I’m just embarking on the whole journey late in life. Met a beautiful young lady 18months ago. Me 41, her 28. First scan on Thursday. Bricking it!

Thanks folks, quite a bit to think about! I foresee a weekend of walks and loooooong conversations – not necessarily my doing. I’m fine about it if the other half is fine about it and that is as simple as it gets!

Financially, we’re ok. Could be much worse…. i’ll just have to put them Enve rims on the back burner OR get them in quick! 🙂

Don’t bother buying any biking stuff – you won’t be doing any once the little ‘un comes along 😉

badnewz, have you got contact details for that doctor? I could do with some advice on pPROMs.

Sorry Willard, I can’t remember his name (although I remember he had an Indian or middle-eastern sounding name) and can’t locate him on the John Radcliffe hospital website. Maybe he has left there now.

IMO the best age is to have children between the ages of 25-38, although I was reading in the “I” newspaper today that a new treatment might improve IVF success from 30% to 80%.

Neighbours either side of me are both early 40s and have just had their first kids and seem happy enough.

OP, go buy them rims! Maternity pay arrangements aside, babies can be relatively cheap to runbring up until nursery fees come along. So much stuff on ebay or NCT local sales etc.

We have one child, born when I was 34 and Mrs North 32. That was 5 years ago.

We wanted another, but it wasn’t to be (molar pregnancy). But we did start discussing the other day whether we would give it one last try.

Age (and our own health) is a key factor in this decision: will I develop the unpleasant and life limiting condition I’m threatened with and leave Mrs North with two young kids? If I develop it will I pass it on to them? If I’m OK how long will I be working to pay for the blighters..?!

My good lady was 39 when we had our daughter.

All the usual extra risks and possible tests stuff was a bit nervy but we passed on all the extra tests as it would have made no difference to what we would have done had they been positive.

Benefits of being older are you’ve usually done the partying, living it up stuff so staying in a bit more isn’t so much of a drag. You’re usually a bit more advanced career and finance wise which helps. I think you’re more likely to want to be sharing responsibility and to talk more which helps.

I wasn’t overly keen on the idea and it is hard work but well worth it. Not dissimilar to getting a puppy except you can’t lock it in a cage while you go out for 2 hours – legally anyway

we are older parents well I am , crankbrat is 4 I am 49 11/12 crankygirl is now 40 and a bit so 36 at conception.
We had some difficulties conceiving but thanks to your tax dollars we succeeded .
” has it been good? ” unbelievably utterly besotted with the boy who is a constant joy.
” Difficult?” yes in many ways the most difficult thing we have done.
“An emotional roller coaster?” yes mostly highs but also extreme stress anxiety and worry.
” Indifferent?” I was about the whole idea right up to a long and traumatic delivery . For good reason I thought he was dead and I was going to be left with a wife traumatised by the whole thing ,however notwithstanding that he looked like an alien when pulled out he was fine scored 10/10 on the post delivery assessment was then dumped on me while the team tended to my wife and I have a complete and unconditional bond ever since. He no longer looks like an alien.

The new ‘Harmony’ downs test is harmless and near 100pc effective. (Also tests for a few other chromosomal issues.)

That may or may not be of interest to you.

FWIW, we opted against Downs Tests as it wouldn’t have effected our decision (ie, we wouldn’t have aborted) so we decided it was a risk not worth bothering with.

My view is the human body is designed to be able to conceive up to the age of fifty-ish, so whenever you fancy kids is the right time. I should perhaps add that having to do a pregnancy test at the age of 51 was pretty scary! (negative, fortunately!!)