# What age did you have your kids?



## Curious_Guy

Did it turn out to be the right time to have kids?


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## *MiMi*

I was just shy of 25 when I had my first child. My second came 14 short months later (born in a car, no less). I don't know if there's ever a right time. Positives: I'm young. Negatives: I'm young.


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## mablenc

24 I think we were ready, had I known he would be a special needs child I would have waited until we were better off financially. It's been almost 10 years and I still can't bring myself to have another. (fear of autism, and my health not being ideal) Clock is ticking.


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## pidge70

I was 19 with my first, 22 with the second, 29 with my third and 39 with my last child. Not sure if it was the right time for any of them....lol I wouldn't trade them for anything though.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SunnyT

I had 5 kids.... between age 22-29. It was alot at the time, but maybe 5 is alot at any time. My mom had 12.... so 5 didn't seem like a big deal. 

Now they are all 20 something...and all friends.... and it's good. 

It's the right time when your mind and your pocket book say it is. Or your mind says it's right, and you can figure out the pocket book part.


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## Wiltshireman

My wife and I have 5 kids, I was 29 and she 22 when our first was born and by the time number 5 appeared I was 45 and she was 37.

I know that I was ready emotionally for our children but finances were tight when we went from two of us with two wages to three of us (and soon more) on my wages alone. I think that would have been the same regardless of my age but on the up side being that bit older meant I had the skills / experience to earn a higher wage than if I to had still been in my early twenties.

The fact that I will be calming my pension before my youngest is due to finish Uni does make me laugh.


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## SimplyAmorous

After dating near 7 yrs, when we married, we were ready for kids... to let nature take it's course....3 months later, I was pregnant.. We were Overjoyed ! 

Our 1st son was so easy ...I wanted to do it all over again ! ... We had trouble for the next 6 + yrs to conceive...had all manner of infertility testing, clomid, a surgery... 

When we married.. I had this idea in my head we'd have our kids young & grow with them....having them all before age 30 sounded good .....I didn't like the idea of being an older Mom.... but one thing we learned... children don't always come when we plan ....

So we had 5 more in our 30's... I was 40, and he 43 when we had our last....looking at it all now... I think having these younger ones helps us FEEL YOUNG ... I like it!...

It all turned out good, we wanted every one...and would do it all over again.


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## arbitrator

*Late term Dad here! Had my first son at 36,(wife 30) and the second at 40(wife 34). And they have both been just total blessings in my life!*


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## SimplyAmorous

Oh I forgot our ages... I was 22 & he was 25 when we learned we would be 1st time parents.


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## GTdad

Our first was born when I was 26 and my wife 24, the last when we were 44 and 42. The timing on the first was probably not great: I was still in law school and working and our hectic lives became several orders of magnitude more hectic. But the fact is that the timing is never great; we don't have kids because it makes our lives easier. We have them because, despite the late nights, hassles and heartbreaks, nothing and no one will bring more pure joy into your life.


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## anotherguy

*MiMi* said:


> I was just shy of 25 when I had my first child. My second came 14 short months later (born in a car, no less). I don't know if there's ever a right time. Positives: I'm young. Negatives: I'm young.


laugh. 40 when we had our first. Couple years later for the second.

Positives: I'm old. Negatives: I'm old.

and yeah - you are never fully ready. We thought we were very ready - but you simly dont know what you are in for. Its life changing.

If we could do it again - I dont see us making any changes in timing. In hindsight - *maybe* we would do it a bit earlier... knowing what we know now (in short - how good a thing it is).


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## Hope1964

My oldest was born when I was 24 and the youngest was born when I was 29. I LOVE being in my late forties and having an empty nest! I am so glad I had them when I was young. Now I am looking forward to grandkids. (not TOO soon though!)

I think I had them at the perfect time in my life. None of them were planned but it worked out just the way it should have. When I ended up a single mom at 29 I was young enough that it didn't exhaust me the way it could have, and I didn't feel tied down like I might have if I'd been older with kids.

