How old is too old to have a baby ?

[fakeblonde]

Just curios-always thought i might go for no 4 at 40 !
When i say this i seem to have to justify myself to everyone.
I had my 3rd at 33 and found i had much more patience and perhaps more wisdom ect to give.
DD1 says it would be like having a granny at the school gates !!!!!!!!!! Kinda got me thinking would it be fair on the child iykwim

My sister had her two between 40 and 42. Granny indeed. She is HOT.

If it's a question of either having one at 40 or not having one at all - which would you like best? It's not like you've got a time machine!

Hope it works out for you.

I suspect that it was really only the introduction of the pill in the 1960s that created a few generations of younger mums. Prior to that, it was very common to carry on conceiving until your forties.

Nowadays the reasons are different, but the sum total of older mums is roughly the same, I'd guess.

What about blokes then? How iols is too old?
Have started a new thread here

I had dd3 (baby no 4) at 43 after a 10 year gap. I had dd1 in my early twenties and I found the demands of looking after a baby much more taxing then. In the area of London where I live it is relatively common for women 35 and over to be having babies.

I was tired during this pregnancy but I think that was mainly due to sleeping very badly. I have been less tired since giving birth. But have been fortunate that baby is sleeping well at night.

I don't think 40 is the milestone age it was in the past. Surely we all look after ourselves better now? I'm sure many women over forty (and I like to think I'm one of them) are still looking good in their jeans and fitted T shirts and are a long way off from swapping them for trousers with elasticated waists! I certainly don't plan to look like a granny at the school gates.

I agree with ladymac, I feel much more relaxed and in control
this time round.

I don't feel the pressure to be the "perfect mum" that I did 20 odd years ago.

I was tired during the pregnancy but I worked 42 hours a week in a busy pub until 3 weeks before she was born.

I'm 41 years old and had my first child when i was 18 and my fifth 8 months ago. My kids are 22,21,16,3 and 8 months. The only thing i noticed was that i found the pregnancies quite difficult, but that may not have been anything to do with my age. When i had my 3 year old i did find it a bit of a shock but i put that down to the big age gap.

I would say to anyone thats considering having a child that if you really want one then go for it regardless of age.

I had DD1 at 33, DS1 at 34 and DD2 at 35. I'm now 38 and trying for no. 4. I suppose it is rather full-on but I've certainly enough energy to cope.

I am 41 and really would love to have another, have 3, 4,3 and 1 yr old - so started late - have had fine pregnancies but dh says that i am now too old for a no.4, , and we can not afford it and i admit i am tired, had the coil removed for a month and then replaced - still want it out again and want another. i love them so much. my grandmother had her 4th at 46 - all those yrs ago. but, how woll things be when they are teenagers or older - will i be feeling very much too old? need to hear experiences of those 55 -60 yr olds with 15-20 yr old kids!!??