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

I am 22 wks with #1 at 31. I think that 34 is a perfect age. You have more life experience, are likely to be more financially and emotionally stable. I know that I would not have been ready before now.

I was 37!

I was 28. And was probably one of the younger ones in my antenatal class.

36

I was 30. My sister was 27. My mum was 37. We are all (of course) great parents!

My mum has always been a fab mum, and I was her second child (she was 41 when I was born). She is now 76 and still great. When I was a teenager I used to adjust her age a bit if my friends asked as she was older than most, but now I am proud .

28

DD - pg at 37, 38 at birth
DC2 - due in January and I will be 42 (almost 43!)

Don't think 34 is too old - I didn't feel the urge or feel ready until my mid-30s.

23, and now 25 trying for our second. However, when in hospital having our first I was definately one of the youngest with most of the other ladies being in their 30's and 40's.

If you've not had the opportunity previously and now you have then you should go for it, if you wait then you may lose your chance forever.

One of my colleagues was also pregnant at the same time as me, at the age of 36, and she had a much better pregnancy than me.

I was 31 when ds1 was born and 34 when ds2 was born - turned 35 when ds2 was just 2 weeks old.

I don't think I could have coped any younger and was glad to have been able to "live" a bit before the ds's came along.

, just read OP.

20 with my first, 24 with my second and am now, at 25 pregnant with third (and will give birth at 25 also). Very happy I had mine at this age (for us personally).

Definately dont think that 34 is too old to have a baby. Not at all. Would definately go for it . However, if Im honest, the only thing I would take into consideration (in relation to "pushing it") is how many you are intending to have..

40. Now I'm 42 nearly 43 and pregnant with number 2. I was always a late starter! Never clucky and mistakenly believed babies wkd ruin my life. Yes not ideal when you are 17 but waiting till I was 37 to even contemplate it was time for babies was really immature. Very happy now ( well I wld be if this acid reflux wld go away)

16 when I had my first . I appear to have been the youngest, at least if this thread is anything to go by! I have always been the youngest (by far) at the school gates, most of my friends had their first between the ages of 30 and 42. So, DD-16, DS1-20, DS2-21, and DS3-I will be 29. I certainly dont advise having a baby at 16! It was far too young, and even now, I feel far too young to have a DD who is very nearly a teenager, when I'm only 29!

I was 20 when i had my daughter and i felt i was much too young. I would rather of waited till my late 20's early 30's to be honest with you :)

33. Been with my husband since we were 20. Just waited till the time was right for us both: had done what I wanted with my career, travelled a lot, got ourselves on the property ladder (paid off student loans!). Mostly though, we just knew it was time. Kind of a now or never thing. And never seemed too bleak a prospect to contemplate so we went for it. I really had nagging doubts about being ready and would probably have put it off longer if DH hadn't been so keen.

If it had taken me a long time to fall pregnant, or if we had discovered fertility problems then I know we would have regreted the 13 years we spent waiting for "the right time".

34 sounds great - that's about the average age in my NCT group I think.

I was 30 for my first and will be 31 for my second. I dont think you are too old by any stretch of the imagination. You are ready when you are ready tbh.

Wishing you the very best.

33 dc1
34 dc2
Now expecting dc3 and about to turn 37

I think the average for first child is now 31/32. We struggled to get pregnant first time and were about to start IVF after nearly 3 years of trying. Everyone we saw at the clinic/gp etc all told us that we were young and "had age on our side" at 33 so definitely don't think it's a huge problem at that age.

Must admit, I'm a bit more aware of all the "over 35" doom and gloom this time round though. However, after our fertility problems with dc1, we got pregnant the next two times very very (surprisingly) quickly so the thing about reduced fertility with age hasn't proved true for us.

24 and it was right for me.

And I have no opinion on the age other people choose to have a baby - unless they are about 10 or over 70!

First due and I'll be 27.

I don't think it's so much about your age as when you feel ready. The experts may advise that things could be harder with a pregnancy later in life but that's no worse than having a baby when you're far too young, not fully mentally or financially prepared, and then having to struggle through for years after.

Personally I don't think 34 is too old at all! If you have concerns about what has happened with your family previously, take all the specifics to your GP or Midwife and they'll be able to tell you what the real risk are for you, if any.

The real question is: Would I regret if it I passed up the chance never had a baby?

If it might be a yes, then your age, statistics and what anyone else thinks really doesn't matter in the slightest. It's down you you and your partner/ husband and you'll both know what right for the both of you :)

Very best of luck pinkflipflop.

18,27 29 and 35.loved all the ages..

dc1 35, dc2 38, pg w dc3 at40

DS - 19
DD - 20
DC3 - 25.

Wouldn't change it for the world and don't think 34 is too old at all.

I would hardly call 34 "pushing it" OP. Not at all, in fact these days I would say it's an average age. You need to remember that although the statistics that can make us hysterical ie. chances of there being problems with the baby after you reach 35 are based on so many different factors.

Each individual body is in different physical shape, with a different medical history, no matter what the age. I'm 37 and pregnant with my first and I don't have a worry in the world. And I won't worry until such a time as I have valid reason to. You'll be absolutely fine!

The age you are for your first baby is not the question.
If you want one baby then that is fine. But if you wanted four kids and assuming that you can shell them out regularly every other year and cope with two-under-two (big assumptions), then your last will be when you are at least 40.

So the question is not the age for first baby, but last baby.

I had my first, not at all deliberately at 37, and my second at 40.

I had my 3 at 24, 26 and 28. Each time I felt like one of the youngest at ante natal classes etc, and most of my friends from school and uni are only starting now at 32. So 34 sounds fine.