I'm 42 years old and just found out I'm pregnant (this was not planned). I had my first child at 32 and my second at 40. I was nervous enough having a child at 40 and worried the entire pregnancy. Even after all the necessary testing was done and my doctor assured us everything was perfect, I continued to be concerned till my daughter was born and it clear that she was fine. Now at 42 the risk for problems is even greater. I've stayed fit throughout life, I eat healthy - cooking with fresh ingredients and drinking lots of water. I exercise, don't smoke and don't drink. This time, hovever, I am even more nervous than I was at 40. I personaly don't know anyone who has had a baby at this age. I read that it would be near impossible for a woman of 42 to even conceive with her own eggs. So I'm shocked and curious if there is anyone else who has had a child this late in life.... If so, how was it?
A family friend of ours was 45, thought she was going through menapause, went in for a physical, and low and behold, she was pregnant!!! Quite the shock to all of us! Everything turned out just fine and her daughter is completely healthy! The only complaint she has is that she's too old for such a young child and feels like she gets tired easily :)
Rock on soon-to-be new mom at 42! CONGRATS! Why the freak attack? You seem to have your life together and had a baby not all that long ago.
Women can and have successfully carried full-term babies well into their 60's! (okay, I even think that's over-stepping the boundaries a bit) but it's true! Cheryl Tiegs had twins at 52, Geena Davis had twins at 48, and many career women wait until they are in their 40's-50's to have kids.
I say have fun with it! You are far from rare. Go to all of your appointments, have all the tests done that your OB/GYN recommends, and most of all...RELAX!
Keep us posted on your progress and write more when you have other "freak-attack" moments...perhaps that will help you get through the rough patches.
Take care! :-)
~Jackie
Our neighbor had their son when she was 42! The only thing she too complains of (like the other posting) is lack of energy to keep up. But I complain of that too and am younger!
I also agree with the other posting- RELAX and ENJOY!! All worrying does is make it so you don't enjoy this WONDERFUL gift. Really try, worrying isn't good for the baby either.
Do keep us updated on the baby and how you are doing. And good luck with your Masters Degree. From one mommy that did it with kids at home- good luck and congrats! :)
...near impossible for a woman of 42 to even conceive with her own eggs??? That's ridiculous. Lots of women have kids at that age. My mom was 40 when I was born...I was 38 when my daughter was born...I used to work with a woman who had her first at 42...and I currently work with a woman who last summer had her 3rd child at the age of 45. All just fine. Just relax and enjoy it. The odds of something going wrong are higher for older moms, but if you look at it objectively, the odds are still overwhelmingly in your favor.
I hope that none of your friends or family are making you feel bad about your unexpected pregnancy due to your age. I grew up in CA and went to school back east. Until I became a stay-at home mom with my toddler, I only knew moms whose first children were born after they had turned 35. It seems we chose to wait. (I had my little one when I had turned 37 after I had been married for 9 years.) Like all pregnancies, there are risks but I think you're taking this age-thing too seriously. Remember, in the past, women would have baby after baby after baby. I know that they tended to get married young but it wasn't abnormal to have more than 10 children. So good luck!
Congratulations!! I think all pregnacies can be scary. Trust that all is fine, continue to eat well, rest, take your vitamins, etc. I don't think a child has ever been conceived without His blessings. Relax and enjoy the life growing inside you! =) It'll be ok and before you know it you'll have a sweet new bundle of joy to love.
I'm almost 45 and think another would be great. =D
Wishing you joy,
~Angie <><
Congrats, that's wonderful news! Don't worry yourself about those statistics, especially if they sound a bit on the exaggerated side... Your doctor will keep a closer eye on you, and you'll know if there really is anything to worry or not. I have an aunt who was pregnant at 45, and she has a perfectly healthy son. The only thing I remember her complaining about was that her skin had lost some of its elasticity, so there were more stretch marks than when she was younger. So take good care of your skin, coco butter and such, do the regular check-ups, and have a wonderful time with the experience!
I'm 42, ready to get my IUD out. (It's expired.) You make me both excited and nervous. I don't want another baby, but I love babies and being pregnant. (My youngest is 5, and ready to go to Kindergarten--no more daycare costs, but...)
Congrats and good luck!
Congratulations! No need to fret. You're joining what seems to be a select crowd and growing trend. I personally know mostly moms having their first babies in their late 30's to early 40's! It must be the age group I'm in, but everyone around me had careers first, and now that they're "established" are deciding just now to have children. Everyone I know is doing fine...no problems for neither mom nor child.
The other moms I know are women who started having children when they were young, but have big families and had children well into their 40's. Everyone seems okay in those cases too.
