Parents - How old were you when your first child was born?

Richand · 14 Apr 2015 at 10:57

I was 18 when I had my Daughter, she is now 12.

I have no doubt in my mind I am a better person for having her at a young age, being responsible for a child really does focus the mind.

I come from and am still part of a very poor family in the Midlands.

I'm mortgage free in 5 years time and earning a nice salary, most of my friends are unemployed and with screwed livers, worked out pretty well.

I lost my hair at 22 though....!

Arcane · 14 Apr 2015 at 11:09

I've noticed that people seem to be leaving it much later to have Kids (In London especially). I was expecting to be the oldest at NCT but (bar one couple) everyone was in their late thirties/early forties.

Tosno · 14 Apr 2015 at 11:18

I was 30 and my wife 23, both still are, we are really enjoying our nuclear family.

DR_Pingu · 14 Apr 2015 at 11:23

Definition of "child" remains unclear, pro-lifers would consider sperm and/or egg as life, therefore I was about 13/14(?), otherwise I've not actually gotten anyone pregnant yet - thankfully. Personally looking to be around early 30's before I have any kids, if even more than one. Would rather ensure I can fully support a family before starting one.

Richand said:
I lost my hair at 22 though....!

Random question: were you able to grow a beard from a relatively young age?

The IPB · 14 Apr 2015 at 11:32

I was 27, my wife was 25.

Next one is due in 2 weeks.

SilverTongue · 14 Apr 2015 at 11:37

Not quite a parent yet, baby due in June.

Live in the south and I'm 26 wife is 24. I don't think there is ever a 'right' time to have children but we both felt we were ready and as my wife works in childcare we k ow how hard it will be.

Nismo · 14 Apr 2015 at 11:40

Both 29, now 33 going on 73.

Richand · 14 Apr 2015 at 11:54

DR_Pingu said:
Definition of "child" remains unclear, pro-lifers would consider sperm and/or egg as life, therefore I was about 13/14(?), otherwise I've not actually gotten anyone pregnant yet - thankfully. Personally looking to be around early 30's before I have any kids, if even more than one. Would rather ensure I can fully support a family before starting one.

Random question: were you able to grow a beard from a relatively young age?

I was, could grow a beard at about 13 and had a "snail trail" around the same age, my friends thought it amazing! am now incredibly hairy on my body...to much info?

haz_pro · 14 Apr 2015 at 12:02

I was 21, now 24 and due to have my third any time now!! Exciting times.

tribz · 14 Apr 2015 at 12:07

LordSplodge said:
I'd say nurture is more important than nature* when it comes to what the person will be.

* Obviously genetics has a big influence on a person though, predisposition to diseases, eye colour, height and such.

Take your point, I meant though it would be a completely different person, perhaps a boy rather than a girl. Either way, it would be someone different to who we've come to know.

NotAGolf · 14 Apr 2015 at 12:16

We're both 28 and we'd like to have a child now (so would be 29 when born if we get lucky).

Obviously I can't say from experience whether it's a good age not, but I personally think it's a good time, but if we have multiple kids we may have left it a tad on the late side.

DR_Pingu · 14 Apr 2015 at 13:01

Richand said:
I was, could grow a beard at about 13 and had a "snail trail" around the same age, my friends thought it amazing! am now incredibly hairy on my body...to much info?

I thought so - so strange how there are links to everything! Being able to grow facial hair from a younger age generally leads to loss of head hair at a much younger age too! :eek:

crazy stuff, that's why I guessed (knowing about the potential link)!

Broady21.pb · 14 Apr 2015 at 18:42

I was 24 and the wife was 19 when our first was born.

He's now 24 :eek:

I feel really old now that I have typed that.

gary996 · 14 Apr 2015 at 18:53

I was 42 wife was 34

Arsonist · 14 Apr 2015 at 19:16

Thankfully my hand is not of age yet and cannot get pregnant!

But I plan on having them. 26 at the moment, buy a house by 30/31, have kids at 32/33. Girlfriend is 2.5 years younger so she would be about 29.

peterwalkley · 14 Apr 2015 at 20:19

Both 37 and we live on the Wirral, so north.

Wouldn't have wanted it any later as the wife was 41 when number 2 came and there's not going to be a number 3. Glad to have left it later in that we are much more secure financially, but the downside was my girls didn't get many years with my mum before she died and the other grandparents are over in Suffolk.

eddiemcgarrigle · 14 Apr 2015 at 20:33

I was 34 and the missus was 33.

Will you idiots please stop saying you stay in the North, proper North would be the Orkneys.

413x · 14 Apr 2015 at 20:52

If we were having children and making 'plans' it would be after getting a house irrespective of age really.
So many more things than that number if you are indeed 'planning'.

we have both strong views on No kids but if i was planning personally it would absolutely be situational. Probably early if i had a career/house early for the energy and having more common ground. Otherwise late

but for me i have so many other things i want to do etc and im only just starting doing these at 29 - id never end up with a right time if i wanted kids

Kutter · 14 Apr 2015 at 21:31

i was 38 and my wife was 25, we waited until we had been married a couple of years.

EdwardTeach · 14 Apr 2015 at 21:40

I was 29 and my wife was 28 (we live in the south).

The average age is going up, but don't let that guide you, people are leaving it too late.

Older women are more likely to experience fertility problems and the child is more likely to have health problems with an older mother. For example the risk of down syndrome increases significantly by the age of 40.The same applies for any kind of genetic disorder.

On the issue of fertility - every parent of twins I meet are around 40, and I would assume that they have had to resort to ivf. By all accounts this is stressful and potentially expensive.