How old were you when you had your first child?

I don’t know yet…

Well, I was 20 when my oldest was born, but somebody else did all the work. I adopted her a few years later.

Had my first full term pregnancy at….26 or 27, and my last at 28 or 29.
And yes, I was married and all of the kids even have the same Dad.
Pretty much it was all that I expected, but….I do wish something could be different, especially for my oldest daughter who is now 24….

I was 22 when I had my first son and yes I was married. I am no longer married to that person and I had my second son with my current husband when I turned 25 (it was on my birthday that I delivered). At the time, my husband and I were not married. Having children can never be ‘what you expected’ because you will never be able to expect it all.

I was 32 when my first child was born. I could see advantages to having been younger, but I wasn’t ready younger. I don’t think I would have liked to be much older, so while if I was trying to create the perfect way of doing it I would have been younger, I think in reality it was my ideal age to start a family. I was married and it has been everything I expected and more.

I haven’t any children….that I know of…LOL!

I was about 7.

I was 21 when I had my first and then 24, 36 and 39. Married for all of them.
Each birth was different, each child was different, each circumstance was different.

Here I go sprouting too much information. But anyways! I was 19, far too young. I didn’t plan him, poor sausage, I simply switched pills and fell pregnant. I was married yes. But my husband didn’t take too kindly to the new huge responsibility and split when I was pregnant. In those days I was a shy, scared, terrified person. I took menial jobs which meant my son and I were “poor”. I didn’t even have a vehicle it was really tough. Plus he was a handful! He would go to dads nice big house, with loads of toys on weekends, and want to kill me when he came back on Sundays!!

It all turned out very well though, I learned to grow a pair of balls, I learned responsibility fast, I never earned a salary that was only “mine” and mine alone, I learned compromise, compassion, I learned how to speak up for myself. My son is my best person in the world he is now 28. But I wouldn’t recommend learning all this the hard way.

@Just_Justine I didn’t plan him, poor sausage, I simply switched pills and fell pregnant. – lol, you’re funny and sweet, :)

19 and single. I was always the youngest mom, even around my youngest son’s friends. In my 40’s I was free to travel and had the money to do it!
In my MIND it was not the ideal time to start a family, but those hormones were strong and I DID have an urge and a longing to have a baby even though I knew it was not a good idea.
Life was very hard at first as By the time I was 23 I had a bi-polar husband and 3 kids.
My first husband committed suicide when the kids were 4,6, and 8 and surviving that was pretty tough.
In the end, my life is great. But the road to get here may have been a lot easier if I would have let my mind rule over my hormones.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir I just feel sometimes he was “dragged” up not brought up loll. :)

@Just_Justine so it goes, sometimes…it’s all good
@Val123 all of the kids even have the same Dad. – you’re so old-fashioned (~)

@Judi ((hugs))

@Just_Justine thats awesome thanks for sharing! (: I’m 24, expecting my first, 5 months pregnant and not planned in the least, I’m not married and my boyfriend who is a few years younger then me wasn’t exactly excited for the news, Even telling me that he wouldn’t be there and wanted nothing to do with the baby or myself after it was born..but I stuck with him hoping he’d change his mind, he’s coming around now and we’re both excited to find out what we’re having in 2 weeks. I’m hoping everything turns out well for us.

I was 40. Married. It came after many years of infertility. It required extraordinary measures. It has been a wonderful thing, and my kids were both what I expected and surprises. Some of the surprises were delightful, and others were not.

@Lothloriengaladriel it just takes lot’s of love, commitment patience and determination. Congratulations! You sound very excited :)

I don’t know what to say, but here’s a giant hug for the strength and committment you’ve all shown. I’m impressed.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir I know! When I was teaching in Wichita, sometimes I’d get a class that just wanted to really get to know me, so I’d open it up for Q and A. One kid asked, “Do all your kids have the same dad?”
I said, “Yes, but one of them has a different mother.”....and just waited for the light bulbs to go off! It was funny!

I was 36 and it has proven to be a wonderful experience but not with out lots of hard work and sacrifices. Just hearing you are the best dad ever makes even more of a thrill and so worth it.

@Cruiser that’s really sweet (:

21, married 2 years

@Lothloriengaladriel Thanks I am lucky…knock on wood

28 years old.