Hubby is 4 years younger than I am so we're both in the prime of our lives right now and able to really enjoy it.


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## skype

I was 30 with our first child and 33 with the second one. We were married for 5 years before the first one because we wanted to be sure that our marriage was stable and would last. It worked out very well, and we were lucky that we had no problems with fertility. We enjoyed our twenties as a couple, and I did not have to worry about going through menopause and teens learning to drive at the same time!


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## scaramouche

First at 35. She was sort of a "whoops". Second one at 38 because the first one worked out so well.


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## Coach8

I was 29 and 31 and wife was 27 and 29 with ours. We wanted 5 yrs to ourselves after we got married. It took us a long time to get pregnant once we started trying. We ended up being married over 6 yrs. before we had our first. Then our second came along because we weren't taking BC (after all it was so difficult to get pregnant at first), and we ended up pregnant before my son was 1. We wanted a second, just not quite that fast. They are 4 and 2 now, and I like the small age gap. 

My mom got married and had first at 16, then had one every year or so (5 by the age of 22). I can't imagine.


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## Coach8

skype said:


> I was 30 with our first child and 33 with the second one. We were married for 5 years before the first one because we wanted to be sure that our marriage was stable and would last. It worked out very well, and we were lucky that we had no problems with fertility. We enjoyed our twenties as a couple, and I did not have to worry about going through menopause and teens learning to drive at the same time!


Interesting on the menopause. Most women I have known went through it late 40's early 50's.


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## Anonymous07

I was 23 when I had my son. I don't regret having him at that age and I'm glad to be a young mom. My son is amazing. I have the energy to keep up with him and healed quickly after giving birth. My only problem is my husband and the issues we have in our marriage. Maybe if I had been with a different man things would be better.


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## committed4ever

I'm 28 and just had my first. We had been trying for 5 years and had really given up. My H is 33. We are just so thrill to actually have a baby in the house that it still seem surreal. She only 4 week so we still in the low maintenance stage.


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## Kashia

I was 19 with my first (hubby was 24) 24 with the second, 26 with the third, and 29 with the last. Definitely weren't mature enough with the first but wouldn't change things for the world as we have 4 great kids who contribute a lot to society! Now that I'm in my early 40s I sometimes find myself missing that baby stage lol


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## skype

Coach8 said:


> Interesting on the menopause. Most women I have known went through it late 40's early 50's.


LOL. I was 52; just made my timeline.


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## aeasty

I was 22 and wife was 21 almost 22, he has been and will always be my greatest achievement. I would like more but not 100% on the idea as I believe we won the child lottery so to speak with him. he has always been very easy to care for and never misbehaves unlike myself as a child


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## F-102

I was 29 when my D was born, and I had just gotten out of the Army and had no real prospects for a secure future.

13 years later, I am solid in my life, and I have the most wonderful, charming, intelligent and beautiful daughter anyone could want.

Incidentally, if everyone waited for the "right" time to have kids, the world would be a very lonely place.


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## H30

I was a couple months shy of 27 when my daughter was born. If we decide on a second child, probably won't be until earliest 33...if we can. 
It wasn't the perfect time, but there never is. I have been trying to finish my degree, my husband was, at the time applying to pharmacy schools (now in pharmacy school living away from us). But it also took us 2 years for me to get pregnant, and I didn't know if it would happen. My education/career goals will always be an option, my fertility wasn't.


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## soccermom2three

skype said:


> I was 30 with our first child and 33 with the second one. We were married for 5 years before the first one because we wanted to be sure that our marriage was stable and would last. It worked out very well, and we were lucky that we had no problems with fertility. We enjoyed our twenties as a couple, and I did not have to worry about going through menopause and teens learning to drive at the same time!


Wow, we are very similar! 

We were 30 and had been married 5 years when we had our first. Then 33 when we had our 2nd. 

Only difference we had our 3rd at 40.


