Right age to have kids?

Chia

You have to do what you think is best, but please do keep in mind that when some people encourage you to have children in your twenties, this is not just them being opinionated - tthey may be basing their views on the scientific fact that after about 28, your chances of having a healthy baby do start to decrease. This is biology and unfortunately there is not a lot that medicine can do about it at this stage.

Paula_anne

I'm 23 and 22 wks preg with 3rd baby, my kids are 6 and nearly 4, i still work now, i wish i didn't have a baby at 17 but it happened and you deal with it.
I live for my children, 26 is a nice age to start a family, only you know when your ready.

Lucie_2

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

For some people, the answer is "never". I have never wanted children and at 46 don't feel as though I've missed out at all. Not sure where I would find the time for them :eek: and I'm not very tolerant with badly behaved children either

I'm with DFC on this one; for some of us that maternal urge never kicks in. After spending all of my mid/late twenties telling people that "No, we don't want kids, ever." for them to smile & say "just you wait...." they now finally believe me (I'm 33)
If you want kids, then do it. I have some friends who waited until their 30's, others who have had 2 kids by the time they're 23. The one thing I have picked up is that there is never a "right" time & you will never have "enough" money. That seems fairly standard!

Lyndsay_21

I had DD at 20 and DS at 22 and am now 25 and i'm glad i've had mine young, DD starts school in sept and my DS next year it seems wierd that within 2 yrs i'll have an empty nest and can start building a career and then if in 10yrs me and OH decide we want more children we can as we'll only be 35!

As for affording it i think you just manage whatever your financial background, babies aren't as expensive as the papers say, and if you feel your ready then you should go for it.

3KIDSNOMONEY

pollyanna24 wrote: »

I would absolutely love to have kids now, so the pressure ain't helping!

I'm 26 now, think I was 24 when I signed up here. As much as I know it's okay to have kids older these days, I don't want to be an old mummy either. I think I will start to panic when I'm 29 and I'm pregnant, so I guess I have three years before I start panicing.

I HAD MY FIRST AT 19, SECOND AT 21, THIRD AT 25 AND AM 29 AND PREGNANT AGAIN!!! NOT PANICKING HERE.

benood

I don't think there is ever a perfect time, you can always come up with reasons not to do it. Could you downsize or move to a cheaper area so that you could stop work and live on your OH's salary?

We started having ours when I was 31 and OH 29 but lots of our friends are quite a bit older than us so perhaps you needn't panic yet!

grahamliza4

Our 1st one I had at 20, second at 22, am 23 now and we want more....

#1 was admittedly unplanned but in reality best thing ever!

I personally don't think the recent trend of starting family in late 30s/early40s is anything good. Yes you've probably made a lot of money and can buy your kids everything but fertility declines steadily from age 27 and I think that a generation of children born to parents in their 40s is not ideal.

I think we are meant to have children between ages of 18 and 34, or thereabouts. I think once you hit 40 it's a bit late.

And not saying that the over 40s are bad parents or anything but I just think humans are meant to breed younger! You don't find professional animal breeders sat around waiting for animals to get to equivalent of 40 do you? They have babies while they are young and healthy!

And yes i know 40+s can be x2 as healthy as a 20 yr old but no matter what you look like on outside, the quality of sperm&eggs drops a lot by 40 odd and you don't use out of date food do you so..........

Guinea_2

I did go through a very distressing time about two and a half years ago when my clock had started ticking and I couldn't even bare to be in the room with a baby without crying. It was so bad you wouldn't believe! But...I have always said that I wouldn't have children until we were married (OH doesn't mind whether we're married or not to have them) and we weren't even engaged at that time so no babies for us. Then suddenly.....my clock stopped ticking and I haven't had pangs for a long time. We got a puppy last year and now getting another one at the end of August so they are like our babies. Can't have children until the next puppy is trained anyway so no babies just yet although we get married in the middle of August so maybe baby next year some time!!:beer: We will have to wait and see!:D