What's the latest age you would consider having your "last"

[Oeufman]

Hi, I am a mum os 4DC, and I love it :)

My baby is going to be starting school in September and it will be the first time in 15.5 years I have no one at home, I feel very sad at the thought of this :(

We have a lovely vibrant loving home with a loving DH who though self employed, he is a very devoted and thoughtful Dad. I am 38 and would love in a few years (age 41/42) to have my full stop... To enjoy, love and relax in the first few years.I am a SAHM but run our business from the kitchen.

I was chatting to my GP today, and she mentioned that if I wanted another I would need to think about it soon. So MNers, would I be irresponsible/naive to think I could have a lovely DC in my early 40s? I am also worried I may never know when to stop as I love having children so much.....

36 for me..just sneaked DS in!
Just physically more tiring, and also the rates for pregnancy related complications do rise quite sharply after that....
But each to their own..

Just saw this, I had my 3rd and last at 32 (no more, I was very ill in pregnancy).

I would have loved more. But even if otherwise possible I went through a premature menopause with no warning at around 38 (didn't even realise it was happening!), so even at 35 my fertility was on a downward slide.

If you really want another, don't wait too long, pregnancy over 40 is the exception rather than the rule.

I had my last at 44. That was tiring and I was pretty ill towards the end. So definitely no more.

I was 36 when DC3 arrived (just). That's my limit. I was only 22 when I had DC1 & was so much more tired this last time. My friend, however, is on number 5 at 38 & is hoping to have at least one more after.

Thanks so much ladies.... I think DH is coming round to idea (I will be 39 next month). Little things like we are looking at changing the car and he comments on room for possible buggy .

I do not think he will need much persuasion!

At 30 I had 2 DS & said that would be it. no more children. I'm 32 & now expecting no.3 due next week (unplanned) & I would love to have another 1 or 2 afterwards. I'm hoping to be expecting again before Xmas! I must be mad or what!

40 was always going to be my cut off. But here I am pregnant at 44. Will definately be last though.

35 for me squeezed the last one in a few months before I turned 35, I feel
Done now. Hard SPD pregnancies looking after toddlers has done me in.

30, my parents were in their mid 30's when they had me and Dsis, they were always the oldest parents, or thats how it felt. They were/are great parents but it put me off having DC later in life.

We had DS when i was 23, DD at 24, and DC3 is due in the summer, I'll be 28. I would love another one so we will be trying immediatly after this one, if it doesnt happen by Christmas then we will be stopping at the three.

My personal cut off is 35. I had ds1 at 25 & ds2 at 27. But then my pretty disasterous marriage ended thankfully and I was on my own. The next few years were pretty horrendous and I was seriously ill. But I came out the other side, happy, healthy and ready for life as a contented single mum.

Well you know what happens when you're not looking, yep I met Mr Right when I was 31 and 11 months :) I'd always wanted four children (I like even numbers!). I am now 33, and marriage and babies are imminent, but I'm going to struggle to fit two in before 35. So my age cut off has moved! It is much more important for me to have two more than it is to have them before a certain age. Having said that I'd prefer them nearer 35 than 40. Plus my eldest will be 15 when I'm 40, so I'd like to be done by then, so I can enjoy my middle years with free babysitters for the youngest two.

I had DD3 at 41 and it was fine. I am always really well in pregnancy though, and this one was no exception. If you suffer from problems in pregnancy I think they do tend to get worse with age.

Will have my third and last at 38, but 40 would be my theoretical cut off age.. although for us that won't happen because I am going to get my tubes tied once the baby is here!

TTC # 4 at the moment. I'm 44 and have given. Myself just a few more months of ttc before accepting 3 is my lot. For some reason I've got a thought that I don't want to be pregnant after 45. Happy to hear others are though

I'm waiting to ttc, so playing everything by ear but have always wanted a larger family depending on how everything goes. I don't want to go over 40 because of the risks implicated, my cousin was born with Downs Syndrome and a close friend had multiple complications so personally I'd rather not take the risk. Luckily, I'm only 21 now and hope to have a lo by 22-24 so lots of time before then!

35 (when I had DS2) was my personal cut off but I found myself unexpectedly pregnant at 39 and DD was born just before my 40th birthday.

My mum died when I was 5 months pregnant with her and I am convinced that "somebody up there" sent my happy, beautiful daughter to help ease the pain.

Well I was 36 when my DS finally came along I would like to try for DC2 this autumn I'll be 38. I don't really have a cut off date but late 30's I suppose. If I could have my time again I would have liked to have started earlier and had more
DC's but it's not to be.

For me it was 35. But I did have 4 DC in under 6 years. Pregnancies are very hard for me and we are finished now, DC4 was born 2 months before my 35th birthday.

I've had three DC in 3 1/2 years. I seriously couldn't do all that again. I still feel so tired, it is still such hard work and there are things I want to do with my life - things I have always wanted to do. In the end the choice was take away from me to have more - I had three c-sections and produced too much scar tissue (plus other serious pregnancy issues). It was like the universe saying 'yeah, your done here!'. When I had my last dd I was 30 :). Sometimes things just work out in such a way that you are left with your answer without even looking for it!