To ask what your baby cut off age would be

[Allthestarsarecloser]

I had my kids at 34 & 38 and I am now 46. My lovely friend is pregnant with a much wanted first baby at 46 and it’s got me thinking if I could do it at that point- I don’t think I could to be honest. I think my cut off was 40 probably!
Aibu to ask what ideal your cut off point age wise would be for kids? I know life isn’t perfect so it’s not so simple for everyone as my friend proves

If I had never had one and wanted one I would keep trying until I hit menopause I suppose - I wouldnt accept being childless until it was literally impossible.

Having said that, having had the two I've had, I think I would say about 38 would be the oldest I would want to have a baby. Because I would want them to be secondary school age & that bit more independent by the time I was 50.

I wanted another in early forties. I think there are different considerations depending on how many children. You have already. For me first child is different to additional child. Having a second different to a third etc.

Mine was 40. I had DS ( my only) at 45

Am 40 and think having one now would break me, but that's because I've had 4, have a bad back and dodgy knees now and I am eternally tired. All of my friends who have 0, 1 or 2 are in hugely better shape than me physically so I think they'd be fine so I dont think it's an age it's the state of your health, your mind and body

My cut off would have been 35, but life didn't work out that way. I had DD1 at 36, and now pregnant with DD2 at 41.

I think it's very easy to say a cut off age is 40 when you had your children at 34 and 38.

I had my first at 39 and am now 31wks pregnant at 42. So my cut off is 43 as I'll have 2 children and don't want any more.

As a previous poster said if I was childless and desperately wanted children then that answer would be very different.

If you'd asked me this when i was 29 i'd have said - 29. I'd had 3 by then and thought i was finished.

Fast forward 12 years and remarried to a wonderful man with no DCs of his own and we decide to go for one together. Like the first poster i would have tried until it didn't happen. If that makes sense. As it was i fell naturally at 42.

And it's been fab :)

I had DS1 at 29 and DS2 at 32. I’m 34 now and have said to DH that if we are going to try for a third, it has to be in the next year, so 35 is my personal cut off point.

Had mine at 33. Too old IMHO. Get it done early.
Otherwise you clash meno with their teens. Tough.

40 ish

This absolutely depends on how healthy you are. I have a friend who's almost 50 who's so much healthier and fitter than I am and I'm in my 30's. 🤷🏼‍♀️

39 for me, I wanted to be done and dusted by my 40th birthday.

As it happened I had my last at 36.

Well this thread has made me cry. I'm still trying. Not saying how old I am.

I think a lot depends on the individuals lifestyle. If money was no object/child wouldn't impact career, physically healthy then I think a bit later.

@MaryShelley1818 I did say that I know life isn’t perfect in my post! I am just interested- I might have changed my mind if I hadn’t conceived so easily when I did

I had my first at 33, and plan for another when I'm 37 or so, but obviously that may take longer. We would probably try until I'm .. early 40s? In an ideal world I wouldn't be older than 40, but it doesn't always work out that way does it.

If I had never had a child I would try until it became impossible, if that's what I wanted.

I had 2 between 30-35 & now at 37 am mulling a 3rd however I don't quite feel ready yet so may put it off a bit.

35

34... that's when I had DC2 and I'm DONE lol

Mine was 30.
I was very lucky to have mine by then (as well as the husband, mortgage and teaching qualification so a career I could walk back into).
If I hadn't had them in my 20s (I was 23 first time and 26 second) I would probably have pushed it to 35 but much older I don't think I could have made the lifestyle change (been to used to going out/holidays) and probably too far into a career to have taken several years out of work, so would probably have remained childless.
Like I said I'm very lucky my life worked out just how I planned. I had the children young took 8 years out to raise them my career is progressing nicely and I expect to reach deputy head in the next few years and then hopefully a headship by 45, time will tell.

I know quite a few women who had dc in their 40s & they all seem to manage well. Lots of my elderly relatives were still having children well into their 40s (irish) so maybe it seems more normal to me.

35

My cut off was 30. I didn't want any children under the age of 10 by the time I was 40.

I had my youngest when I was 27 and she's nearly 10. It feels so great to already be done with the baby and toddler years.

I bet your friend is delighted. I know I would have been having my first at 46 if it hadn't happened for whatever reason previously.
I think anything up until 47 ish is fine.
I had a baby at 43. Although I'm exhausted I'm very glad I did.