missing my point. The majority of women not bearing children until the end of their childbearing ‘life’ doesn’t actually make 30 the prime, just the average.

Well neither does being able to have children at 13 ( due to starting periods) mean that’s the prime age either?!!

I think you’re the one missing the point trying to suggest 30 is the end of a woman’s child bearing years. Utter bollocks

think you’re the one missing the point trying to suggest 30 is the end of a woman’s child bearing years. Utter bollocks

Have to agree to disagree on this.

The clue is in middle aged for me. It’s the middle of life expectancy. I hope you live past 60!

Maybe say that next time “am I only going to live to 60?” I’m sure life expectancy is 80-90 so then 40 is middle aged

Well I'm 37 and I would say I'm approaching middle age.
But I can see this argument:If you consider the a good life span of 85, no let's make it easier 90 then split it into young, middle aged and elderly you get young 0-30 middle aged 31-60 and old 61-90.
So while I agree with you I can see your colleagues point.
I don't however think 30s is the prime age for childbearing, it might be the most common but I would say the prime would be 20s, I think most people's menstrual cycle begins to change late 30s.(although I do not speak from experience, mine have always been all over the place).

I'm 30, I still feel young! I think of middle aged as 50-70 then 70+ as elderly.

Some women have not met anybody they want to have children with by 30 what are they to do? just think nah my dusty 30something ovaries are done

I think you are confusing my neutral observation for an opinion about what people do. It’s not. It’s just numbers applied to biological averages.

I think TableFlowerss interpretation works well. I wouldn't call 30 'middle age', but I wouldn't call it 'young' either or use whether someone can have kids as the barometer (this would mean men could never be middle age).

I think 30 is actually the end of our actual childbearing years. I’ve been able to have children (body wise) since I was 13. And I don’t expect to be happy having them at 40.

The 'prime' by most current research, at least the time for the mother that has the best outcomes for mother and child and has the fewest deaths/lifelong disabilities, is 24-34, so 30 is still in the prime. A 13 year old would be in the highest risk category, followed by 16-19 year olds, then by those over 45.

BiBabbles

BMJ says it’s 20-35.

@flaviaritt

I think 30 is actually the end of our actual childbearing years. I’ve been able to have children (body wise) since I was 13. And I don’t expect to be happy having them at 40.

But no, I don’t think of 30 as middle aged. 40, yes.

Hmm.. I had a dc at 32 and having another when ill be 36. No one told me 30 was the cut off point

Well I'm 37 and I would say I'm approaching middle age. ... I think most people's menstrual cycle begins to change late 30s.(although I do not speak from experience, mine have always been all over the place).

There’s still hope. I only achieved the 28 day cycle we were taught about in biology after I turned 40!

Hmm.. I had a dc at 32 and having another when ill be 36. No one told me 30 was the cut off point

Please can people stop deliberately misinterpreting me? It is dull as fuck.

I'm 32 and if someone called me middle aged I'd probably knock them out.

I'm 41 and don't consider myself anywhere near middle aged. What does it even mean anyway? The world is still my oyster as far as I'm concerned, I still have as much fun now as I did in my 20's. My parents are in their 70's and I don't see them as old. They are still so active, are always out and about and do lots of exercise and have a great social life, it's all psychological in my opinion. Telling yourself that life goes downhill and that you are old after the menopause is daft, and there is more to life than having children - getting to the end of your potential child bearing years does not mean that life grinds to a halt. How depressing some people's mind sets are.

@Iftheclouds

A friend at work he’s 26 so not very young.

Erm, 26 is pretty young! 😂

DoTheMaccaroni Sorry I meant more like he’s not a teenage young.

BMJ says it’s 20-35.

That still puts 30 in the prime rather than the end.

Some divide analysis of this up more than others - some discuss all under 20s as one category, some don't. Some separate out 20-23 year olds out, some don't. Some use the same age, like 35, as the beginning and end of age brackets, some will use 34 as an end and 35 as the beginning of the next one. Across various sources I've worked with, 24-34 has been the 'golden zone' of lowest risks and best outcomes for most things (nothing lines up perfectly across all of them) which is how I would define the prime.

I still don't think that's relevant to whether or not someone is young/middle-age/old. I find it interesting how many go on how they feel as to whether their age is 'old'. I think as a society we have this idea that young = active and feeling great and everyone else is withering away. I think one can be middle-age/adult/even old and still be in good health and active, just as young people can be in poor health and less active.