How old is too old to have a baby - in your mind?

[winegumss]

How old is too old? Have you had a baby over 40 or more and how do you feel? Do others ever comment?

about 36 appparently
I feel too bloody old anyway (am 34 weeks pg)

for me personally, I think I am too old now (just turned 36). Not because I think I am too old at 36 to have a baby, but because I do not want teenagers when I am in my 50's. Which is a shame, because I would happily have another baby (if I had a partner...).

About 50 I think. DH's sister was born when their mum was 44 and I don't think anyone has commented ever.

SIL is now 17 and MIL and FIL still seem to have as much energy as ever .

I feel that you should try to be young enough to ON AVERAGE see your child through to adulthood. By that I don't mean 18 I would suggest 25 (ish)
so if average death occurs for a woman at 85 I think 60 is the VERY latest.
My comfort zone is early/mid 40's

I would say that as long as you conceive naturally then no age is too old. I am however uncomfortable with women having IVF in their late 50s and sixties.

I want to be finished by 30 ideally, as my eldest will be 11 and i dont want a huge gap between the first and eldest. This is just for me as i think as long as you can concieve then i cannot see the problem, my aunt had her 1st baby when i had mine and she was 37.

I think if you get pregnant with assistance after you would have naturally gone through the menopause then that's rather weird.

(Not talking about women who have had premature menopause by the way).

I agree with -as long as it is natural- these ladies having ivf at 60 seems a little ott!

dont know.

I dunno, 50?

My Grandma had a baby naturally at nearly 47.

It was her last of five, a 'surprise' and apparently it nearly finished her off!

I don't feel anywhere near too old, and I'm 36. I knew a couple who had failed to concieve, and had a suprise which resulted in the mum giving birth at 50!

I agree that conceiveing artifically after menopause is too old, but then unfortunately some women do suffer early monopause, so I would have to say late 40's- 50 would be my upper limit.

My mum was 35 whe I was born, and in those days that was ancient!

i dont really have an opinion on this but..
im 30 and feel i have a good few years yet hopefully!dh mum was 37 when she had him which i dont find odd.

I had my third baby at 47.
How do I feel ? Like a zombie right now but was shoveling 2 tons of soil today as well.
I have had the occasional 'good for you' but apart from that it does not seem to surprise anyone including the midwives here...I was seen three times during the entire pregnancy - at 9 weeks, middle then the delivery.

I miss the help and support from our mums though as they both died years ago.

Gentle otter I am sorry to hear about your mums. Pleased you have 3 children and feel good, sounds like you are as strong as an ox too!!!woth all that shovelling!

I had my first at 36 and wish I'd had him earlier. I wish I'd had another but split with his father. Now I think I'm too old, I'm 41. If not physically (which I'm sure I am) then I am too old to cope again with the exhaustion of it all. It's all so much easier now but I haven't got the energy of a 25 year old anymore. I had a really hard pregnancy and labour and I think it would have been easier if I'd been younger.

Thanks winegumss.

in my mind until you stop being fertile - so once you hit the menopause - that's it.......

Agree with what others have said - if you're older (50 plus i reckon) and need assistance then maybe you're too old.

I think that i would have been happy up to maybe around mid/late 40's so after this is prob where in my mind would be too old.

I'm unfortunately finished at age 32

Agree with FAQ - the menospause is natures way of saying ' no more babies'

post menopause - not premature menopause, but you know, natural menopause.

Honestly?

I would think that 40 is too old but only because by the time they're teenagers you would be 50 something and that seems abit unfair. Esp if your a teenager like I was who wanted my parent's to come out with me round town on my 18th birthday.

Hope that doesn't offend anyone - just my opinion.

I had dd at 43. That wasn't the plan - long story but it took 8 years to get her. I would have another if I could. I don't think it's ideal to have children at this age - for mother or baby - but I don't think it's any less ideal than many other situations. I do feel a duty to try and survive into her adulthood - and 25 is the age I have as a minimum in my mind. It does worry me a lot that I might die while she is young. (Both my parent had died before she was born.)

I don't like to judge anyone's age, although I am not keen on being 50+ and using donor - the two combined does not sit well with me. But perhpas I am wrong - after all - the test is really whether those children are glad to have been born. That's something we must all hope for.

But no, I don't think I am too old to have a first child - she's nearly 3 and I'm now 46.

Lucky - no offense, but my younger parents would never have come out on the town with me. Old as I will be, I am pretty certain I will be younger in spirit than my parents were when dd is a teenager!