Would you have a baby at 50?

[pumpkinpatch6]

Off the back of the "Do you regret having a baby at 40" thread, would you have a child at 50 assuming you can provide for it emotionally and financially? Obviously medical assistance would be needed.

But your saying that when you already have children .

No way and I wouldn’t at 40 either.

No.

No.

Dealing with ageing parents in your late 30s/40s is difficult and emotionally (and possibly financially) draining. Imagine doing that in your early 20s when you're still figuring out own work/life/relationships etc. I wouldn't personally.

I wonder how many women that ARE actually 50 or over would ever agree to this, in principle it might feel fine in your 20/30/40s but it’s true that 50 does feel noticeably different for most women. Our bodies are not designed biologically or physically to give birth at this point.

No.
I’d worked my guts out to retire at 50!

No, I’m 52 with an 11 and a 12 year old. It’s tiring and they don’t need the kind of round the clock care that babies need. I don’t have the energy for it at this stage of life - menopause really impacts your physical capacity never mind tolerance levels. I couldn’t be a good mum for an infant at this stage of my life.

No way! A pregnancy at late 30’s was bad enough to say this. Also, how selfish to the child to have such an old mother. This is not even thinking about the potential problems with the baby.

Op, please change the title to "Childfree posters, would you have a child at 50?"😁

Absolutely not!!!! Physically, mentally, I am far too drained at 56 to be dealing with primary school, after school clubs, PTA etc.

I’d quite like a grandchild by the time I am 60, but I don’t get a say in that!

Never! I appreciate it can be awful for childless women, but it would be horrendously difficult. I had mine 30-33.
If I couldn't have had children naturally, I would have adopted/fostered or looked at alternatives.
I'm 50 and frankly too tired for all that work.

Oh, and I had my kids at 26 and 29, perfect time for me in terms of career, relationship, finances and energy.

From my experience as the child of older parents, I'd say not fair on the child.

I think something happens to most women when they hit about 52. It’s not just physical, it’s the realisation that youve lived the majority of your life. You you start thinking ‘well what do I want to do for me’.

I know 3 women who became single mothers by choice at about 50. I wouldn’t change places with them for anything

Not on your nelly. I’m too knackered.

I'm childless and I wouldn't. Will that do you?

Anyone remember the woman, who made headlines in the mid noughties by having a baby at 63? The child is now 17 and she is pushing 80.

You couldn't pay me enough.

Me too.

Absolutely not!
I had one at 40 and that was fine but now I'm 50 and going through the menopause and feel like shire there's no way I'd be upto night feeds and no sleep 🤷‍♀️

Honestly, all these people who are "knackered" in their early 50s is quite dispiriting. Unless you have a chronic illness why would you be? I am 60 and still work more than full-time as a medical consultant, plus have a teenaged son. So I spent my 50s both doing my job and bringing up a young child (together with DH, but not with any grandparent help). Yes, childcare arrangements have to be made, but not because I was too tired to either do my job or look after my son, just because I could not be in 2 places at the same time. Everyone has to make those kind of juggling efforts. 60 and beyond is not necessarily decrepit!

we are awake enough times in the night without the extra wake ups of feeding a newborn. The thought makes me shudder.

Ha ha ha. No. I like my freedom, thanks.

I wasnt replying to you I was replying to someone who already had children

I have two friends who had two children in their early 40s, and no, I wouldn’t recommend it. (One was a conjoined twin who was not supposed to live into adulthood, so finding a partner at 39 and then falling pregnant twice in her 40’s was a miracle for her - but it has been very, very hard!)

I was 36/39 when I had mine and I find it effing hard, despite being crazy about kids and very experienced with them… so no, you couldn’t pay me to have a child at 50!