[Familyofmonkeys]

Was just wondering how old people were when they had their kids? At playgroups etc in UK, I found I was an 'odd' age. Most mothers there (sorry dad's...not good at guessing mens ages) were early to mid thirties. There was also the usual small group of teenage mothers. I had my first one at 26, now have 3...and recently said a fond farewell to my twenties..:exit

Was wondering if this is similar in NZ....so far I have noticed there are more larger families around than I am used to seeing. Do people start having babies earlier than UK, or is it about the same?

[jubjub]

My new mum friends range from 18 to 44... most of them in the early-mid thirties though.

Most of the folks I see at music groups and classes also seem to be late twenties/early thirties with either one or two kids under 5. I am pretty much one of the oldest at most of these things, I'll say no more than I am late 30s.... :o :wah :exit

[willsken]

I was 23 having the first and 26 the second. I get the impression from others around me I was quite young having the first.

[gil]

I had mine at 27, 30, 35 and 37. On my first, I was deemed a geriatric mother!!!

Gil

[tigerlily]

29 when I had my twins. And that's going to do it for us.

[Scotty69]

32 when i had my son still in uk (hopefully in Auckland after the New Year)

[colindp]

I was 27 when my wife presented me with twins she was 33, we had a boy and a girl in one go!

Incidentally they turn 21 tomorrow...:cheers :cheers :cheers

[off2nz]

I was 23 when my eldest was born and 25 when my second was born. Incidentally, we are now in NZ and both girls are pregnant - one 16 and the other 18! Aaaaarrrrgggghhhhh!!!!!

[Carey]

I was 31, 34 and 39 for the last, when considered ancient! Most of my friends about the same although most stopped at 2 kids!

[nippa&pippa]

I was 28, 31 and will be either 32 or 33, depend on this baby's due date is too close to my 33rd birthday.....

[jackie m]

I was 33 with my first & 37 with my 2nd didn't feel too old when I was in hospital with the 2nd as 2 other ladies there were both 40. We had one of each so no more for us:no
Jackie

[Familyofmonkeys]

I was 28, 31 and will be either 32 or 33, depend on this baby's due date is too close to my 33rd birthday.....

You could end up sharing a birthday :)

[steviec]

I was 25,27,33 and 37 when i had my daughters. No more for us. Def coped better with the first two as alot more tired in my last pregnancies. Would'nt change a thing tho.
Tracy.

[bartons]

35 with my son and 38 with my daughter - I've met grandmothers at playgroups who were younger than me!

[K&CS]

29, 31 & 37. Funnily enough, all of us in our plunket coffee group (around 6 of us) are all more or less the same age - in fact I'm the youngest by a few months - lots of 40th birthdays going on.....

[Sam B]

I was 24 for Poppy, and 28 for Sorrel. I was the first of my friends by miles to have a baby, but anecdotally people seem to start a bit younger here too, I feel like I'm the same age as the other parents in the playground instead of younger.

[Lupin]

20 :o and 25.

[vixxann]

Had mine at ages 23, 25 and 31. Would say at UK playgroups, schools etc I'm middle of the road aged for parenthood - there's always been older and younger than me but I think you find a friends that average out if you know what I mean!

[Marie P]

27 30 and 33 .

I can't believe my baby is nearly 15 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Marie x

[CjChris]

Incidentally, we are now in NZ and both girls are pregnant - one 16 and the other 18! Aaaaarrrrgggghhhhh!!!!!

Ok, that does it. I'm buying a chastity belt for my 22 year old and 18 year old daughters! :wah

:D

[LesleyS]

31 when I had Roseanna - although quite a few mums in the hospital were quite obviously still in their teens!!

Regards
LesleyS

[willsken]

Just had a girl in my form leave school. She is 6 months pregnant and has just found out. She's 14 and absolutely gutted. Poor girl, she's lovely and really isn't ready for this. Luckily her mum is very supportive of her, as is the school. :no

[spudulike]

Hi, I was 31 with my son and 32 with my daughter and found people at mainly music and other groups in NZ a similar age. Plunket will try and match you with groups of Mums similar in age and number of children if you choose to go to PIN (coffee) groups.