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## Pandakiss

I was 17 almost 18, husband was 16 almost 17 for the first. Next go round, I had just turned 25, husband just turned 24....we had three that last time. 

If we hadn't "restarted the clock", we would have been empty nesters in a few months.....sigh...


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## ladybird

i was 15 when I have baby #1, baby #2 I was 30, baby #3 @ 35.


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## MyHappyPlace

I was 15 when my first son was born. 17 and another boy. 21 and ANOTHER boy. 24 when I finally got my daughter. I wouldn't change a thing though. I was headed down a nasty path and fully believe that my first pregnancy saved my life. I changed everything about my world so that I could be a terrific mommy and relished every moment. I graduated high school with two amazing little boys cheering me on. Both my youngest son and my daughter were whoops babies. 

I never experienced any negatives to having them so young except for the judgement that I received daily by people who had no clue what exactly they were judging. I love being young enough to keep up with them and knowing that I will only be 42 when the last goes off to college makes me giddy.


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## ladybird

Myhappyplace. 

Looking back it was so much easier taking care of a baby when i was a teenager, I had way more energy then. And it also didn't take my body forever to get back to somewhat normal after baby. When I was 15 and walked out of the hospital, I did not look like I just had a baby. 

My oldest is 19 he will be 20 in March, my second boy is 4.5 and I am 36 weeks pregnant right now with my baby girl=)


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## MyHappyPlace

The body change was a definite plus to having kids so young. I gained 106 lbs with my first son, I was pre-eclamptic, so a portion of that was water weight, but it was still a LOT! I bounced back and beyond stretch marks, 4 months post you couldn't tell I'd ever weighed more than 110. Though I never gained that much weight with later pregnancies, even after my 3rd, you couldn't tell by looking at me that I'd ever birthed any. It was fabulous! Unfortunately, I did not stay so lucky with my daughter. I can't seem to lose the weight for more than a few months at a time. Age, genetics, call it what you will, my figure is NOT recovering from her.


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## over20

We married at 21 and 22 and had our first a year later. I was 22. We then had 3 more by the time I turned thirty. Have no regrets!!


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## LadyDee

I was 23 with 1st, 25 with 2nd and 28 with 3&4, it was a busy household, but wouldn't do it any differently and now enjoying all the grandchildren they have blessed us with!!!!

We have a ball being able to spoil them and send them home to Mom and Dad :smthumbup:


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## Ikaika

I was 38 and my wife 36 for our first and 40 and 38 for our second. It was the best of timing for both of us.


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## HeartInPieces

My son was a surprise. 

I was 24, and hubby was 28 when we conceived. At the time we weren’t sure if we wanted kids. So my son was a total surprise. I was on the pill and hubby always used a condoms. Yet they both failed. We both freaked out and scared Saying that, he was the best surprise I’ve ever had.


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## scatty

Was with my SO since I was 16. Had daughter almost a month after my 20th birthday. Had son when I was 21 (They were born 22 months apart.) Thought we were done, but had a surprise and gave birth to my second son when I was 28. It was so much harder the last time! Not only in age, but son had ADHD that showed up in infancy and would jump in his crib until 5 am. My first two were easy babies and slept through the night by the second week. Boy was I thrown for a loop!


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## johndz

It ws the last year, I was 27, my wife 28, I think that is a great age to start to have children, we had time for other things before, and now I think we are enough mature to tech good things.


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## jld

1st 24; 2nd 28; 3rd 32; 4th 35; 5th 38. I am done.

I forgot dh: He is 3 years older than I, so add 3 to every one of my ages.


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## Red Sonja

My one and only DD20 came into our lives when I was 42, she was an orphan (family tragedy). Was it the right time? Of course not, but I am a better person for having had the privilege of being her mother.


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## meg0980

I was 21 and my husband was 33 when I gave birth to our son. I'm 24 and my husband is 36 when I gave birth to our daughter in August of this year. We plan oh having more kids.