If you have no diagnosed complications, you should be right as rain. As my OB has just told me..."things may slow down a bit for some, but you can still have a baby until you go through menopause." Take those prenatal vitamins! That's really a good way to help your baby's development and eat lots of vegetables, fruit and drink plenty of milk for your bones and the baby's bones.
Most important, enjoy your wonderful surprise and experience childhood again through the wonder and joy of another child! :)
Hi Michelle-
Welcome to the late motherhood club- although it keeps you younger!!
I had healthy twins at 41 years old- full term, no bedrest.
You'll want to eat a higher protein diet.
You'll want to supplement with an omega3 fatty acid.
Yes- your risks are higher for several things: preterm, bedrest, diabetes and of course things we all hope none of us experience.
You have to decide what you need to be comfortable with those risks.
You're as young as you think in your mind. You said you're healthy. 42 now is like 32 15 years ago!!
Enjoy the journey- you can appreciate it more.
About me-
Med. Prof., wellness coach after twins, wife, 47 yo, mom of super almost 7yo frat. twin girls and staying young every day.
Brenda J
[email protected]
Thousands of women have babies at your age (millions all over the world) and their babies are fine. Thousands of women have babies in their 20's - 30's or 40's and their babies are unhealthy or born with defects. What is the difference? No one knows for sure, but eating a healthy diet increases your chances of having a healthy baby because a healthy body has healthy eggs to fertilize.
If you are going through with the pregnancy Michelle, you are in it for the entire ride. Why spend 9 months worrying? It won't change the outcome and will make an already difficult time period more stressful.
Sit back and enjoy the ride ~ your baby will most likely be just fine (in keeping with your first two). Then, get those tubes tied!
A lot of women are having babies in their 40s these days. A friend of mine had her first baby at 43. She got pregnant on the second try and had a healthy baby girl 9 months later. It was an uncomplicated pregnancy. It sounds like you are healthy and take care of yourself. So relax--it will be best for your baby. If you continue to worry you can have an amnio done in a few months. Oh, these are stories from long ago, but my great grandmother had 12 children, the last was a healthy baby girl when she was 45. A friend of mine from book club was born when her mother was in her 40s. She has an older brother almost 20 years older than she is. Congratulations on the new baby.
My husbands aunt had her last child at 42; she was just fine and so was their son.
If you are as heathly as you sound- you'll most likely be just fine too. :)
I've heard of women into their late 40's and I swear there was an article somewhere not too long ago where a woman was somewhere in her 50's, it might have even been early 60's!!! Wouldn't be my choice, But it isn't always up to us, right? Someone had other plans for you too... you are meant to have one more baby.
Good Luck, relax and try to enjoy it. God Bless.
I don't have experience having a child after 40,but my mother gave birth to me when she was 41. This was back in the 60's and I believe I turned out just fine. There was also no complications to my mother.
Many people are now having planned pregnancies after 40. I'm sure your doctor has had experience delivering babies to those older than 40. Just ask him or her.
Hi Michelle,
I have actually heard of many women who have gotten pregnant at age 42 and older, some even by choice. You did fine at 40 and you will likely do just fine at 42. Enjoy and have a healthy baby.
Peace and Blessings,
Sherry
Mamasource business owner
My father was an "oops baby" that my grandmother had at the age of 44...and that was nearly 60 years ago. He was perfectly healthy. I used to work with two women who had "oops babies"; one at 41 and the other at 45. Both had healthy children with no medical problems at all. There are always risks with pregnancy, no matter what the age of the mom is. Being in your 40s and being pregnant is getting more and more common and the majority of the babies are born healthy and happy. There's no reason why you couldn't have a perfectly normal and healthy pregnancy.
I don't have personal experience to share with you, but if you're interested in meeting other moms who are closer to your age and still have young ones, I know there's a group on www.meetup.com for moms over the age of 35 who live in the Twin Cities area.
Well, now you know someone who's had a baby at 36, 39, 43 and happily became pregnant again at 44. total now of 4 boys: all beautiful, healthy, and straight from heaven. I was a lucky women indeed.
I think you and the baby will be just fine. You are still very young and you take very good care of yourself. Congratulations!!!
Michelle,
I can give you hundreds of stories of moms who got pregnant and had wonderful births with normal babies all after the age of 40. Your healthy life-style will be a boon to you but you should know that there is no magical line that you cross over and are suddenly more at risk. The word risk itself is overused for pregnancy in my opinion. You're high risk, low risk, etc. God designed your body to be able to birth and it is a wonderful thing, a natural process. Relax and look forward to your little surprise! I am a midwife and speak from experience. Blessings to you -