L :)

[holland]

I think I will probably be 99 years old at this rate!

[thepiesleys]

28, 33 and 39 - all boys making 4 with Dan - destined to live with a toilet seat forever up - and a pile of muddy rugby boots - wouldn't have it any other way:)

oh and like you gill i was considered an 'old' mum with my first at 28.

How did you all "decide" how many was enough? i just couldn't 'settle' with 2 i always just felt there was one missing, very strange, maybe it is because i am one of 3, Dan i must admit needed a little cohercing! - but after the 3rd said when you have 3, another would make no difference i politely gave him the leaflet i had collected from family planning entitled "the big snip":yes

[SharpBlade]

Hi,
I was 27 with the first, then 28 then 29 (:o ) then 31 and now and 35 and expecting the fifth..A lot of the mums I know are in their mid 30 or 40 with young kids, I am glad I started in my twenties.
Laura

[Tia Maria]

Familyofmonkeys wrote:

so far I have noticed there are more larger families around than I am used to seeing.

I've noticed more larger families also. In my son's class of 25 I can think of at least 8 families with 3 children and 1 family with 4 children. Where I was from, back in the UK, 2 children was the 'norm'.

However, these families are a mix of Kiwis and expats, so maybe not just a Kiwi thing but also that NZ appeals to those with larger families?

Cheers

Tia

[steviec]

I knew four was enough for me when i was in labour with my last daughter,i was noooooooooooooo way doing this again,i never felt like that with the others and i can still remember it like it was yesterday not 16 months ago.
Tracy.

[Familyofmonkeys]

when i was in labour with my last daughter,i was noooooooooooooo way doing this again,i never felt like that with the others
Tracy.

Funny....I was the exact opposite with last one, but after I had first one, wasn't sure if I even wanted any more!

[Lupin]

We thought perhaps we'd stop at one but four or so years later decided another would be lovely. We were right :) No more for us.

[gil]

I would have liked another one, but after 4 Caesarians, my body and my consultant said "That's enough", so I was sterilised when I had Franca :(

Gil

[aberdian]

34 and 38 with our 2. Yep, we started late, after 6 years of marriage. It was nearly only one too, I took 4 years of persuasion after my wife having pre eclampsia and J being 11 weeks early........

[LesleyS]

Did anyone get a yearning in their mid 40's for another child? :yes

I'm 46 and I know it sounds totally irrational but i do get these feelings from time to time..... :)

Regards
LesleyS

[marcia]

I was 29 and 31 and we had had enough after dealing with PND for 2 years before it was diagnosed. But little surprises happen :o and we had another at 37, and surprise no PND which was my biggest fear throughout my last pregnancy. I've been much more laid back with our 3rd son, haven't felt the pressure the same and enjoyed him more - the washing will wait whilst I play with him!!!!

The mums at playcentre are a mix of ages, but i would say the majority are in their mid 30's. To be honest i haven't come across any really 'young' mums here.

[ruthyroo]

I will be 35 with my first, and planning at least one more (oh the giddy optimism of first time mums before the birth!). When I told my midwife my age she described me as a 'spring chicken' and said said to not start being concerned about age / pregnancy until I am in my 40's - so I guess there must be plenty mature 1st mums in NZ!

[zardell]

Did anyone get a yearning in their mid 40's for another child? :yes
Regards
LesleyS



No - unequivocally no !!

But totally understand those who do...........:D

Julie

xx

[Howie]

I'm 34 and no kids. I always find it strange when I meet people younger than me with kids as I think they are far to young. But now I realize that people older than me are starting to be too old for starting a family. Am I getting old?

[Familyofmonkeys]

I'm 34 and no kids. I always find it strange when I meet people younger than me with kids as I think they are far to young. But now I realize that people older than me are starting to be too old for starting a family. Am I getting old?