25 years old, married 4 years.

I was 21 years old…and gawd did motherhood hit me. I had to go back to work when he was 3 months old due to financial reasons i.e. having to pay a mortgage etc…it killed me having to leave him and I never knew you could love a person the way you love your own child.

I was such a worry wart mother…perhaps to over protective when he was little…he’s all grown up now…a cocky 17 year old lol. What I would give to have my baby boy back…with his little flat cap.

I had my daughter when he was 4 years old…by then I’d been there, done it and worn the t-shirt…so as much as I love her…your 1st born definitely leaves a more lasting impression or rather the memories are more vivid.

I thought I was waiting for my “ideal” age….but now I am “ready” to get prego and nothing’s happening. Now I wish I had hadn’t waited so long. My chances significantly decrease each year… :( Gonna keep trying though.

23, married for 3 years. Then 28 for number two.

5 minutes after i was born.

29 when my first was born. Almost 31 with my last.

I wish I had more

@Lothloriengaladriel oh, I thought you had tried for this baby, from a different thread about how long it took to conceive.

I was 20 when I had my first, but turned 21 four days later. I was not married, but we married when our son was 13 months old. We just had our second, and I’m 23. (My husband was 24 with our first, and is 27 now.)
Having our first son completely changed my life. It’s been so stressful, but so life altering in a good way. I don’t know how to exactly describe it, but our first son definitely made me grow up and I’ve never looked back. I used to suffer depression and have not had any need for medication since October 2006 when I learned I was pregnant with him. In a way, I view him as saving my life.
Of course we have major financial struggles, because we’re young and both working on our college degrees. I won’t lie, it’s hard. I never have time to study, I have to forgo sleep or eating just to get studying done. And my husband has to work ALL the time to pay the bills and get us by.
You have to be willing to fight, and have patience when you become a parent. Its incredibly difficult but very rewarding.

I’m not sure if we’re going to have more. We were going to play it by ear and see how we felt when our youngest was 2. But, I don’t know if I want to give birth again, and go through pregnancy again. It’s just exhausting and physically draining. I’m just not sure I want to go through it, but luckily my husband is leaving it up to me since it’s my body and he wants whatever I want.

29 – first, 32 – second

26

28, married 5.

Husbands long gone but my daughter is forever! :-)

I was 20 when my first son was born, just before our first anniversary. I lost my husband two months later. My second son was born 16 years later, 5 years after I married my third husband. My #2 son turns 30 next month.

@casheroo thats really nice that you got married even after the baby was born, I hope for the same, and I also hope it will make me and my boyfriend grow up a bit

and about trying to concieve no lol ): it was very unplanned but it only took a month of “unplanning” to get pregnant.

@casheroo Congratulations!

@Lothloriengaladriel I hope that he continues to turn around. If he’s excited now, and takes part in the birth, there’s a good chance he’ll be totally in love with the kid. I hope he does.

@Snarp I hope so, thank you (:

@Lothloriengaladriel Well, we were already engaged when we got pregnant. We had planned on an August 2007 wedding, but had a July 2007 baby, and put off the wedding because of health insurance reasons, and then to save some money. You get a nice tax return when you have kids lol.

I was 22 and married. It wasn’t planned so soon, but I have no regrets. 21 years later I’m still married, and we have a wonderful daughter.

I find it interesting that the vast majority of the people on here had kids later than “average.”.....Wonder what that says about the collective mentality!

Personally I think most younger women are ready to traverse the path to motherhood.

I don’t mean teen pregnancy and I think early 20’s is still quite young…BUT…IMO, it’s the younger men that are more often than not, not ready, and this can lead to serious relational diffeculties when one person is ready to make the adjustments to caring for another wholeheardtedly and the other is still wanting to be party boy. lol

I see this a lot, was my experience as well.

Ideally I think the best matches for parenting would involve the younger woman and the older man scenario, Not 22 and 45 exactly…but, if a woman chooses a more mature partner there is a much better chance of avoiding the typical pitfalls of the immature guy that is still very childish himself. Of course ‘maturity’ is so subjective…plenty of 40–50 something ‘Peter Pans’ still flying around! hahahaha