I am 22 years old and I'm NOT saying I would like to conceive a child now, I would like to be pregnant one day. I would just like to know the appropriate age to do so. I will graduate college this fall, and was wondering at what age should I be considering of having a child.
2007-04-24 06:46:42 · 18 answers · asked by *~the time of your life~* 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Trying to Conceive
that's an individual thing. i think 26, 27 is a good age. you'll still be young enough to enjoy your life once your kids are out of the house, but you are old enough to understand the responsibility and old enough to have good job, steady income, etc.
also, at 26, 27 you've enjoyed life enough to not miss it so much once you become a parent.
i'm 27 and we just had our first baby. i used to think i'd want to wait til 30, but then i realized that i'd be over 50 by the time they were all out of the house. didn't like that.
at my age, now, i had a great pregnancy and no complications. i have lived enough to know what the dating scene is all about and i've been to the bars and clubs and crazy life. i miss it sometimes, but i've lived it enough to have good memories and i don't feel like i missed out on anything.
i have a friend who is 24/25 and she has 3 kids already and had her first at 19. i look at her as a mom and i just think that sometimes she had to grow up too fast and i feel like her kids and her family overwhelm her and she gets really burnt out.
sure, i get that way too, but i'm a little older and i got to live a very different life than she did. in comparison, i feel that i made the better life choices.
bottom line, you know when you are ready. wait until you feel that you are in a place to provide for a baby. i'm not saying that you have to wait until you are financially fantastic, but stable enough that you can pay for a little one and they will have health care and a good home.
take care:)
2007-04-24 07:16:38 · answer #1 · answered by joey322 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's different for everyone. I was the first out of any of my friends to have a baby at 24, and I think a lot of people were predicting doom for me and my husband for rushing into it too young. We have been married 8 years now, with 2 children, and still going very strong.
I think a lot of women put off having children, only to find later on they have trouble conceiving and there isn't much time to play with for getting help. I'm not saying this alone is a reason to have children young, but it's something to consider. A woman never really knows her fertility until she tries to conceive!
I knew at an early age I wanted children as soon as possible. Something drove me to do that, even though I had a college degree. Career wasn't the driving force behind my choices - having a family was. As it turns out, if I had waited, I wouldn't have been able to have children, as shortly after my 2nd was born, I developed a condition which means I cannot have any more children.
You never know what the future holds. If you want children, and are in a stable relationship, whatever stage of life you are at (unless you are a teenager, perhaps..!), you should go for it.
2007-04-24 06:56:51 · answer #2 · answered by helly 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends entirely on you, your lifestyle, and your plans for the future. I had my son at 25, which was perfect for me. I would say when you're financially stable, have a partner who is willing and able to be a part of the baby's life, and when you're ready to cut back on the partying and drinking that tend to occur in the late teens and early 20's. It's nice to be done with your education, but that can be negotiable. I'm working on a PhD program right now, and it's turned out well that I had my son before finishing it, mainly because by the time I'm done and settled into a career, having children will be more difficult. And what if I decide that I want a lot of them? My husband has a stable job that can more than pay the bills, so it worked out well for us. When I graduate in a month and get a job, it will more than double our family income and we'll be able to start a college fund for him.
2007-04-24 06:54:26 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think there is a particular age that is best to have a child, it's more of maturity and timing in your life. If you have a stable/loving relationship, are emotionally/physically ready, and are financially ready to be a parent, those are the main factors.
I am 23 years old, married, and I'm 16 weeks pregnant. I'm happy with where I am in my life right now, but other people my age my not feel the same way. They may have other priorities in their life. It's different for every person.
2007-04-24 06:53:04 · answer #4 · answered by *Logan's Mommy* 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think it really depends on the person's life. My mother in law was pregnant at 19 and it worked really well for her because she was married and that was the direction her life was headed. I did not get pregnant until 26, but some would still consider that young. If you are going to go it alone, I think it is important that you wait until you are in a stable working environment (steady income) and have a reasonably stable home (meaning you aren't going to be moving around yearly, which is what I did after college.) Then it is up to you whether you would like to be a bit younger or a bit older, but I would recommend having one by 35, as after this age, they will put you in a higher risk category.
2007-04-24 06:54:25 · answer #5 · answered by maddie1979 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is on you. I think it is best to wait until you have a stable healthy relationship (marriage) and then talk about it with them. I was 19 when I had my first baby and I was very ready and so was my husband. I am now 21 and I just had my second child. I have a wonderful life and I wouldn't change it for anything. Other people would not feel the same way as me.
2007-04-24 06:50:31 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
What age would like to start having a family?? In this day and age, there is no exact number that is "appropriate". It should be more geared to when you feel you are ready. But I will say that I've heard multiple people say "Once we are out of debt, we are going to have children"... Frankly, I think that is a ridiculous statement. I feel that if you wait for everything to be "perfect" you will never have children. Good luck to you!!
2007-04-24 06:59:57 · answer #7 · answered by Amanda S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would say there is no magic age, but here is what you need to have in place:
1) Finish school
2) Get married
3) Enjoy life and figure out who you are and what you want to "be when you grow up"
4) Spend at least 2 years with your husband, so you know for sure he is the one and you two really have a strong, healthy relationship
5) Discuss everything first, in terms of how much time you'll take off work, who will take care of the kids, where you will live, how much time your parents will spend with the kids, where they will go to school, whether or not you want them to have a religious upbringing, etc.
6) Get your body and mind healthy, be at your optimal weight and be in good health, and take prenatal vitamins.
7) Save lots of money!
2007-04-24 06:53:54 · answer #8 · answered by purplebinky 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Any time between 20-30. I know that is a huge gap. But as long as your stable and have the money and room for a baby, and when your ready, then you should have one. I'm 20, me and my boyfriend have steady well paying jobs and we have the room and love for one.So we had one. She is very happy and have everything that she needs. I guess really that there is no set age, it just depends on you and your situation.
2007-04-24 06:52:54 · answer #9 · answered by sarah 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is not an "appropriate age" to have a child. You'll be ready when you're ready...you'll know when you're ready. Everyone is different.
I do however think it's best to be married before getting pregnant...but that's just my opinion.
2007-04-24 07:04:18 · answer #10 · answered by Jacob's Mommy (Plus One) 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