What age did you get pregnant?

[ErrolFinn]

Hello everyone,

Whether you're pregnant or have been, I'm looking for a little wisdom here:

I know there's no 'right' age to have a child and that you can never really be fully prepared for what it entails - but what would you say is a good age to consider it? Obviously everyone is different but I'm just really interested to know what you would consider a "good" age to get pregnant and was that the age you had your DC?

I am currently pregnant with my first at 28, perfect age for me as I have done the partying and have got a career i'm happy in so ready for the next exciting chapter in my life :)

22 and 27

40 - I'll be 41 when she is born.
I have no idea yet if this has been a good or bad decision!

31, 32 and 32, all miscarried though.

Fell pregnant 16 had a MC
Dd 21
Ds 22
Now 25 having another x

Got pregnant with 1st at 30, had him at 31. Pregnant and had DS2 just before I turned 34.

1st 18
2nd 23
3rd 35
Have found I have much now patience and feel a lot calmer and settled this time at 35. Although this is also a new relationship/ different partner so may have something to do with this.

I was 24 when I had my first child and I’m 27 now and pregnant with my second.
For me, these were the perfect ages and what I wanted.
No plans to have anymore after this one though!

I was the first of my friends to have a baby at 23. As a result I have lots of friends the same age as me (mid thirties now) who are still in the “might have a baby one day” mindset, whereas my oldest is a teenager. Technically, I could be a grandmother before some of my same aged friends become parents.

And the friends I have made through having a child are nearly all older than I am. I’ve been to lots of 50th birthday parties recently.

Pregnant at 28 - 1st baby at 29
Pregnant at 31 - 2nd baby at 32
I think the timings were perfect for me - shame the husband was wrong!

19, 26, 38, 39, 41.

23 and 26 .... my Mum was 24 37,39 and 42
( and in 1963 having a baby at 42,the baby was me ...was looked down on ... it’s normal age these days isn’t it ? )?

@Buyitinbamboo oh yes that does make sense I guess! I have never looked at it that way.

29. Always wanted 3 or 4 so you guys are giving me more.hope!

@ErrolFinn
No reason why you cant enjoy your 20s with children. If you are both ready then go for it and dont pay any attention to other people. You know what is best for you.

I was 20 when I got pregnant and 21 when he was born. I quite liked being a younger mum, it meant my 30s were more career oriented as DS was at senior school and DH was working shifts, so was usually around for meetings and so on. I have got quite far in my career in the last 10 years which would have been more difficult with a baby.

Currently pregnant with number 1. I'm 23, will be 24 if baby comes 3 days over due date 🙄. DH is 26, will be 27 when Baby is born. We both have stable full time jobs, a mortgage and live very comfortably so decided in December to start trying and I was pregnant by February. We will meet him in November 😊

why would delaying having a child be good for the environment?

@popsadaisy because the later you have children the less overlap between generations there is and so the fewer descendants you have over a set time period. More descendants = higher population of the world = bad for the environment.

If you have children in your early 20s you are likely to be a grandparent before 50 and a greatgrandparent before you die. If you have children in your early 40s you are unlikely to be a grandparent before 60 and might not have grandchildren until your 70s or 80s if your children follow the same pattern as you.

I had my DS when I was 33.

Pregnant at 30. Pregnant with second child aged 31. Will have number 2 when 32.

Pregnant at 25, had DS aged 26. DH 29. Perfect age for me. We own a house; both have degrees and whilst aren’t by any stretch of the imagination at the top of our respective fields, are well established in our careers, and are young enough that we have lots of energy and enthusiasm.

Go for it. I had dd1 at 27. It wasn't the best time career or money wise but she was the best thing. I was the first by miles, at least 6 years, out of my friends to have kids.

I fell pregnant with DD at 26 and had her just before my 27th birthday. I fell pregnant with DS at 28 and had him at 29.

DD was unplanned and I was earning crap money, we lived in a tiny 1 bed flat and I was only at the start of my career. She's 7 now and it's been totally fine, I'm so glad she came along when she did. I've managed to carry on being promoted and now earn good money now both kids are at school. It hasn't effected my earning power and me and DH have no regrets about having them a bit earlier than planned!

First at 22, last at 31. 5 living dc and 3 miscarriages. I'm not sure about the ideal age but I find that everything is a lot harder with the younger 2 than with the older 3.

I don't disagree that there can be very inadvisable times to start a family, ie if you are totally broke, single with no support etc but I also know that waiting for the perfect time, well, it may never happen. Having children in your early 20s doesn't cut your career prospects off, for some it works out better to have children early and then build a career late 20s. I have a few friends who fit different reasons couldn't have children later, one went through early menopause but luckily had her dc early so has 1 child, another had to have an unexpected hysterectomy for medical reasons so never will have any children. I'm not saying we should all have kids early but you can't always plan the perfect scenario. Also peak fertility is 24 years old so if you want to be guided by nature's ideal age, I guess that's it. X