How old is too old to have a baby?

[Shaz83]

Just wondering how old is too old to have a baby? Fair enough being healthy etc is fine.. but how old is too old?

I had my last at 33. 35 was my cut off…I feel quite tired dealing with my 11yr old now. Conversely, I’m looking forward to being out of the ‘young child’ years by late 40s.

I didn't want any past 35, so had mine at 28 and 30. Did have a slight midlife crisis at 36 and thought about having a third, but I'm glad I didn't 😂

I suppose it depends on your circumstances. If you had a your first at 27 and your fourth at 40 you’re probably worn out. I had my first at 33 and my second at 40. Friend had hers at 40 and 43. We’re both doing fine!

45/46 but it depends how young you are. Some 25 year olds are more knackered than 40 year olds.

I really think mid 30s is the end of the ideal period. I was just discussing this with my daughter who might think about having another child in the next few years but is now mid 30s and considering whether she'll be too old.

I had my last baby at 40 but it wasn't planned. I feel exhausted and I think up to 35 is probably better.

Personally I ideally wouldn't have had one after 35, but I think it's different if you don't meet a life partner until then and it's be an older mum or not have kids at all. I had mine in my 20s though which I know is younger than average on here.

my mum had my brother at 45 and i think that’s too old. i would say 40+ is too old imo

I had my DC at 34, I am 36 now and would like one more. Not past 38 ideally.

I wish I had mine earlier tbh.

i had my last at 27. i was DONE. I'm enjoying being in my early 40s with two mostly self sufficient teens. (not including DS being autistic and still needing a higher level of care.. it's still not toddler/under 10)

I have friends stil having babies in their early 40s and as much as i love a cuddle/will baby sit, i'm very glad to give them back.. i couldn't fathom starting at this age!

For me i think 35 so you can roll into your 50s with older teens would be cut off if i hadn't had mine in my 20s

Depends on partner’s age too. Chances of autism/ADHD increase with paternal age.

It's going to be different for everyone

For me personally, I said I wouldn't have a baby passed 30.

I think it very much depends on your circumstances. I'm 34, didn't meet my life partner until early 30s and realistically we couldn't have started trying any sooner due to personal circumstances. We'll be trying early next year (having to wait due to MMR jab). In an ideal world though I'd have been done having babies long before 35.

40+. I had mine at 23 & 26, I am 41 now and so very glad mine are mid- late teens, I absolutely couldn't cope with a baby now.

It's personal choice but I stopped trying at 35, I wouldn't have wanted to be any older. My mum said 28 was too old! She had me and my brother by 21 and had a hysterectomy to make sure there were no more. But that was in the early 70s.

I know someone, with two 20-something kids, who's found herself pregnant at 49. To say it was a surprise is putting it mildly. She feels too old but didn't want to terminate.

Personally, I wouldn't want to have a baby at 40 or over. But that's quite easy for me to say because I had two easy, healthy pregnancies in my early 30s and had been with the father (still am) for the whole of my 20s.

I have friends whose lives worked out differently and they only had their babies in their 40s. That's "too old" in terms of health and tiredness and career/retirement for me, but it did mean they were better placed financially and possibly a bit more patient and mature than a younger parent might have been.

I was happy to keep trying until I was 40 (no pregnancy after age 34 stuck though). People don't age at the same rate and I know some very active and vibrant 60-70 year olds who could still be doing active parenting of a teen. I have a friend whose mum was turning 70 while she was at university and she (the daughter) said it was noticable how much less energy her mum had for supporting her compared to what those of us with younger parents were able to rely on our parents for. Young people do need parental support (emotional and practical at least, not necessarily financial) until about age 25 usually. I don't think there's a single age which is "too old" but none of us, even those in their 30s, can 100% guarantee being fit and healthy for the whole of the next 25 years but once you are in your 40s the probabilities start getting lower. It might well be better odds for some particularly healthy 48 year olds than other less-healthy 38 year olds.

Had 2nd DC at 35 and felt a lot older for it compared to my first. I won't have more now.
Victoria Coren-Mitchell gad a baby aged 51, I thought that was a bit too old...

I had mine young, couldn't imagine having a baby at anything beyond early 30s. I personally wouldn't want to be a 50 year old Mum to a 10 year old.

Depends on your circumstances and when you start having children I think. I had my first at 18, last at 36 and I’m now 45 and although I sometimes got broody over the last few years and thought another would be nice, I’m also tired after doing this for 27 years and glad that they are growing up and we’re past that stage.

I'm 44, fit & healthy, and I definitely feel 'too old.'

I had mine at 31 & 33 and my upper limit would have been about 36/38.

There isn’t a too old age and all of these replies are personal experience. Many people can’t have children naturally and IVF can take years. Too old is how you feel and if your body is able. People can give example from both sides but you need to do what you think is right. I’ve see very young mums smash it. I’ve seen very young mums tired and going out all the time _ same with the older mums. Just try and be in good health and take prenatal vitamins. The rest is conjecture.

Personally I wouldn't have had any past 35.

Had mine at 26 and 27 and then had my tubes tied and I am done.

But it's different for everyone, I know people saying as you get older the risk for autism/ADHD increases but my two are autistic and I was quite young so it can be luck of the draw/hereditary.

I was 45. So ... 45😆😆