What Age Is The 'Right' Age?
Tuesday 31st of January 2012 | Category: Pregnancy News | Written by: Rosanne MouldingWith the amount of older first-time mothers being at a record high while the UK still holds the record for highest rate of teenage pregnancies in western Europe, I thought I'd look at the 'best time' to have a baby.
It's generally acknowledged that your teens aren't the best time to be having a baby: there's an increased risk of complications during the pregnancy; your body may still be growing yourself so hasn't had a chance to prepare for childbirth; it's unlikely that you've had time to get into a good financial situation; statistics show that teen parents are most likely to be single parents and teen parents often fall behind on their education. However, there are also benefits to having a baby so young such as: being young enough to relate to your child as he or she grows up; being young usually means being fit and healthy so you'll have lots of energy and time to spend with your child and not having many other commitments means you'll be able to concentrate on being there for your baby.
In your twenties your career being just be taking off, you'll be in a better financial situation and more likely to be independent from your parents. You'll have tons of energy and a good social life but this will be affected if you decide to have a baby. Perhaps this is why more and more people are waiting until their thirties or beyond to have children. The biggest advantage to having a baby now is that your body will be fit enough to recover quickly from the strain of having a baby.
Well experts say that the best time to have a baby is aged 34, so are they right? In your thirties you'll be even more financially able than in your twenties, you're more likely to be in a long-lasting relationship, you should be more mature and willing to give the things up which you love, including parts of your social life. Some statistics even hint that women who have their first child in their thirties have healthier children and generally live longer lives. That seems almost enough of an incentive to wait until then, however there are some downsides to having a baby now. A woman in her thirties is less fertile than someone in their twenties, meaning it could be harder to get pregnant. Also, women in this age bracket have an increased risk of genetic disorders and miscarriage.
Women who decide to have a baby in their forties are also more likely to find it harder to get pregnant and have increased risk of genetic disorders and miscarriage. However by this time you're in a great financial state, have wisdom and maturity on your side and are willing to make sacrifices for the little one.
Obviously, everyone develops in body and mind at different rates. What's right for one person might be totally wrong for another, so never feel pressured into having a baby too soon. Only you know what your body and mind is telling you!
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