quick poll - what age did you have your first baby?

[Pinkflipflop]

what do you think of 34 for first baby - or is it pushing it a little? Please don't be pc - I need opinions.

Long, long saga - never been a possibility before (never felt remotely interested in babies before, financial situation ALL wrong) and now I reallt feel like I want to be a mummy and I'm so aware that it's not a given.

Looking forward to replies

Pink

x-posted. You are stronger than you think. And if there is a history of late m/c in your family, the professional caregivers will be extra alert for you, extra monitoring etc.

30. 34 is fine (I was almost 33 with DC2).

pinkflipflop, it is a valid concern if there is a history of stillbirth in your family. perhaps you could talk to your GP about this, there may be issues that can be watched out for /tested for if there are specific issues that would affect having a fullterm live birth.

I would also say that you really should take into account it is not unusual for it to take 6 + months to conceive, or even a year, so i would be thinking about moving things forward

Everyone fears something going wrong in pregnancy and with your family history it's understandable that your fears will be heightened. Is there any particular reason why there have been so many stillbirths?

26 (had been together 8yrs at that point though).

I think you should probably get shagging.

And it's not a recommendation per se but if you have a genuine fear of what could happen at the end, as well as a familial history then there is always the option of an elective caesarean. Not to be chosen lightly, but this may allay some of your fears?

42 and this thread is making me feel old ...

I'm 36 and pregnant with my first, will be 37 when I have the baby and I really don't feel old at all. I'm fit and healthy and have reached a point in my life and my career where I am very comfortable with the idea of being a parent and don't feel like I've missed out at all. Lots of my friends have had their first child around 35/36/37 and they are loving it.

I think, Pinkflipflop the concerns that you have are much more about having to deal with the very difficult situation that your family members have been through than about age. Yes, there are more risks when you are older but thousands of women have babies in their early to mid thirties.

I hope things work out for you.

You're not classified as an older mum untill 35 at which age the chances of down's syndrome and other chromosomal diseases shoot up. That's if the mother is 'older' not father. I was 33. You're not too old

31 with DD 33with Ds

34 is coolios.

I was just 35 when I had Evie, although it did take a while to conceive her.

I wasn't classed as an older mum either and I wasn't the oldest by a long chalk at my anti-natal class.

My sis had her first aged 32 and her second aged 34.

Good luck :)

(Reads a bit further and waves at Blu! Feels better as not a lone forties mad-woman. )

40 (had a second 15 months later). Felt lucky compared to many but not a medical miracle! Go for it.

Just to add if you have had all those still births in your family, make your dr/midwife aware of it, they will monitor you more closely.

29 - but most people I met in antenatal were 32/33 or older. I had my second at 33.

FWIW I had a difficult pregnancy with dd1 at 29 and then m/c and problems conceiving in my early 30s. I have pletny of friends who have had children much later and had straightforward conception/pregnancy and birth.

i was 21,30s is a age loads of ladys have ther babys! and my mum was 42 when she had me,go for it! good luck

DC1 - 27
DC2 - 31

I'm 33 now and considering another one.

I don't think 34 is too old, not at all. Roughly half of my friends in their early-mid thirties don't have any children (yet).

35 when DS was born
37 when DD was born
I'll be 41 when this one is born

I was 20 - way too young really! 34 is ABSOLUTELY fine, good luck.

I had one at 24 and one at 34, physically the 34 year old woman was in much worse shape than the 24 year old despite having given up smoking and partying and being seriously fit. It was just harder, but we adore the baby so all worth while.

37 (2 weeks before my 38th birthday). You're not too old. Go for it.

35 for DD, will be 37 for DS.

If there is a family history of stillbirth then you would just need to tell your midwife and you should get extra special care. Remember, they are making advances with neonatal care all the time and so with good monitoring the chances are things would go fine.

I didn't feel ready to try before I was 34 - didn't meet hubby until I was 31. So I concieved as a normal aged mum and gave birth as an old one .

Good luck :)

Hi Pinkflipflop,
I was 34, and it was fine. I was about the same age as most of my friends who were having their first babies and I didn't feel too old. I conceived really easily (well accidentally, actually!) and didn't have any extra scans or fuss made by the medics.
I just wish I'd done it sooner cos then I could have had more kids - I had ds2 at 37 and then decided to call it a day as I thought approaching 40 was getting nearer to high-risk things like Downs.
I would definitely go for it, especially because once you've had one, you might find you love babies so much you want another - I did! Good luck!

I just had my first baby at 34. Had no problems either with the pregnancy or giving birth, or conceiving. I was not at all maternal and kept postponing it for similar reasons as you - not settled enough financially etc. Now I wish I had done it sooner from an emotional point of view. I want to have a second before I am 37 so fingers crossed. These hormones really can drive people mad....

28, a good age IMO.

i was 22, nearly 23 when i had DS, 26 with DD. i wold like more and want to settle ( career) before doing so.
34 is in no way old, and a friend is 46 and having her second (baby 11 months old) as she didnt feel in the right situation. its a ll personal choice.