Any positive stories from the over 40s?

[Reds11]

I know I've left it late to start trying and feeling a bit despondent that it'll ever actually happen! Any positive stories, advice or tips for a hopeful 42 year old would be very welcome!

Um, I am hoping to conceive and am 40 too! I have heard that the figures on declining fertility post 35 are based on fingers from France in the 1700 and so are bollocks. Also, if you look at over 35s conception rate it will include those with fertility probs who have been trying to conceive for ages so that skews figures. There is an article on this coming up in More or Less I think on radio 4 (numbers programme) which I am planning to listen too. (unless the trailer for the prgoramme was based on an old episode).

Oh and there was a 42 year old in my active birth class (dc1) and I bumped into a pregnant former colleague,whose age I am not sure of but who is older than me and so over 40. Good Luck!

Try the Zita West book on getting pregnant, it's full of very good advice, and stay positive. I was 40 with my first and 42 with my second-pregnant immediately both times.

I agree that the accuracy of the declining fertility statistics is now being argued about. The problem is, you don't know where on the continuum from super-fertile to no chance you personally are. It might be worth getting some tests done, privately if necessary, to find that out, not least to help decide how long you ttc before looking at medical interventions etc.

DD, my second child, was conceived in one cycle at 40 and born 3 weeks before I was 41. Good luck!

Thanks everyone. Cloudhoney will listen out for that programme, all you ever hear about is the "rapid decline in fertility after 35" I try to avoid listening to or reading anything that starts with that phrase! Too depressing!
Also EldritchCleavage will have a look for the Zita West book, thanks for the advice.