How old are you????

[Zola78]

I know a lady should never be asked or reveal her age but I am interested to find out what age people on this forum started having children and when they stopped. The reason being today I went to the doctors. My eldest has had a terrible cough for over 6 weeks now so I just wanted to make sure he was alright. I had to take all 3 children (ds1 3, ds2 2 1/2 & DS£ 9 months). The way she (the doctor) spoke to me felt a little patronising. I just felt like a child who had done something without thinking i.e having more than 2.4 children. They boys were well behaved but she just kept referring to how many and how young they all are etc.

I had my first child at 26 and my last at 29. I was married (I still am), I own my own home; I'm educated so why then do people presume to have children in your twenties as oppose to your 30s is a juevenille mistake?????

DS1 23
ds2 25
ds3 30
ds4 33

I'm now 34 and would love more but dh is away with work too much at the moment, so have just gone on the pill!!!

No one has asked if they have the same dad (they do), the remarks I get are don't they all look like their dad! Have also been asked a few times if we are going to try for a girl!

Oh GP's can be very patronising. I only have child, I had ds when I was 31 and yet my GP makes me feel that I started too late and that having only child makes me an over anxious mother. You can't win.

Hi!

I'm 29 and had ds1 at 17 - he is now almost 12
ds2 at 23 - he's 5, dd1 at 25 - she's 3 and dd2 at 28 - shes 11 months, as I have had my family very young I get comments all of the time and if I'm honest a few people really do know how to make you feel fairly rubbish!

X J

Hi, I was 17 when had ds 1 and 19 when had ds2 and 21 when had dd. Iam married and studying a degree. I am 22 and pregnant with our fourth. Don't listen to what anyone says as long as you are happy

DS1 at 21 - now 10
DD1 at 25 - now 6
DS2 at 27 - 4 tomorrow
DS3 at 29 - 2.5 years
DD2 at 31 - now 6 weeks

don't take any notice of them as long as you are a caring responsible parent it doesn't really matter how old you are, don't let her (or anyone) make you feel patronised again hold your head high that you have raised wonderful children your age or their age gaps are nothing to be embarrassed about

dd1 @ 17 (now 10)
dd2 @ 19 (now 8)
ds1 @ 22 (nearly 5)
dd3 @ 25 (12days short of being 26) (21mths)
ds2 @ 27 (7mths)

I am still 27. All have the same father, we have been together since i was 16,

hi i am 24 , and have 4 children
19 for dd1
21 ds
22 dd2
and 24 dd3

i was married with dd2 and 3
and they all have same daddy but i get this evrywhere i go and the only thing i can say is that if someone passes judgement on the fact that you are young or look young then that is their problem, they dont know you or your circumstances i have had some very very upsetting incidents in the past but i started looking at it another way

i have a lovely family , in our home it is structured, loving and we have rules
my children have a routine and are all in bed by 7o'clock. we go on outings (Even if its just a leaf and stick collecting walk)

we dont have much money but we teach our children the values of saving and erning and they appreciate even the smallest things

im not saying its all perfect because well it never is but I and my hubby are proud of our parenting and our gorgeous kiddos

as long as you in yourself are proud then thats all that matters

I had dd1 at 21 she will be 21 herself in August 2009

Ihad dd2 when I was 23 she will be 19 next year and has a daughter age 14 months

DD3 was born when I was 24 she will be 18 next birthday

ds 1 was born when I was 25 and will be 17 next birthday

ds2 was born when I was 31 and will be 11 next birthday

dd4 was born when I was 36 and will be 6 next birthday

dd5 was born when I was 40 and is 2

dc8 will be born next year when I will be the ripe old age of 42 and will be 18 and off to uni just in time for me to retire

As for everyones reaction people always have something to say the first three where "very close together"
of course three was an odd number and I "should try for a boy"
One boy however would be odd with 3 girls
and as for the last three to my second partner well my age would cause frowns and this pregnancy especially as I also now have a granddaughter I must just be simply mad.

DS1 I was 21
DD I was 32
DS2 I was 34
and when DC4 is born I will be 36.

I don't feel patronised by HPs in general, but then I tend to avoid them unless really desperate! I do feel patronised by many other people though, I know it's benn done time and time again, but they REALLY don't "get" why you would choose to have 4 children!

i dont think it matters what age you are when you have children - fantastic dreamdowler i think its great that you having a baby at 42 - in the long run as long as a mother can love and care for the child it doesnt matter how young or old you are

my MIL had a baby at 54 which yes brings its concerns but it doesnt mean she should be judged and neither should we for how many we have , how close together , or our age

i think its funny to see peoples reactions when i have dd2 and dd3 in buggy i get "oh you have your hands full" i reply with a proud smile "even more so when my 5 year old and three year old are at home too" making it clear im wearing a wedding ring lol makes the moaning bags at the bus stop shut up . but its levelled out nicely when i get people saying that im doing a good job .

