# How old were you when you had your first child? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 29, 2005, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-had-your-first-child/328433 "2005-10-29T05:30:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PinkShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/76d3ee/32.png) [@PinkShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PinkShoes)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-had-your-first-child/328433/1 "2005-10-29T05:30:32Z")
How old were you or your spouse when you had your first child? What were your reasons for waiting longer or having them earlier than expected? ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-had-your-first-child/328433/2 "2005-10-29T05:53:28Z")
I was 29½ and **Suburban Plankton** was 31 when our son was born. We waited because we wanted to be married for around 5 years before having kids. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-had-your-first-child/328433/3 "2005-10-29T05:54:36Z")
I was ten days away from turning 31 when I had my first baby (second one due in 5 months and I’ll be 33). My husband was 35 with the first one. We had been married just about 4 years when my son was born. Deciding to try to conceive was a conscious decision in that we sat down to make a five-year plan, having a baby was in that plan, and it made sense to start trying sooner rather than later. It was also, in a way, unconscious, though, because it wasn’t like we waited until we were financially in the best position or had our lives completely in order. It just sort of felt right. This second one was a little more pragmatic. We live in Australia and decided we wanted to move back to the U.S. at a certain point. If we had waited until we moved back, we would have had to wait an additional amount of time for insurance to kick in. We didn’t want that much space in between the kids, so we decided to go ahead and start trying (and it took us just under a year). ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-had-your-first-child/328433/4 "2005-10-29T06:13:09Z")
I was 25, Mrs. West was 33. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-had-your-first-child/328433/5 "2005-10-29T06:25:08Z")
My ex and I were both 22. We’d been married three years then, and decided it was time. Future grandparents from both sides agitating for a baby played a part in speeding things up. ---
**Author:** ![kaiwik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaiwik/32/3978_2.png) [@kaiwik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaiwik)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-had-your-first-child/328433/6 "2005-10-29T06:33:52Z")
I was 22 when my first was born, 24 when the second came along. Then I had a surprise when I was 31, and again when I was 33. There will be no more children. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-had-your-first-child/328433/7 "2005-10-29T06:47:28Z")
i was 39, chinawife 32, and we had been married 6 years. we weren’t actively trying but it felt right and we started talking about a kid. got knocked up real quick. 44 when the twin bambinas were born. we were on the fence about having number 2. took about 6 months of kinda trying but then we got two.o ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-had-your-first-child/328433/8 "2005-10-29T10:16:00Z")
1st: Me 35, wife 31 2nd: Me 38, wife 34 3rd: Me 41, wife 38 (on her b’day!) We were married 3 years when we had the first. Why did I wait so long? Because I’m a dumbass, and I didn’t know how much I’d love having kids. I guess I’m kind of a late bloomer when it comes to life’s milestones. Didn’t get married until 32, though my wife and I had been together almost 6 years by then. Didn’t buy my first house until around the time our first was born, when I was 35. And to top it off, I’ll probably have to retire later, too… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-had-your-first-child/328433/9 "2005-10-29T12:46:43Z")
I was 35, DH 37. I didn’t want kids earlier because I was busy doing other stuff. I recenlty met a 54 y.o. pregnant woman! ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-had-your-first-child/328433/10 "2005-10-29T13:18:58Z")
22 for Ivyboy, 25 for Ivygirl. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-had-your-first-child/328433/11 "2005-10-29T13:34:52Z")
26 for the first, 30 for the second. Despite having married at 18, I wanted to finish college, work for a while, have some fun, furnish the house, save and prepare. Of course, then I found out I had fertility problems, having spent 8 years with various birth control methods. The second was supposed to be 2 years after the first, but aforementioned fertility probs and a miscarriage delayed her. I must say that having waited was good, for me. Whenever I was tired or stressed out I could remind myself that I had asked for the situation! Also, having traveled and had a double income no kids lifestyle for 5 years I did not feel as if I’d deprived myself of anything in order to stay home with my babies. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-had-your-first-child/328433/12 "2005-10-29T13:39:53Z")
20 for me. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-had-your-first-child/328433/13 "2005-10-29T13:58:41Z")
I was 20. My husband was 22. We were both in the USAF. We’d been married 8 months & I was happily on “the pill.” One day he tossed them in the trash and smiled. ---
**Author:** ![Susie\_Derkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Susie\_Derkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susie_Derkins)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-had-your-first-child/328433/14 "2005-10-29T15:26:52Z")
I was 26, and I was the last in my group of friends (who are all my age) to have a baby. It wasn’t a planned pregnancy, either. ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-had-your-first-child/328433/15 "2005-10-29T15:46:34Z")
I was 35 1/2 and my husband was 33. We’d been married 3 years and it took 18 mos. to conceive. He’s our only child. Sometimes I think I would like another, but not really. ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-had-your-first-child/328433/16 "2005-10-29T16:23:01Z")
I was 30, my ex husband was 35. We had been married about 2 years at the time. My son wasn’t planned, but he’s the best thing that ever happened to me. ---
**Author:** ![SkeptiJess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SkeptiJess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptiJess)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-had-your-first-child/328433/17 "2005-10-29T16:26:39Z")
I was 25. My husband was a few weeks short of 27 (our son was born on July 15, Kevin’s birthday is July 29), We’d been married almost 5 months when Nick was born. ---
**Author:** ![stretch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@stretch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stretch)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-had-your-first-child/328433/18 "2005-10-29T16:31:47Z")
All you folks who were at reasonable ages when you had your kids…let’s see if I can screw up those numbers. I was almost 17 when I had my first daughter, almost 18 when I had my second; the dad was 24 and 25. First pregancy a complete and utter shock for a number of reasons, second pregnancy due to birth control failure via tampering by my ex (long, long story). ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-had-your-first-child/328433/19 "2005-10-29T16:34:39Z")
Like **stretch** I started out early also. I was 18 and my ex-wife was 17 when our son was born. ---
**Author:** ![Cowgirl\_Jules](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@Cowgirl\_Jules](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cowgirl_Jules)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-had-your-first-child/328433/20 "2005-10-29T16:36:30Z")
I was 24 with the first, 28 with the second. I’d been married a couple of years and just decided that it was time, is all. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-were-you-when-you-had-your-first-child/328433.md?page=2)