Young Mommies

[Sign Of The Fish Burger]

How old were you when you had your first child?

I've always been a fan of having children fairly earlier for several reasons- but I've talked to so many people who think its foolish to have a child before 30.

What do you guys think? If you had a child young looking back, would you have waited? And until what age?

If you had children older would you have rather had a child younger? How young.

 

[GolfingMom]

I think I picked a fairly good age...LOL. I was 25 with my first 27 with my second and that's enough for me!
The only regret I have is not travelling more (and we travelled quite a bit but always to the same location) before kids. I would have taken a long trip to Europe - Spain - and a few other locations.
DH and I have been thinking of possibly having one more child but I don't think I want to have them in my 30's...I'd like to see what other moms say...

 

[Sign Of The Fish Burger]

Well I can certainly relate with not wanting to have kids in your 30's. I would really like to be done having children by the time I am 30... So that way DH and I are still young enough to enjoy our time together when the kids move out

 

[seamonster]

I'll be 19 when our first is born.

We can still travel with our kids, and thanks to my husband's job will have plenty of opportunity to do so. We chose to have kids young for several reasons -- one of them being that women in my family have a lot of complications after age 27 or so (unable to get pregnant, multiple stillborns/miscarriages, etc.), another reason is that which you mentioned -- being able to still be relatively young when our children are grown. I want my parents to be able to see their great and great-great grandchildren.

 

[RoseofLima]

I had my first when I was 17 and my second when I was 20...but both of those I gave up for adoption- not so much because I was young- but rather because I was a mess. I couldn't even take care of myself.

With the oldest in our family I was 23 when he was born. I was 26 with the next, 28 with the next, 30 with the next , and now 32 with this one.

I dunno if it's prudent or not- but it seems like the longer you wait the more you have to change your life style and to sacrifice in order to have children. I suppose that can be good or bad- it could help you to not feel like you had missed out on things- but it can also really be hard to make those changes in established behaviour.

You know It really makes me wonder if the statistics of infertility and delayed age in starting a family are related in any way. I can't even imagine the heartache that these couples go through who so desoerately desire to have children--and I am not trying to say it is their fault in any way.... I just wonder overall if there is a correlation (not in specific cases just speaking generally)

 

[HeKnowsMyName]

I was 28 with my first and 34 with my last. I wouldn't do it any different because I really wasn't ready before. I was more settled financially at 28 than I would have been earlier. Now I will say that my last pregnancy was harder on my and I suppose it was because of my age. Who knows?

 

[JulySheMustFly]

I was 21 with my first and 24 with our last. We are done. My plan was to have my first around 25. I see now that my plan would have sucked. We have only changed for the better since our children have arrived and if I had waited until last year to have our first my sister would not have had the chance to know my kids and be as involved. I like knowing that my parents can be active grandparents and that my grandparents will get to see their great grandkids before going home. It is different for everyone but as hard as it has been it has only been a blessing for us.

 

[Surrender2Win]

Hi,

I was 20 with my first, 23 with my second, and 28 with my last.

I don't think I would have liked to wait until 30 to have my children. Though I can say as I've grown older, I've matured more and think that I handle things better now then I did when I was younger.

 

[Lotuspetal_uk]

I was 34 when I had my first child. I don't have any real regrets of having a child this late but I'm glad it wasn't any later. It's unlikely that I'll have any more kids.

The plus side of having a child that age is that I felt as though I've done all that I wanted in terms of travelling etc... I felt "ready" and mature enough for motherhood.

The down side was the slight physical toll - the recovery after pregnancy was more taxing for me. I think I might have coped better with a c-section if I was in my 20's.

 

[Thankful4HIM]

I was 14 when my first child was born....
I'd rather have waited obviously.. but the way I grew up.. I didn't really umm, I didn't have boundaries, or anything....

 

[KJVisTruth]

I had 4 kids in my 20s, last one I think I was about 27. My ex husband and I decided to start a family early. We didnt want to deal with problems that might come from waiting too long; we also wanted to be able to enjoy grandchildren (and even great grandchildren), if the kids do want children. =) I might be a grandma in my 40s! lol

 

[Naomi4Christ]

I had my first at 27, second at 29 and three after that.

I don't have any regrets - it all felt 'right'. I felt that I established a career in my 20s, and now in my early 40s I am able to reestablish a career (not too old).

 

[skoi]

I had my first at 27, second at 31, adopted a toddler girl at 38 and we're now waiting to adopt a pre-school aged boy. I should be 39 or just turned 40 when that happens.

I regret not having children earlier, because we would have had more. Adoption has been a good way for us to increase our family, and if we could afford it, we'd adopt more.

 

[clycleader]

I was 35 when I had my first. I'm not sure if we'll have more or adopt. Not so much because of my/our age, but because it's God's calling. I don't feel that I was ready in my 20's. I also wanted to be happily married and then have some travel time and fun time w/ my husband first and then have kids and have more fun w/ them. That's what we talked about and that's what we're doing. God is Great. It's all about his plan for you, really. It's not amatter of if I'll be too old at 37, or was someone else too immature or too young. It's all what God wants for you. It's what is right for each couple. My son at 35 was absolutely the best thing for me. Another at 36 or 37? Who knows. I'm still workin it out w/ God.

 

[CrystalBrooke]

I was 18 when I had Emily. I like the age I had her, I just wish that we had been married. I'd like to have my children 3-4 years apart and if I have 2 more children (which is all I want) I should be done by the time I'm 26...I absolutly do not want any kids past the age of 30, I mean if it happens that will be fine, but I'm certainly not going to try to have kids at that age...it's just not for me.

 

[icbeckyc]

I had just turned 25 the month before my first was born. Then I was 27 when the second one got here. I am glad I was young when I had them. I am too tired now that they are teenagers, I can't imagine having to p/u after football games and late movies and such if I was another 10 years older.

My oldest has a boyfriend and his parents are my parents age. About 60. He has made mention before that they are really old and he enjoys hanging out with us. They really do try though to do all his things and hang out.

 

[CrystalBrooke]

I had 4 kids in my 20s, last one I think I was about 27. My ex husband and I decided to start a family early. We didnt want to deal with problems that might come from waiting too long; we also wanted to be able to enjoy grandchildren (and even great grandchildren), if the kids do want children. =) I might be a grandma in my 40s! lol

my aunt just turned 50 this week and she has 3 grandchildren, she was in her late 30's when her first grandchild was born...being a young grandma she's able to do a lot more with them than my grandparent's were able to do with me Of course, my aunt got married at 15 and had her first child at 16 and another when she was 18. My mom just turned 37 and she's already a grandma too!

 

[~Mrs. A2J~]

I had my first just after I turned 22. I think it was a great age to have kids but I wish hubby and I had had more alone time together as we got pregnant straight away.

 

[HeatherJay]

I was 22 with my first and 24 with my second.

 

[jgonz]

I was 22 with my first, but I was a VERY immature 22, so IMO, it's not necessarily the Age you give birth, it's the maturity level that you're at that makes more difference.

I was much more mature and ready for kids as I kept having them... 1 was 22 when I had my first, and 42 when I had my 9th baby.