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## JulieG

Ha! I was 44 when my one and only son was born. His father was 39. We struggled with infertility for many years before hitting the jackpot with IVF. It certainly wasn't in my plan to be such an old first-time parent.

Cons: I am 50 with a 6-year-old. Pros: I am 50 with a 6-year-old. Luckily, I am fit and look younger, so no one has ever thought he was my grandchild.


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## happy as a clam

I was 29 with my first, 32 with my second. Husband was 35 and 38. I think it was the perfect age/time for me to start a family. I wouldn't have wanted to do it any sooner, and I certainly wouldn't have wanted to it much later than I did!


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## Maricha75

1st: I was 25, husband was 19
2nd: I was 31 and husband was 25
3rd: I was 32 and husband was 26

Wouldn't change it for anything.


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## Dannie1348

We was 23 with our first yes was the right time only one we could have .:smthumbup:


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## Tiberius

34 with the first one, 37 with the second, OH was 37 and 40.

We got married 6 years before the first one arrived and chose not to have kids until we traveled the world and got the house ready.


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## usplus5

I had my first child when i was 20. And was blessed with 3 more (8, 3, and 2) lovely babies when I married my husband a year ago. We now have a wonderful 3 day old little boy and I'm 23 and hubs is 28. I think the timing was great with the last 4. my first i wish i had waited just because my first husband wasn't what he had everyone thought he was and is no longer part of our lives


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## Miss Taken

I was 17 with my first son and 26 with my second son. I don't think there's a perfect age but I do think mid-twenties is pretty good. I know I was a good mom at seventeen but I am a better one now and enjoy motherhood more (and get to stay home for now) with the second.


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## roseblssm6

I was 18, 21,25 when each of my kids were born. My husband is 6 months older than me so he was 19 and 22 for the first two. My oldest is almost 9 and it's awesome. It hasn't been a matter of when I had them for me, but that I had more than one. I really wanted one and my husband pushed for more because he wanted to have a boy and a girl. Our third was a surprise. I regret feeling pressured into having more children when I was content with one. That doesn't mean I don't adore all three of my girls but it's something that still bothers me because I'm still dealing with three young children and it's very stressful.


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## unbelievable

I got my son when he was 3. I was 21 when I married his mom. He's 35, now. I don't even remember life before being a parent. I have trouble sometimes living with mothers but kids are awesome. I've fathered two of my own. I was 23 for my next, and 30 for my last.


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## lifeistooshort

I was 26 and 29 when I had my kids. They're 13 and 10 now and I honestly don't remember much of my life without them.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Unique Username

35

All agess have their perks and drawbacks.

Whenever you have yours will be the best time for you.



(I had much more patience at 35 than when I was 25 - and having kids teaches you a LOT about love, patience, caregiving of another human etc. You really have no idea how much love you are capable of having and giving until you have your child)


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## hambone

We were 36 when DS was born and 39 when DD was born.. We didn't marry until we were 35. On our first wedding anniversary, our son was 6 weeks old.


So, we couldn't have started any faster than we did. 

Getting engaged (two weeks), married, buying a home, selling two houses, getting pregnant, having a baby.. all in 12 months was a lot of adjustment to make in 1 year.

The advantages of waiting so late was the fact that I really wanted kids. My career was well established. And, I was a lot more mature... more patient. A much better parent than I would have been perhaps 10 or 15 years earlier.

I made my kids a priority. I went to every ball game, play, concert, field trip, field day etc. etc. I missed one soccer tournament because I was sick.

I retired when my children were in the 2nd and 4th grade. We took wonderful month long vacations. Went skiing every spring break etc. etc. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed raising my kids... Even that time my wife woke me up at 2am because our 2 year old son was struggling to breath. I took him outside (in my underwear) in the cool night air and he started breathing better almost immediately. Scary... if he hadn't, nest stop was the hospital.

