Best age to have a baby...20's, 30's or 40's? ( light hearted)

[Shellywelly1973]

Or all of the above?
I has 2dc in my teens. 10 years later had Dd. Had my 2ds in my 30's. I am expecting a new baby next January ( hopefully, if all goes to plan). I will be 40 before new baby arrives.

Most people are shocked when i tell them the dc ages. When i went to see a GP for a referal for this pregnancy, she presumed it was my 1st...the surprised look on her face made me laugh!

Personally, my last dc birth was the easiest. I recovered quickly, physically as well as emotionally. I was 35.

Any other experiences of having dc over the decades?

had ds at 20 and now 38 weeks with dd and im 21 :)
found night feeds very easy had lots of engery so much so when ds turned 5 months we decided to try agen. ds was 6 months when i found out i was pregnant and over the moon. this pregnancy has been harder looking after a toddler. not long now th.

I was 19 when I was pregnant with my first, 20 when I had her. I'm 24 now and due in 2 weeks with my second. I look a lot younger (i still get on the bus for a half fare ) so got stared at quite a lot.

Looking back (even though it's only 4 years) i can see I was very immature when I was 20 and i didnt take it seriously at all. It wasn't until she was born that it hit me square in the face and i had to grow up overnight.

This time I'm a lot more worried and stressed because I know what's coming. I know how hard it is with sleepless nights, colic, financial pressure, peer pressure, sarcastic comments that will be made by other mums. I'm letting it go and will do what I want to this time.

I find that I'm looked down on by older mums and that it's not the done thing to have DCs when you are in your 20s. I think i would have been treated completely differently at baby groups etc if i was 10 years older.

In my opinion any age has its advantages (less tired, more energy etc in 20s, social acceptance,more likely to have financial stability in 30s and more life experience in 40s)

I'd like to add that it's been so nice joining mums net and seeing that there are thousands of women who also had children when they were in their late teens and 20s. It must just be the area I live in - it's very small town/narrow minded and judgemental.

Bowlingforsoup, you sound like you had alot of the same issues I did as a 19 year old mum. I looked young then...probably more like 16 than 19 and still look young now. I still get ID'd going into pubs etc, even got ID'd for a lottery ticket recently (at 32 geez!) lol. I certainly remember feeling bad due to the judgemental stares I got.

I totally agree with the points you have made about the advantages at each age. At the end of the day, as long as you love and care for your child, you can make a fab parent at any age. I too think mumsnet has been fab this time round to share experiences, worries and happy stories also.

I think it's a personal thing. I'm 39 and 7+2 along with my first. I'm utterly knackered and don't doubt that I would have had more energy if i'd done this in my twenties. However, my head was not at all in the right place to mother a child at that age. Some people make great Mums in their 20s - personally I'm fairly sure i would have been a disaster....

I had mine at 37 39 and 41. Did try from age 31 but nothing happened for 5 years. Had ivf and had my first at 37! Wish I'd had them younger tho and a bit more spaced out. I'm 42 now and shattered!

Ps my other 2 were natural conception

Lovely sort tazmo.

1. in 5. years would knacker anyone out-don't think your age is relevant! .

Story not sort...sorry on phone!

Definitely 30's I am pregnant with my first and will be 31 when he/she is born.
Was Having far too much fun in my twenties to look after a baby, goig out, working on career and going to lots of amazing places on holiday.
Now I am more settled and losing interest interest in going out etc but so glad I got it all out of my system. Now I can enjoy focusing on being a mum without feeling like I gave missed out on anything. only worry is that if I want lots of babies time is not on my side but guess you can't have everything x

You've loads of time to squeeze out lots of babies your only 31!

But i often meet people who think they want a large family but stop at 1 or 2!

Had one in my teens, two in my early twenties, and one in my late twenties.

The one in my late twenties (was 29 when DS3 was born) has been the one I have had most difficulty rushing around after.

I was too young when I had DD (I was only 16).

Therefore, IMO early-mid twenties is best.

I had ds at 30 and I'm now 37 and 39 weeks with no2.
I am bloody knackered being pregnant despite being pretty active normally, so from a physical point of view definitely the younger the better.
Emotionally I'm much more chilled prob cos I'm older and it's my 2nd.

I had ds at 19 and dd at 23. I was knackered with my ds due to the whole lifestyle change and breast feeding constantly drained my skinny body of any energy. Plus I was at college and working almost full time hours. With dd I had a secure job and milked my position for all it was worth. I was a bundle of energy coming out of hospital. Plus she was a more content baby. Im very glad I had the difficult child first. Im now 29 & been trying for another for a year but nothing happening .

Oh and my body is now a much curvier size 12 .