Ages of parents at birth of first child?

[kellyc]

I notice there are a lot of young mums here. You all are very brave to bring up children, especially those with spina bifida at such a tender age. At 20, I was still like a kid.

My age will be 25 and my husband will be 23 when our first child is born. How about you and your spouse?

[misty]

I'm an adult with SB, and I don't have any children yet, but I was born when my mom was 30 and my dad was 35.

[angel]

my mother was 26 and my father was 21 when my older sister was born, when i was born mom was 30 dad was 25. I was 19 when my son was born his father was older than me by 13 years. I know that is a lot but i was not smart enough then to know that age has nothing to do with maturity lol.

Angel

[leigh828]

My husband and I were both 28 when our son, Grey, was born! :)

[sbmama]

I just turned 20 before my daughter was born. Her father is much older than me, but we were not (and still are not) together.

[Dodger67]

Mom was 28 and my Dad 29 when I was born (in 1967), when my sister was born (1964) they were 24 and 25.

These days middle class South Africans tend to start their families significantly later than people in more developed countries.

My sister's first and only daughter was born when she was 35 and her husband 36. My elder brother's first came when he was 33 and his wife was 31.
My younger brother's eldest was born whe he was 32 and his wife 38.

Here it simply takes longer to become financially strong enough to start a family.
Only the very wealthy or the welfare dependent can afford to start younger. Middle class wedding couples are almost always at least 25-26 years old and take another 5 to 10 years of saving/job promotion before starting a family.

[Cookebeth]

I was 25 when I had my oldest daughter and 28 when I had my second daughter (sb).

[LysetteOlmeda]

I am 25 and my husband just turned 30 two days ago :)

[LillyPie]

I was 17 when I had my first. I was way too young.

[n3rdchik]

I was 25 when I had Kepler. Mr. Nerd was 27. We may have been young, but we were established - clueless :), but established. Sagan, My child with sb, came 9 years later. Not so much energy now, but more focused and wily.

[NerdaliciouS]

I'll tell you whenever I have some! Haha.

But my mom was 26 and my dad was 29 when they had me. 32 and 35 when they had my sister, 34 and 37 when they had my brother. :Banane21:

[cadon's mum]

I was 21 when i had my first son, my husband 24. I then had my daughter at 26 amy next at 28 and then Cadon at 34.

[Nettie]

Well, I'm part of the "middle-class" Roger spoke about, definitely not the wealthy South Africans...lol, but I had my kids earlier than some. I was 26 with my first, 29 when my daughter was born, and 34 with my 3rd. My husband is a year older than I am.

I do not consider 26 as young really. I was mature, ready and loved parenting from the start. My MIL had her first when she was 18, and her last when she was 29...:) My mom on the other hand had her first when she was 29 and her last when she was 34.

[Makennasmom]

We had been married for 3 years and had just bought our house when we decided to start our family. I was 22, my husband was 27 when we had our first. I was almost 26,he was 31, when we had our second. I was 36, and he was 41 when we had our sb baby. Our house is now paid off and I quit my job to be a full time mom.

[angel]

Nettie you said exactly what i forgot to say. I was really young when i had my son only 19 years old. I was an immature little brat before i got pregnant because my world revolved around me! When i found out i was going to have a baby my world stopped revolving around me and all i could think of was what do i need to do before he gets here. When he was born my world started to revolve around him. I never knew i could love someone so much more than i did myself, my siblings or my parents but that child is my heart, soul and my whole world and has been for the past 14 years! He made growing up fast but easy because I just wanted to give him the best i could.

Angel

[LillyPie]

Once a baby is in the picture everything becomes about that innocent baby. I was so young but I would never change anything about it. I love all my kids with all my heart and soul. They are why I am who I am today. And I really am proud of who I have become.

[smoop]

Ouch... I'm feeling like I had a super late start! My son was born a month before my 34th b-day and Analise was born when I was 35.

[laurabeth]

Our first son was just born - I am 22 and my boyfriend just turned 24.

[Kari]

I was 27 with Annalysse, 28 with Kennedi, and 32 with Zach.

[bcain]

I was 42y and hubby was 41y when we had Sarah w/ SB. I have to older children from my 1st marriage, I was 19 with my first child, and 21 with my second. We were poor, and I worked a lot and went to school for nursing, my mother babysat for me. With my younger children I worked part time, and got to enjoy them a lot more. I'm full time mom for now, until Sarah can cath herself.
I truely enjoy being mommy this time around, but I have less energy and more patience. More knowledge, less worry.

