Pregnant at 40
If you have had a baby or are pregnant now, you know that there are many changes that affect your body and your hormones. I sat down with Lisa, a working mom who at the age of 40 just gave birth this summer to her first child, a little girl. We talked about this exciting time in her life.
What were the main reasons you waited to have your first child? Well, the first reason is because Jimmy (my husband) and I didn’t meet until I was 32, and we wanted to spend some time together after we were married before starting a family. Plus, I wanted to focus on my career.
Did you feel that you were ready to have a baby when you turned 40? There is always something that you can use to put off having a family … you want to travel, have a career, but I believe if you wait until you think you’re ready, you’ll never have a baby! Except for my mom – she was born ready and had four kids by the time she was 26!
You mentioned that your doctor told you that you were in “Advanced Maternal Age.” Do you think being 40 affected your delivery? It’s hard to say because I don’t have another labor to compare it to. What I didn’t plan for was a C-section. Just goes to show that no matter how much you plan, things don’t always go the way you think they will. We weren’t too freaked out by it, considering how common C-section births are these days. But I will tell you this – my 40-year old body is still feeling it!
How do you balance your work with having a new baby? Since my daughter is at daycare while I’m at work, I pump breast-milk so she can have it during the day. There are times when I let my co-workers know that I will be in my “other office,” “pumping” out emails from the bathroom.
What do you think about having your sweet little girl? Oh gosh! It’s the most mushy gushy thing; I can’t really describe it. She’s hilarious!
How do you feel about being a mom at 40? Oh yeah, I’m exhausted; I’m only going to get more old and tired, but it’s great. I have a friend who has two kids and does triathlons, and she’s in her 50s. It just depends on the person.
Thank you, Lisa, for sharing your story with us! With your little one being only a couple months old, we know you’ll have many more memories and stories to share.
Whether you are having your first child at 40 or in your twenties, there are stories to be told! We would love to hear yours. Did you start having kids at a “young” age or did you wait until a bit later in life?
January 16th, 2012 at 10:49 am
We started our family young. My husband was 25 and I was 23. We are now on our 3rd and final and I will be 30 in August. Glad we started young, but it has been a big financial strain for sure!
January 16th, 2012 at 10:10 pm
We started late…I was 35 and my husband was 38. I do wish we had started a little sooner, just because I don't feel as energetic as I did in my early thirties. It's the big question a lot of new parents ask: which is better, youth or experience? Haha! Like Lisa, I think it took a longer time to recover fully from my C-section (9 months). But I wouldn't trade my daughter for anything. She is amazing!!!
January 30th, 2012 at 9:43 pm
I started late, not by choice but because I didn't meet my husband until I was 36 and had our first at 37. I'm now 42 and pregnant with our third, and often feel a bit self conscious being pregnant at this age, particularly when some of my friends have teenagers and kids starting high school. I wish I had started earlier, because I would have like to be a young energetic mum and now have my life ahead of me, but at this rate we'll be entering retirement when our last leaves school. Oh well, just grateful to have what we do.