I don't know anyone in UK my age who 'planned' their first one (me included:) )...I always felt very young to have kids (not been on career ladder that long), but once you've got one, it just seems right no have another at some point. All the friends I have who 'chose' to have a baby, rather than a 'surprise' were in their 30's!

[nippa&pippa]

What about people "waiting" for time is right to have kids and keep telling us that they unable to find right time?? always money, jobs etc are excuses for the reasons of not right time to do it....
I keep telling them that there is never been "right time" to start have kids, just bite the bullet and go for it before too late...

[gil]

What about people "waiting" for time is right to have kids and keep telling us that they unable to find right time?? always money, jobs etc are excuses for the reasons of not right time to do it....
I keep telling them that there is never been "right time" to start have kids, just bite the bullet and go for it before too late...

Never a truer word was spoken, there is no such thing as a "right" time, although I'm sure lots of people feel there is a "wrong" time....

Gil

[Familyofmonkeys]

What about people "waiting" for time is right to have kids and keep telling us that they unable to find right time?? always money, jobs etc are excuses for the reasons of not right time to do it....
I keep telling them that there is never been "right time" to start have kids, just bite the bullet and go for it before too late...

Absolutely!!....I am glad I had mine when I did:)
I know sooo many people who have been waiting for the right time...career/money etc, who don't want to give up their 'freedom', and now some of them are having to look at IVF etc as it's not 'happening', which they may not have needed if they had started a bit younger, or they would at least have had time on their side....but it is so easy to say that in hindsight isn't it!

[Joanne100]

I was 21, 23 & 26 wen i had mine, very young but im glad i did ill still be young enough to run after the grandkids, not that im planning that for a very long time.
My friends in the uk are just starting their families now they r 35+ but they had careers and wanted to travel, i will do that after the kids have left, now thats something i am planning on!
Joanne

[Debbie P.]

I'll be 37 when my little one arrives, and I'm worried about feeling a bit old when I go to antenatal classes. OH is even more worried - he'll be 41! He had a child by a previous marriage at 24, but admits that he didn't really feel prepared at that time. He's looking forward to feeling a bit more confident this time around - and he'll be showing me how to do nappies :nice1

As for me, well I probably waited a bit too long for all the reasons given previously. I was lucky, needed some minor fertility treatment to 'get things going', but nothing really invasive like IVF. I would definitely agree with others here - just GO FOR IT if you want 'em, and don't worry about waiting until you've saved that extra money!

[holland]

:D I need to get my husband to read this post!!!!!

[holland]

.....I mean the ones about there 'never being a right time!!'

[Kerry and David]

I was 28 when I had my little man, but was 25 when I took on my now husband and 4 stepchildren :D - a slight shock to the system especially now two of them have moved in on a permanent basis and one more to follow next year!
Hubby is 10 years older than me, but it keeps him young running around after them all especially the 3 year old:laugh

[Belmont Babes]

Married at 25. 1st aged 25 then 26 and 28.

[veronica]

21 and 24.

[katandbob]

I was 21, 23 & 26 wen i had mine, very young but im glad i did ill still be young enough to run after the grandkids, not that im planning that for a very long time.
My friends in the uk are just starting their families now they r 35+ but they had careers and wanted to travel, i will do that after the kids have left, now thats something i am planning on!
Joanne


Ditto Joanne - 21 sucks being Fat and not able to drink doesnt it!:( , but as you say - its nice being thought that your the mum of your grandchild:laugh
I sure miss him and I am looking forward to November, as Rachels coming for her 21st (sooo glad her shops doing well! and shes spending it on air fare, oh well maybe my lotto tickets a winner!)

and as to....
Quote:
Originally Posted by LesleyS
Did anyone get a yearning in their mid 40's for another child?
Regards
LesleyS

Yep I had huge pangs when we got here - probably due to missing my other 2 kids and Cole, but natures took care of that emotional yearning but on the up side I don't have to pay huge amounts out on products each month
not looking to the other symptoms that go with this darn'd aging process thou
:confused: As I thought i'd be like my mum and nearing my 60's when this started??????

eek :exit