How old were you when you met the father/mother of your children?

[sunshinepleasecome]

Question is in the title really. It feels like until you're 26ish, people say you are too young for children. Then the narrative changes overnight, people ask if you are thinking about it. After 30, your 'clock is ticking'.

It's no one else's business but I can't be the only woman who panics about having left it too late, while not really knowing 100% if I evenn want kids - but worrying that by the time I do, if I do, it will be too late.

I was 20. But one of my sisters was 33.

I was 18 when I first laid eyes on him. I was 20 when we got together, 21 when we had first child, we got married at 25, 2nd child at 26. Am 37 now.

16

32. Didn't have kids til 35. 26 seems too young imo. Wasn't bothered about kids till I met my husband

27

13 but didn’t have children together till 32 and 37

21 - we were together for 10 years but didn’t last the distance. We’re still friends though.

21, but didn’t start relationship until 24, didn’t try for a child until 32

11

I was 26, he was almost 31. We married a year after meeting, and had our first child when I was 29 and he was 35.

I was 24 but we didn't have children until I was in my 30's.

I say this as someone with premature ovarian failure; who was diagnosed later ( mid 30's ) if you know you want kids I wouldn't hang around. It's a medical fact fertility starts to decline after 30 and after 35 at a speedier rate.
Peak fertility for child bearing is late teens, early 20's this has always been the case.

I think class has something to answer for here: working class women tends to have children younger, the middle class in their 30s, late 30s, early 40s.

sorry, he was 34!

Almost 34

18 but we didn't manage to conceive till I was 41

27

18 years and 20 days.

Solo parent by choice (had my son using a sperm donor), a somewhat different path but families come in different shapes and sizes. I was 39 (I really wouldn't have left it this late intentionally, I didn't meet anyone suitable to have a child with and time just disappeared!)

Met at 20, he was 24. Married at 26, him 30. Had first child at 29 and second one at 33.

I was 25 he was 24

19

13 but children didn't come until early 20s for us.

32

18, had both kids in my early 20s.