Ok so I’ve just read an article on Any Other Wedding’s Blog about an article she came across entitled ‘Too old to get drunk and party, too young to talk about nappies: A Young Mum’s trials.’ I have to agree with Fliss on this one even the title enraged me but it also got me thinking about what is the perfect age to start your family?
One would assume that the perfect time is when you feel ready? Others might suggest it’s when you are settled into your own home and are financially stable? I thought I would do a bit of research to find out just what is the perfect time in life to have a baby. Here is some of the information I have found:
Teenage Mums (19 and Under)
Positives
1. You have loads of natural energy and physical resilience, so you'll breeze through the sleepless nights and energy-draining demands a newborn baby makes on you.
2. You don't have a job to worry about, so you can concentrate fully on being a mum.
3. You're young enough to relate more easily to your child as she grows up.
2. You don't have a job to worry about, so you can concentrate fully on being a mum.
3. You're young enough to relate more easily to your child as she grows up.
Negatives
1. You are more likely to give birth prematurely or have a low birth-weight baby, and you are at increased risk of developing complications during pregnancy.
2. You are still growing yourself. This can affect the development of the placenta, which in turn can affect your baby's health. Babies born to teenage mothers are at increased risk of suffering health problems.
3. You may lack the emotional maturity needed to deal with motherhood and all the sacrifices you'll have to make.
4. The vast majority of teenage mums end up as single parents.
5. Your baby will interfere with your education, and unless you're incredibly determined, you'll find it difficult to catch up.
2. You are still growing yourself. This can affect the development of the placenta, which in turn can affect your baby's health. Babies born to teenage mothers are at increased risk of suffering health problems.
3. You may lack the emotional maturity needed to deal with motherhood and all the sacrifices you'll have to make.
4. The vast majority of teenage mums end up as single parents.
5. Your baby will interfere with your education, and unless you're incredibly determined, you'll find it difficult to catch up.
Young Mums (in your 20’s)
Positives
1. Your fertility reaches its peak in your early 20s.
2. You are fit and full of energy.
2. You're young enough to cope physically with the demands of a new baby.
3. You are more likely to be in a stable relationship with a steady income.
4. Your body is ready for pregnancy. But because you're still young, it's supple and flexible enough to recover quickly too.
2. You are fit and full of energy.
2. You're young enough to cope physically with the demands of a new baby.
3. You are more likely to be in a stable relationship with a steady income.
4. Your body is ready for pregnancy. But because you're still young, it's supple and flexible enough to recover quickly too.
Negatives
1. Your social life will suffer. You can't go out clubbing with your mates every night.
2. Work might just be taking off and it will have to take a back seat.
3. You've just got used to having your own money to spend on yourself now it's going on a baby.
2. Work might just be taking off and it will have to take a back seat.
3. You've just got used to having your own money to spend on yourself now it's going on a baby.
Mid-Life Mums (in your 30’s)
Positives
1. You're more mature and ready to make the sacrifices required.
2. You're financially stable and therefore more likely to be able to cope with a break from work.
3. Studies show that women who wait until their 30s actually enjoy better health, live longer and end up having healthier babies.
2. You're financially stable and therefore more likely to be able to cope with a break from work.
3. Studies show that women who wait until their 30s actually enjoy better health, live longer and end up having healthier babies.
Negatives
1. You could find it more difficult to get pregnant. At 35, you are half as fertile as you were at 25, which means it can take much longer for you to get pregnant in your late 30s.
2. You have an increased risk of miscarriage. Genetic disorders such as Downs syndrome also become more likely every year.
3. The physical demands of pregnancy and caring for a newborn baby - especially sleepless nights may be harder for you to deal with.
2. You have an increased risk of miscarriage. Genetic disorders such as Downs syndrome also become more likely every year.
3. The physical demands of pregnancy and caring for a newborn baby - especially sleepless nights may be harder for you to deal with.
Mature Mums (40+)
Positives
1. You are older, wiser and ready to devote yourself to motherhood.
2. You are financially stable.
3. Your working life is more likely to be settled and secure and you will find it easier to take a maternity break.
2. You are financially stable.
3. Your working life is more likely to be settled and secure and you will find it easier to take a maternity break.
Negatives
1. Your fertility is in steady decline.
2. You may have to resort to IVF or other fertility treatments which are expensive, unpredictable and physically and emotionally draining.
3. You're more likely to suffer complications in pregnancy such as pre-eclampsia, and are more at risk of needing a Caesarean or forceps delivery.
3. The risk of having a baby with Downs syndrome is about 1 in 28 for a mother who is 45.
4. You will have less energy to cope. Without help, you'll be worn out!
2. You may have to resort to IVF or other fertility treatments which are expensive, unpredictable and physically and emotionally draining.
3. You're more likely to suffer complications in pregnancy such as pre-eclampsia, and are more at risk of needing a Caesarean or forceps delivery.
3. The risk of having a baby with Downs syndrome is about 1 in 28 for a mother who is 45.
4. You will have less energy to cope. Without help, you'll be worn out!
In my opinion in this day and age I would say the perfect time of life to start a family is mid 20’s to early 30’s this age range seems to have the best positive points and the least important negatives. I fall into the average age group as I am 26.
There are no rules on when you should start a family and so there shouldn’t, each person’s situation and circumstance is different, am I the perfect age to start a family, yes, would I say it’s the perfect time to start a family, no! There will always be some aspect of your life that isn’t perfect and if we hang on until it is we may well be waking up at Sunny Acres Retirement home thinking where did my life go?!
If you feel the time is right, that’s all that matters!
Information on research available at www.goodtoknow.co.uk
No comments:
Post a Comment