At one time to be a first time mum over 40 was a rarity or even a talking point, but now with former boss of the Serpentine Gallery, Dame Julia Peyton-Jones getting pregnant at 64 it has shone a light on how many women are now opting for motherhood later in life.
There are many reasons behind these rather controversial life choices. Women and couples are making sure they have a healthy bank balance, many women putting their career first before going for a family. Others have life changing revelations or regrets, and feel that they have missed out on their natural instinct to be a parent.
All to the good, but what about the health risks of carrying a child at a more mature stage of life, and even if a woman gives birth to a perfectly healthy baby, how is she going to cope with the sleepless nights and endless demands of a young baby, and small child.
As Dr Hilary Jones said recently on the Lorraine Kelly show – it is really down to individual choice and circumstance and there are no hard and fast rules. This is true but as someone who gave birth to my first child at the age of 32, and am still reeling from the shock of the exhaustion I felt some ten years later, debate whether any woman is prepared for the sheer love, joy but complete change of lifestyle a baby demands.
One lady who gave birth at the age of 57 has had the most joy from the experience, but now at the age of 66 has a nine year old who she wants to see growing up into adulthood, and wishes she had become a mum earlier in life.
A sound piece of advice from our Glotime.tv life coach is to write down a list of the pros and cons of having a child at a time when most mums are looking forward to being a grandparent. If the pros outweigh the cons then go for it, but if you have any doubt at all, think again. Even the most loving parent has those challenging moments when the baby wont sleep or the toddler is trying to climb out of the window. The responsibilities are endless as all mums will tell you.
With the evolvement of IVF treatments and the availability of the procedure throughout the World, the opportunity has opened up for almost anyone wanting to give birth to a child. So it is up to those of us who still seeking the fulfilment of motherhood at a more mature age, whether you can really see it through – after all a baby really is for life.