The downside, I'm 57 and my health is failing. I've got a cardiology apt in about 45 minutes. In some ways, having kids so late was like raising my grand kids. My goal has always been to live long enough that my grand kids will remember me. Not gonna make it. Right now, I'm just hoping to live long enough to walk my 18 year old daughter down the aisle.

Wish we'd started earlier... But, we started right after we got married!


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## Microwavelove

19 with the first, 28 with the second, due with my third at 34-- The only one I think came at the right time was the second. 

19--negatives: was young, broke, not in a good relationship, etc., etc., but the one plus side was that I had so much energy to dedicate to my daughter, the pregnancy was easy and now that she's a teen I like being less "out of touch" than I think I would be if I were older. Plus my daughter got to know her grandparents and great-grandparents well. 

28-- pretty much all positives. Decent enough career/money, still had a lot of energy, my friends were having kids around this time so I had more support than I did at 19. Great age for a baby.

34--Baby isn't here yet, but I feel like it's more negative because I've gotten to a good place to move full speed ahead in my career and it will be harder with another little one. Plus I was looking forward to not being so tied to the school schedule while I was still on the younger side. I wouldn't trade it, but I definitely know that we're done.


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## coffee4me

hambone said:


> The downside, I'm 57 and my health is failing. I've got a cardiology apt in about 45 minutes. In some ways, having kids so late was like raising my grand kids. My goal has always been to live long enough that my grand kids will remember me. Not gonna make it. Right now, I'm just hoping to live long enough to walk my 18 year old daughter down the aisle.


I'm sorry to read this hambone.  I hope there's a way to manage your condition. Healing, positive vibes going your way. 

It's tough when we realize our mortality. I'm 47 (my youngest is 12) but my blood pressure isn't the best and all the suggestions for controlling it I already did when I got high blood pressure. It's improving after years of meds. 

I had my first trip to the ER in dec and although I'm fine it made me think. I've started to write down every story I tell my kids. The funny stories and the sad ones. Stories of my childhood and theirs, their grandparents etc. I just want them to have that piece of me when I'm gone.


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## the2ofus

1st almost 26
2nd 27
3rd 29
4th almost 33
5th 35
6th. 36

I'm glad I have every one of them. My pregnancy at 34 was my hardest because my bodies health and vigor was still down from an ectopic rupture the year before. My pregnancy at 36 was tiring until I weaned my 1 yr old, that helped immensely.

As someone said I don't think we are every "ready" for everything being a parent will mean. There are times that you are so tired that anything except the love for your child can not move you but you keep going. 

My one brother has an empty nest at 45, the other one has a 3 yr old at 47. I see benefits to both young and old.


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## ScarletBegonias

19 when I had my son.He's my only child.It definitely wasn't the right time but if I hadn't found myself with a failed birth control pregnancy at 19 I likely wouldn't have had children at all later in life.


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## EnjoliWoman

Almost 31 when she was born. Failed BC (well, I missed a couple pills so mis-use) as H didn't want any kids but it turned out fine - he was excited once he knew I was pregnant.


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## DoF

19, 22, 23 and 26

Pros and Cons to being young vs older

I do feel that I would've done a much better job as a parent if I was to have the kids now, BUT I would NOT have as much energy to chase them around/sports etc.


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## NobodySpecial

Curious_Guy said:


> Did it turn out to be the right time to have kids?


They were both newborns at the time.


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## golfergirl

23, 26, 39 and 42. Pros and cons to both. I do think I was a better young mom. My second husband and I clash parenting styles and he tries to be very involved. My first husband let me do what I wanted.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## hambone

golfergirl said:


> 23, 26, 39 and 42. Pros and cons to both. I do think I was a better young mom. My second husband and I clash parenting styles and he tries to be very involved. My first husband let me do what I wanted.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_



I am very involved with my kids but I let my wife take the lead on parenting... MOST of the time. When I do have an issue, I take it up with her in private. I leave the ultimate decision up to her. On financial matters, it's just the opposite.


Now, I have a brother-in-law that just absolutely loves to undercut his wife by countermanding her.


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