Older Mums

[NameChange2468103]

Im 41 and just found out Im pregnant, already have DD6.

I'll save you the life story but due to Covid, job loss and a house move the 6 years since DD was born have flown and we realised its now or never. Decided to try until the end of the year and if it didnt happen we'll make our peace with it - it happened the first month. Im very early though only 4 weeks and 4 days, so obviously being very cautious.

Any general advise from older mums, how were you treated my medical professionals? How did you manage with a newborn being older? We've decided if all goes well we wont start telling people until after all the anomaly tests etc have been done.

Congratulations! I was 41 when I had DC2 (planned). I think I managed really well with my second: I was much more chilled and happy with him. Didn’t know what it hit me after having DC1!

I hope you have a better time with the medical professionals and I did. The first midwife that I went to see basically started talking to me about how the chances of my baby being born with health issues/Downs syndrome were greatly increased, and did I really want to DC1 to have to be a carer for them in the future?!?! Seriously! The second midwife I saw just before my anomaly scan said I would need to think long and hard about what I would do if there was an ‘issue, as, ‘you will need to make your mind up there and then’. She made it sound as though I would be whipped upstairs for a termination moments after discovering any problem.

I had to have further checks and was sent to see a doctor: he was amazing. I told him about the crappy time I’d had with the midwives, and he was so understanding and supportive. He told me his mum had been 43 when he was born and that everything looked good. My pregnancy was a breeze and my baby was born healthy after a relatively short labour. I had to self inject vitamin K for a few weeks afterwards, but all was good.

edited to say: don’t take any shit from anybody, don’t be pushed into anything or feel pressured to do something you feel uncomfortable with.

Plus - The further checks I had to have with the Doctor were purely because of my age.