You may have heard that women shouldn’t have babies after 35. Turns out, that’s not true. To be sure, there are potential challenges to having a baby after 35. But, hitting that birthday doesn’t mean you can’t be pregnant and gie birth to a happy, healthy baby.
Meghan Markle, the beautiful American actress who became the Duchess of Sussex, got pregnant with her first child at 37. She’s not alone. The CDC says that in 2016, more women in their 30s were having babies than in their 20s. If you are approaching 35 and want to get pregnant, I hope that encourages you!
Let’s take a quick look at a few of the pros and cons of having a baby after 35.
The Cons of Having a Baby After 35
It might be harder to get pregnant.
As you know, women are born with a certain number of eggs. The older we get, the number of eggs decreases and the quality decreases as well. They aren’t as easily fertilized.
Those factors don’t mean that you can’t get pregnant. They mean you might need a little help getting pregnant. If you’re a younger woman who doesn’t want a baby now but might in the future, you may want to consider freezing your eggs.
Gestational diabetes is more likely for older moms.
Gestational diabetes comes with its own set of risks. Babies can be larger than normal and cause more risk during birth. It can cause high blood pressure for Mom and premature birth for baby. In short, it’s not a good thing to have during pregnancy.
Older moms should definitely be active and monitor their sugar intake. Medication is also available during pregnancy if it occurs.
High blood pressure is more common in older women.
You can expect more appointments with your OB so that your blood pressure can be monitored closely.
Your chances of twins increases.
Hormonal changes can cause more than one egg to drop at a time. (Actually, I think this is a PRO, not a con!)
Your chance of miscarriage and premature birth increases as you age.
It doesn’t mean you will definitely have a miscarriage when you become pregnant after 35. Not at all. But, the older eggs I mentioned earlier increase the chances.
The Pros of Having a Baby After 35
You’ve lived it up and you’re ready to settle down.
By 35 you’ve done so many cool things in life that you don’t feel like you’re sacrificing everything to have a baby.
You’ve traveled, you’ve moved up the ladder in your career, and you know what life is about. More importantly, you’re more self-assured and because of that, more ready to be a parent.
In your mid-thirties or older, you don’t feel the need to have the world’s approval of your choices. You know who you are and you’re perfectly comfortable with it.
Confident moms raise confident children.
Studies say you’ll live longer.
Women who give birth after 33 tend to live longer, according to Boston University Medical Center. (There are also other studies that back this up.)
You’ll probably be a more chill mom.
Science Daily reports “…research has indicated that a higher maternal age is associated with increased psychosocial well-being during the pregnancy and the early days after the child is born.”
Hoping for a baby after 35?
The first step is to find a doctor who specializes in pregnancies for older moms. You can talk about the things you can do to get healthier, how to deal with any potential fertility issues and how a doctor can best monitor your pregnancy.
Ask for referrals and do your research online to find the right physician for your situation.
In closing, your age shouldn’t be the thing that discourages you from having a baby. Yes, there are things to think about and consider, but isn’t that the case for having kids at any age?
If you’re choosing this path, I sure hope you’ll share your story in the comments. I wish you all health and wellness for both you and your baby!
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35 comments on “Yes, You Can Have a Baby After 35”
I was consider high risk at 35, and truly didn’t think I could get pregnant! But almost one month before my 36th birthday, after carrying him for 42 weeks my sweet, healthy lil man was born. 37 in just a few short months…a few girlfriends have mentioned twins! It is all in the Lords hands!
I was training for a second marathon and realized I was 40 and pregnant and in the best shape of my life. I made sure I stayed fit and active and pregnancy was easy peasy. No issues at all.
No, I didn’t get to run the marathon!
I was 30 and 32 with my first two kids. My third one arrived 3 weeks after my 47th birthday. We weren’t trying to get pregnant; it was definitely a much harder pregnancy than my first 2, but he’s healthy and keeps us on our toes! Truly a surprise, a miracle and a blessing!
I had my first child at 35 and my second at 37. Both pregnancies were good in terms of baby health. I didn’t have gestational diabetes or high blood pressure. I was active through both pregnancies. I had trouble with labour, but that wasn’t my age, just genetics. I wasn’t nervvous, I got pregnant right away. My grandma was 38 when my mom was born, so I didn’t consider it a risky thing.
I had 3 children after the age of 35. All were healthy and I had no complications. Of course each pregnancy is different, but be encouraged that a normal pregnancy after 35 is possible!
I had my first one right after turning 35 and my second one at 37 1/2. I was very blessed with 2 very healthy, full term pregnancies. I didn’t have any complications that sometimes come with pregnancies at this age. I try not to take it for granted how blessed I am to have these pregnancies go with well as I know plenty of women have problems.
I had my 1st baby at 21, 2nd at 27, 3rd at 40. I know have a 20 year old, 14 year old and 8 month old. It is so much fun. Sure, it’s harder to do some things, like get down and up from the floor, but this article hit the hammer on the head. I’m not concerned about what others think about my choices with my baby. I’ve done some living and feel confident in my career. Life is good and I’m so blessed that God gave me another little life to call me mommy.
I had my daughter at 48, 15 years after my last child. My pregnancy went pretty smoothly and she’s an incredible, intelligent, beautiful 2 year old. Am I tired? Yes! Having a child at this age and doing it solo comes with its own challenges…..But I’m also incredibly fulfilled and content ❤️
I had my 3rd baby at 35 then went on to have my 4th at 40 and then my 5th at 42 well 6 weeks away from my 43rd birthday . Did not encounter any problems and wouldnt change a thing .
I had my first baby girl at 22, second baby girl at 23 and then youngest baby girl at 32, miscarried the next baby at 13 weeks which was devastating and then a baby boy at 35, another baby boy at 37 and last baby boy at 39. Other than the miscarriage all of my other pregnancies were just fine. No trouble getting pregnant or with my health and I deliver extremely fast. With the first four babies, I delivered without any medication because there just wasn’t time for it. With the last two babies I was able to have an epidural because the Dr. listened to me about how fast I deliver and started it right as soon as I was checked into my room. Very blessed to have healthy pregnancies & babies.
Nice article, thanks for sharing! I pursued having a baby on my own and was blessed to have a healthy beautiful baby boy when I was 45 <3