[LysetteOlmeda]

I love all the older moms :) I think it is very smart. You have much more patience, wisdom, and a steady life. I'm pretty happy with having Lyla at 25. I was a wild party girl, but I had been that way for years, it was time for something new. I feel sometimes alot of young parents regret all the things they didn't get to do, and I don't feel like that. Been there, done that. I wish I had money to travel when I was younger, but now it will be so much better to save up and travel with my family :) I'm not knocking us younger mommies either, because most of us on here took on the responsibilty of raising a children with more needs. And thats a big thing to do especially when you are young! Many young people dismiss the importance of a baby growing inside them, much less one that will have problems. Anyways I love everyone here and have learned a little something from each of you. You all are the best support system a girl could ask for ;) I can't wait for the day to add on to our little family.

[ainemc]

I was 21 when I had Caitlin and fell pregnant with her before I even finished university. I sat my final exams 2weeks after finding out she had sb. But she was planned, I just didn't think I would fall pregnant so quickly which was a bit naive of me. I've always wanted to have children young though, but it is very hard going from student life with parties and lie- ins to having a baby with extra needs. Having said that, the rewards from being a mum are much greater than anything else that I've experienced.

[eng188]

I'm 34 with no kids and no desire to start a family. The one I was born into is plenty!

My mother and biological father were 26 when they had me. My mother keeps saying she was too young, but she doesn't back it up. Age doesn't signify wisdom all the time.

Plus, wait too long, and you risk having your kid have Down's Syndrome.

[janjanwhit]

I was 21 when I had my first. 25 when I had my second ( who has sb) and 16 when I had my third. My husband is the same age. I want one more...

[Mustang Sal]

My mum was 19 when she had me (i'm the oldest of three girls, and the only one with SB), and she and my dad got engaged when she was just 16 and my dad was 20, and they married 2 years later! I asked her what she would have said if i'd have come home engaged at 16 etc and she said she'd have a been a bit upset, because we have so many more opportunities available to us these days - in the 1970s where she came from, girls were pretty much expected to leave school, get married and have kids. That said, she doesn't regret having us young for a second, and I think it's great having a 48 year old mum, because she's still young enough to remember what it was like to be young and stupid lol

If I ever do have kids, i'll be an 'older mum' - i'll be 29 next month, and there's no sign of a boyfriend on the horizon...

[starzsmile]

I was 32 and my husband was 33 when our son was born with SB

[Dodger67]

Welcome back Star! :happy065:
Long time no see! It's been more than 2 years since you last posted - where have you been hiding? :dance2:

[beckas mom!]

I married the love of my life when I was 18 in Oct of 08 xnd had becka in April of 10 at 20 and my hubby was 23!!! We may be young but we hold it together better than some older couples!! And becka has brought us EVEN closer :)

[LillyPie]

geesh, it looks like I was the youngest :kleenex: I was very naive and very very very rebellious. My daughter saved my life though, it sounds so selfish but thats the only thing that could have changed me, who knows what road I would have been on had she not come unexpectedly into my life. 12 years old, 7th grade and such an awesome kid who is great in math. She is very different than I was a that age. THANK GOD.... LOL

[angel]

Girl i was right behind ya at 19. Like you i was very young, nieve and rebellious as well. If not for him being born it terrifies me to think what might have happened to me.

Sometimes what seems like a huge bump in the road is exactly what we needed!

Angel

[Jill]

I was 21 when I had my first. 25 when I had my second ( who has sb) and 16 when I had my third. My husband is the same age. I want one more...


Amazing! You went back in time for your third? ;)

I was 28 for my first, 30 for my second, 31 for my third (with SB). :)

[lsanchez]

I was 17 also lillypie! I was a senior in high school when I had Danny! It was a schocker for everyone but I guess I got it together now, or at least making it work. At least when my son is 18 i will be only 35! I do wish I had waited thought, it is hard work sometimes.

[dahliafaolan]

I'm an only child and Mom was 27 and Dad was just a few weeks away from 29 when they had me.

[loueylewis]

I was 21 and my husband was getting ready to turn 19. Very young and we had never heard of SB before. Talk about a shocker!!

[dkagami]

Well my husband and I got married at 19 (me) and 21 (hubby) and we waited until we saved up enough in savings and thought we were prepared to start trying. We finally got pregnant when I was 23 & he was 25, I turned 24 the day before my sweet angel was born. I am so glad we waited because I can't imagine if we had her sooner than we did..I wouldn't trade her for the world :) Hoping to wait a few more years for the next one when Kaiya is older and able to help out a bit with her care :) She will be an amazing big sister someday.