When did you have a children

[Weddingexitement]

When did you feel ready to start a family? Did you feel ready in all ways?

How financially ready were you before trying?

we are just trying to plan but feel like we will never be financially ready

24 (now 27), we had bought a house and were supposed to be married but covid postponnents meant the date actually happened at 6 months pregnant

I was 31 when I had DC1. We’d been together for 7 years, had been married 18 months and had just about finished renovating the 4 bed wreck we had bought (moving from a 1 bed flat). We were both in steady jobs and I had a great maternity package.

It was a great time really, though I was actually one of the first of my friends to have kids and found that slightly lonely - they all had their first around the time we had dc2 (at 33).

Im 37 now and pregnant with dc3 which actually feels a lot more daunting for numerous reasons.

We were both 34 and financially stable. I knew I wanted to stay at home for a bit longer than, so it was important that we can handle it financially.

I'd ideally like to have a second one in the next few years.

I don't regret taking some time off work, but I am lucky I will be able to pick up where I left off.

Saying that, I don't think there is ever a perfect time.

It really depends on what are your priorities and your lifestyle.

By the time you are financially ready it will be too late.

30 joint income of £130k then, we felt pretty flush as that was 14 years ago! But I had a complicated pregnancy and then my DD was poorly I had to quit work for 5 years. That probably took its biggest toll on us.

We were married and bought the house a year before.

Married aged 34 / 37 and started TTC straight away. Referred for IVF 12 months later and DC born 2 years after that. We both wish we had gotten married earlier and started trying earlier, however our DC is the light of our world and we feel extremely fortunate to have him.

It's always tricky. We were 32 and 35; we both had jobs and a decent joint income; we didn't own a house but I had a decent deposit. Then Brexit happened and the sector my ex works in was rocked by it (lots of European partners etc.) and she was made redundant before DD was one.

But I'd never regret having DD, and if we had waited, I think it would have been too late - DD is my ex's biological daughter and ex-P went into early menopause in her late 30s, so it's quite possible there would have been no DD!

We waited until we owned a house first (mortgage obvs) because I knew being served notice on a rental place when we had a child would be hugely stressful, and we would struggle to get a mortgage with the cost of childcare.

We were mid-30s and financially stable. I wouldn't have wanted to do it before then, too much added stress. We'd been together 10 years when I got pregnant, so had had a lovely grown up life together with nice holidays and prioritised our careers before having a baby.

We were financially ready, planning our wedding but living in different cities for work about an hour away so only met at weekends or if we could take leave together.

Concieved unexpectedly, I was 29. Had turned 30 by time son arrived. Very stressful pregnancy with HG and trying to find a rental in an area we could both commute to, in the end I gave up my job but luckily DH earned enough to support us and we married while I was pregnant. But it was hard being in a new area, away from my old social network.

By the time DD was born I was 37, I'd worked on and off, we'd moved to south coast, bought a 5 bed house with garden in nice area. I gave up my career to be a SAHM, an option that wouldn't have been viable in our early 30s.
We have private health insurance and dental cover which is a huge blessing, given state of NHS!

Downsides of being an older mum are more health issues (for me anyway) as I've developed autoimmune condition and arthritis since last pregnancy, but plus side is being able to afford help (cleaners, nanny when she was little etc).

24 and he was 37. Met, fell pregnant within a month. Moved, bought a house. baby born 10 months after meeting. Got married, had three more children, celebrated our 25th anniversary last year!

By 32 we figured we'd never feel emotionally, financially and all the other types of 'ready' so we went for it. With hindsight the only thing I wish is I'd of had enough saved to take a full year off (only budgetted for 9 months).

We were 30 when trying, 31 when eldest born. We owned a flat, were married, had some savings. I’d got to a decent level in my career.It was 16 years ago so not quite as expensive! We probably earned around £90k.

When we had our youngest a couple of years later, we’d bought a house so much bigger mortgage, I was part time so income lower, we were both at risk of redundancy and then had years of pay freezes/ tiny rises.

I was glad we started when we did as it would have been more stressful making the decision in a worse financial context

I was 39. DD was an accident. I honestly was never sure if I wanted children, could have gone either way. Very glad I had her but I wasn’t someone who knew they needed children.

I had a steady job and a flat. Minimal savings. I didn’t feel “ready” at all but that was more to do with the realisation that I was going to be a parent whether I wanted to or not.

28, had bought a house and was married then went through the same financial situation as Delphinium Blue. It was struggle but we made it. There’s never a perfect time OP.

45, never and very happy.
😁

Not really relevant?

30, after 3 years of trying. Second born at 33

It was Christmas, I was due to start a new lot of birth control pills, but had left them downstairs. Couldn’t be bothered getting back up, so we decided not to bother. Had my little bundle of joy by the next Christmas. We had been talking about it though.

That’s very young to be married. I was going to uni then, then travelled, studied post grad, worked, bought a house, studied and worked, got married, got PhD, got better job, had kids at 32 and 35.

Forgot to say - we were both 24.

We were 30 & 33, owned a 3 bed house with a v small mortgage left and both in professional jobs

I was 24, we managed fine financially but we weren't on massive wages so the drop with me going to go 4 days/childcare etc wasn't a big change which i think helped in a way. Childcare was also a lot cheaper back then.

Probably could have done with buying a house first as now a single parent and unlikely to be able to afford to buy for a while.

A month after we got married. Had a house/mortgage and earned 90k between us. We were both 30.

Just had our second and deffo harder this time as I was working part time so less money to begin with and our mortgage is more, but we have everything we need

In my 40s, because I didn't meet the right man until I was 39. Yes he was a high earner so financially stable.