Is 25 a young age to have a baby?

[smileyren96]

I am turning 25 in 2 weeks and my partner is 27. We are both university educated, fully employed working full time and living away from home, both earning slightly above the average salary in the UK.

I always pictured myself having my first child in my late 20s. I still feel quite young to be an upcoming mother. My mother had her first child at 31.

I was diagnosed with PID (Pelvic Inflammatory Disease) at 19 years old which did lead to some infertility concerns and fears. I've never been someone who enjoys partying or clubbing, I am very much a homebody so that social side of things is not something that I'm worried about.

Is 25 considered a young mum?

It’s the younger side of average today- pros and cons to everything- I think it’s often seen that to enjoy your youth means clubbing - it doesn’t.
Just ask yourself if you are ready to forgo impromptu easy holidays, for your career to take a hit and to spend upwards of £1000 a month on childcare.

Entirely depends on your lifestyle and circumstances.

Physically/medically, 25 is a great time to have a baby.

Had my first 3 weeks after my 24th birthday and have far less higher educated than you as does my partner! In this regard, I've always felt age is a number, we have a stable home, and as safe as possible income, plenty of support from family and friends if needed, so felt ready, and we've loved it! So much so we've just welcomed a second (planned) DC 13 months after our first! 😂 everyone's circumstances are different. If you feel ready, go for it! And good luck!

Nowadays, I think 25 would be younger than average, yes.

I had all of my babies, in the early 1980s, before my 26th birthday, which was not at all unusual at the time. Most of the new mums in the maternity ward were in their early twenties, with one or two under 20 and a few in their early 30s. I remember being amazed when a mum came onto the ward who was 38! To me (at 22) she seemed very old! Times have changed and I expect it's now the other way around, with 38 being the norm and 22 deemed very young!

I’d like my children to be a little older. At that age they have only been out of education for four years so I’m not sure they would have their own homes, be established in their careers, have a good savings safety net and have been in a long term stable relationship by that point.

Amongst my long term friendship group very young, pretty much everyone was mid thirties and two were 40 plus as very career orientated. Amongst the Mums at my DS primary school nope not at all, I was 34 when I had DS and was deemed ancient by them. I chose a very small primary school with quite poor results but excellent pastoral care.

You are in a great position of choice at a young age. Can you do some hardcore saving before starting a family? A minimum of six months living expenses if you can. Because having dc means far less disposable income obviously, this is your chance to get a financial cushion.

I remember a mum friend of mine going along to a “young mum” session/ baby group and when she got there found out it was was actually aimed at mums in their teens. She was mid twenties.

My friends were aged from about 28 to 41 having their first baby. My sister was 24 and my niece was 22, but neither of them went to University.

I’m 25 and my boyfriend is 27, I own our house and we both have good earnings. I’m due our first baby this year and don’t feel too young, all my friends are family oriented too. As long as your relationship is stable and you have a stable home one thing I’d consider is it’s easier to get on to the property ladder before kids as once you have a dependent that affects how lenders see you in terms of a mortgage being affordable and depending on your job if you will be going onto statutory maternity pay and reducing hours when you return to work this will also impact a mortgage so if buying a house is something you would want to do I’d do it before a baby but remember that you’ll probably have less income when you have a baby, I’m not trying to scare you if anything a mortgage is more affordable than rent if you’re able to get a deposit together. Sorry for rambling on there’s no right time to have a baby everyone has different plans and when they’d call the right time, best of luck with your journey if you decide to start trying 💕

Definitely not young. I married at 21 while at university, had 1st child at 25, 2nd at 27 and 3rd at 29! Best decision ever and now just turned 41 and my eldest (age 16) has just collected his fab GCSE results! We are lucky me and DH are both self employed and good earners and so were still able to work from home and be flexible when kids were young. Most of my friends have toddlers / junior school kids now and I'm still one of the youngest mums to have a child starting sixth form. Go for it if that's what you want .

I think 25 is a great age to have a child

I was pregnant at 25 and gave birth just after I turned 26. No-one batted an eyelid. I would actually say in my area I was older than other first time mums.

But if I were you, I wouldn't worry about what others are doing or what people would think of you and your age when having a child. It is your personal decision and it sounds like you're in a good position if you wanted to try for a baby now. If you want to wait, that's also perfectly fine.

How is your housing situation?

For me, I wanted to own my own home first and also be married. There were places I wanted to go on holiday, too. Any money you put in your pension in your twenties will be worth more than money put in later, so not the best time to be taking time out for maternity leave, or going part-time.

Now is the time to be focusing on climbing the career ladder, too. Do courses that will help you professionally.

Have you discussed the practicalities with your oh beyond getting pregnant and having a baby? Have you discussed having and raising a child? The career sacrifices? The cost?

I had my first at 24, it's fine. Any age is fine to have a baby if it works for you

No, I think it’s pretty normal! I think being stable and secure is much more important than ages yeah.

It’s younger than average by a few years but not excessively young. I’m 26 and some of my friends have had their first babies over the past year or two which amazes me because I don’t feel ready myself (although I do feel incredibly broody!) so I think it’s down to individual maturity.

I was 25 when I had my first op. I had a good job, a degree, a home and had travelled a bit. It worked out well for me. I'm 43 now, have my freedom, mortgage free etc I do have other children but they are all over 10. My only sacrifice was my career as I ended up part time and then changing jobs completely but I have time now to get things going again.

I'm expecting now at 24 and although according to the midwife unit the average age in this area is 33 nothing has been said! Only difference is I havent had a smear yet so they made a note of that. I wouldn't say its young at all

I wouldn't say so. I had a 7 and 2 uear old by 25 though 🤣. All of my close friends had children by 25.

Had my first at 26.
To be truthful I had her because I had done all my studying, was at the top of where I wanted to be in a job, and thought that was the next thing to do.
I have no regrets of having her, but wish I’d saved and travelled.

Oh and according to my family I'm a bit older and according to friends a bit young! But I went to uni, did a masters and have a mortgage and career already

I think it does depend on your circle yes.
I had first one at 26 and was considered a young mum where I was living and mums at school were surprised by my age. A lot of them had dc later. It was an affluent area of south london.

Now moved out of London and it would not be that unusual round here.

Of course it's not too young. We are biologically designed to have children young.

Younger than average but not shockingly young

I had my eldest dc at 29.
In my locale that was quite old.
The mum's of my DC's friends are around 5-8 years younger than I am.