dh is a coach driver and was covering a local bus route recently when i got on with all 4 of the kids - two old ladies start muttering under their breath about young mothers these days having so many children by different fathers etc , and cutting me filthy looks - should have seen the faces on them when i got off the bus grabbed DH by his tie and kissed him saying " i live up there come round at 7 the hubby is out " lol hilarious

dh ruined it by telling them we were married

had dd1 when I was 23. dd2 (who is number 4) when I was 35.
I'd like more but dh says no

i was happy with three dh wanted dc4
being niave enough to think that going from 2 to 3 wasnt that much change thought it would be the same going from 3 to 4
how wrong was i lol found it very hard to adjust - looking back maybe a bigger age gap would have been easier to cope with but i wouldnt change it for the world i love the fact that all my children will be at school together, growup together, hopefully be close but most of all (no dig at older mums) i am glad that i am fit well and young enough to enjoy them

I am nearly 36, met DH when I was 16 (t'was a blind-date too), married at 20, and had....

DD1 when I was 21
DD2 when I was 23
DD3......I was 25
DS1......I was 27
DS2......I was 29

I felt a little patronised when having DD1, and in fact screamed at DH to tell them to "stop fucking patronising me" when I was in labour with DD1 (he remembers that quote very well.....he said after it was almost like a scene from 'the exorcist'....the only thing missing was the green vomit and the nead spinning).

I too have been ased if they are all by the same dad, if we own a TV, yadda yadda yadda. It is no-one elses business but our own thankyou very much....we have the room in our house, car, lives and most importantly our hearts, so I content myself with icy looks and they get the message pretty quickly now

I was 22 with DS1
29 with DS2
33 with DD
34 with DS4

Duh...34 with DS3 of course...pregnancy does fry your brain cells!

DS1 at 21 (he's 12)
DS2 at 23 (he's 9)
DD at 32
I'll be 34 when DC4 arrives

All by same father, been together for 15 years.

I had my five between the ages of 27 and 37. I had a professional job beforehand, and am still working in a profession.

I've never felt judged.

I was 16, 18, 22, 23 when I had my lot so can fully appreciate the stares and judging. Once again, married, degree, house etc.
I look younger than my years I think, and DD1 (10 on Sat) is tall and mature. I do get some people asking if they're all mine, all girls?, that I must have been young when I had them and that I must be lying that they are mine. They are home-ed too so they come everywhere with me.
I think people mostly judge because of the amount of children I have now rather than the age I was/am.

DD1 24
DD2 25
DD3 26

Not married, with DP for 12 years. Dont feel the need yet. Get alot of "so when are ye going to do the right thing"
Gave up work when i had DD2, now looking after DDs and studying part time.

I am at the other end of the scale with the doctors attitude - I am getting too old!!!

Ds1 - when I was 35 (now age 5)
dd - when I was 36 (now age 4)
ds2 - when I was 40 (now age 8 months)
Now planning dc#4 at age 41 hopefully!!!!

Will be stopping at #4 (if this happens), but will definitely stop trying before age 43. I would like to be out of nappy-phase before I get to late 40's!!!!

Everyone thinks I am mad wanting more children anyway, but at my "age", with fighting the countdown timer for fertility, they may be right.

Nobody said anything with regard to my age when I had my last baby at nearly 44y.

I did get a comment that was age-related when I had a mmc at almost 45 and a very sympathetic m/w asked me why I wanted to put myself through this at my age and wasn't it time to give myself a break.

DS1 at 28 (now 8)
DD1 at 30 (about to be 7)
DS2 at 33 (about to be 4)
DD2 & DS3 at 37 (32 wks cooking now)

Neither end of the age spectrum really. But feeling very old and feeble at the mo...

i was 24 with first child, then 28 next,31, 36 was no 4.see it as a compliment: you look young :-)
i tries very hard to look older when i had my first , by now it is the other way round. but as i have 4 children and no 4 enden at the a&E , can't get the help-visitor off my back, wants to put child in surestart...you have no idea how ridiculous that is, live in one of teh wealthiest neigbourhoods in the country.Prejudices!( am a foreigner, that must make it worse)

I was just 28 when i had my son then 29 and a half when i had twin girls!! I havent read all the postings on this conversation as there are loads but im getting the jist. I feel like i get it all the time from everyone. I originally wanted 2 with a 2 year gap but ended up falling the first month (second time around) with twins??? All i get from people is stupid comments like...your very brave!! ??? What, i didnt plan to have twins, its not like i have a choice - i wasnt on any kind of fertility treatment and there are no twins in my family. I know i shouldnt but i actually get embarassed when im out on my own with all of them because of the looks i get. I even had a stupid comment from a boss a work.... you need to get a telly?? Some people are very ignorant. Its even worse at the fact that i almost died having the twins, i got so rediculously big and now have serious on going problems and am facing a big operation this year. I too am married with own house, good job etc etc - its easy to say ignore these people but its hard when i even get the comments from family members. I have fallen out with a lot of people since having the girls. Perhaps im over sensitive now.