Men who have been uni, when do you expect them to have first child?

[MyPlumKoala]

If you know men around their mid 20’s, how many years realistically would you say they are from having their first child? My DS is that age, single and has never lived away from home apart from when he was at uni.

The thought of him having a child even 5 years from now, seems not likely. I was married and had DS by the age of 28.

I’m not bothered if DS doesn’t have children, it’s his choice and his life. Just wondered how many men have kids by the age of 30 if they have been to uni and have a degree?

DH and I were both 36 when dd1 was born

Not many! My partner was 37 when we had our first.

What?
What’s Uni got to do with it?

I was 34.

Didn't graduate until I was 30.

What's the rush?

I would hope my own DC are in their 30s, have travelled, have jobs, house and a partner they love.

What’s uni got to do with it?

DH was 42, 45 and 48

Most people in my circle start having children in their 30s. Mid 30s is not uncommon.

people still follow the university, job, marriage, house, baby pattern.

Husband and I (both grads) met when he was 26, married when he was 33, DC1 when he was 35, DC2 when he was 37. But it really is a ‘how long is a piece of string’ question - everyone’s lives work out how they work out. And DH was on the earlier side - his best mate is about to have his first at 40.

My dh and I were 30 but this was 15 years ago and we had already got well onto the property ladder in our 20's because life was cheaper. I would imagine people are waiting longer now. Are you keen to be a grandmother op?

Ex was 29 when our first was born. He had graduated at 22.

I think the younger generation are for the most part starting a lot later than your generation, life is completely different now so I don't think comparing to yourself is useful at all. I'm in my early 30s and we were married and started our family in early 20s, but we are a tiny minority and almost all of our childrens friends parents became parents in their 30s.

Statistically people who go to university have children later than people who don’t.

Dh was 35. He married at 25 and graduated at 25 with a masters degree. Bought flat at 29.. had vasectomy at 35 as well.

I was 22 when I married, graduated at 22, bought flat at 26 and had baby at 32.

DH went to university. He graduated aged 21 and had DS aged 29 (I was 30). 8 years is plenty of time.

But then we didn't faff about with gap years etc, both went straight into the careers we are in now.

A lot later than if not.

I’ve been surprised to find myself thinking about ds and his girlfriend having a baby - he’s only just graduated! But they’ve been together over 2 years and seem to be in for the long haul.

I wanted a baby from about age 27: when I eventually met Dh and got pregnant soonest, he was 39, but had some specific health problems that delayed everything for him. I’d be amazed if ds waits that long, but I’d be very surprised if they have a baby before they’re 30.

Unusually, ds will probably be able to afford to buy a home in his late 20s, so that will make it earlier than for some. Though I suppose buying is so unaffordable now that many may go ahead earlier in fact.

Most of my male friends went to uni and none had kids earlier than 32. Range 32-50 for first child.

What's the rush?

Biology? Older parents are higher risk for miscarriage, genetic problems, complex pregnancies, children with autism etc.

Not to mention the ones who get to mid late thirties and find they are unlucky and have left it too late.

Only the Christian Union types had babies before 30. One friend had one at 29 and no one else felt ready. Others started at 33 and more people than not had one by 37. One guy has just had his first in early 40s.

I married DH just weeks before my 30th, he was 35, nearly 36. His lovely mother, my MIL, thought he had a 'quirky' sense of humour. I am a persnickety type. He had met a girl at university but she was a few years behind him and then he had a local GF but that was just for fun.

DD1 was born in 2007, I was 35, he was nearly 41. DD2 was born when I was 38 and he was nearly 44. Both our parents were 26ish when their first DC was born.

My unofficial observation is that university delays things a little but the most lovely people marry each other early and have children before 30. The more intense ones take a little longer to find a spouse so children are delayed, as per my experience.

DH was 30.

We met and were togther when I was 18 and he was 20 at first uni- both born working class and didn't do uni- so our school peers and family were often slightly earlier.

We were some of the earliest in our uni group - there were two earlier couples they just did undergraduate degree - not post graduate like us - and the two couples had met prior to univeristy and the guys careers took off quickly.

Rest were mid 30s or early 40s and a large number still not even near 50 so may never have kids.

General parental age has been creeping up and up and graduate women tend to have later parenthood - so assume mid to late 30s will be about normal for graduate men.

I met my husband when he was 18 and I was 19, both at uni. We had our children when he was 30, 32 and 35.

DH was 30.

DSiL was 29 when dgc was born. Plenty of their cohort had DC younger but we are northern based and 2 graduate incomes makes buying a house a lot easier. I only know a couple who haven't bought by 30 and started a family and that's for different reasons than affordability.

DH and I were both 39. By choice.

We were both 17 and went to uni after. Had another at 19 whilst at uni and more at 22, 25, 28, 30 and 40.