omg I'm one of THOSE women

[babyzoe]

Okay, maybe I shouldn't say it like that. It sounds like I'm implying something derogatory, which I'm not.

But here's what I'm referring to:

When I was in high school and college, I thought I'd have my first between 23 and 25. I figured that I'd still be young-ish and would be able to keep up with my children both physically and mentally. I wanted to be a young mom, juggling a mediocre career with my not-at-all-mediocre children. I never judged women who decided to get pregnant at an older age, knowing that they were focusing on their careers, but I was concerned that they'd be in their 50s or (even 60s!) when their first child graduated from high school and college. But okay, that's an extreme. In reality, I just thought that it was too much to put off TTC until late 20s because that was "sooo old..I mean, you're almost..[gasp] THIRTY".

Fast forward to now. I'm 26 turning 27. I'm still trying to get established into a career path that I enjoy. If all goes well, I'll be 28 when I welcome my first LO into the world and if that's not considered late 20s, then I don't know what is. LOL. I'm comfortable with my age and I don't feel "old" at all. In fact, I still feel TOO young to be having a child. I wish I had even more time to focus on my needs and dreams. But alas, it's time to hand over the reigns.

Ha. I guess that goes to show how much you can change over the years. I'm one of THOSE women now.

 

[brenn09]

Although I thought I would be in my thirties before having my first child, I will also be late 20s (27) before welcoming our first at the very earliest- and I could well be even older I'm one of those women too!

I don't feel old and there are still times, like last night, when I feel way too young to be having babies! I know I'm an adult, but sometimes I feel like a kid just pretending!

We put off ttc, after the broodiness hit me so hard, so I could go through grad school to become a counselor and get established in a job. Almost done with the first, and done with the second, so now we're just waiting to be due in 2014 because we don't want a holiday baby.

And I still have moments where I can't figure out why anyone would let me have my own house, much less a baby because I'm so obviously not a grown-up yet!

 

[wishuwerehere]

I'm the complete opposite! I always assumed i'd be a career woman, totally focussed on that, and if i did have kids, i'd be in my 30s at least! Then i feel pregnant unplanned at 19 and my perspective completely changed. I'm 23 with one child and ready for more! I love my job but i can't believe i ever thought i'd put off having kids for that long for the sake of it lol.
I guess life gets in the way of all the best laid plans, huh?

 

[luvmyfam]

Its funny how you perspective on age changes as you age. I had DS 1 when I was almost 25. Now I think... wow I was so young lol!

 

[liz1985]

I was 26 when I had LO I'll prob be 29 by time next LO comes along. I always wanted children around this age, but I do still feel really young. I don't think it helps that I look you g so people seem to talk to be younger etc.

 

[mara16jade]

I'm almost on track with my "plan". LOL Funny how we all have these delusional plans we think we can stick to. hahaha

My plan was as follows (I'm currently 29y.o. and I turn the big 30 next month):

21y.o. - graduate from university (DONE!)
25y.o. - begin career (I was 26y.o. when this was done)
26y.o. - buy a house (DONE!)
28y.o. - get married (Planned for this summer)
29y.o - have my 1st baby (Planned to start trying this year after we get married)
31y.o. - have my 2nd baby (More likely when I'm 32/33y.o).

 

[Mrs Dragonfly]

I thought I would be older, although I knew I always wanted children. Now nearly 24, wedding around the corner and I'm ready for LO

 

[UC J]

Oh yeah the best laid plans ....i also wanted to have my kids early at least before 30 , you know get that phase of my life done and reinvent myself like Madonna ,lol get the body back to it's original state lol .oh well i have my son 3 months before i turned 28 and i can definitely keep up with 2 of them so i think you are good

isn't 50 the new 30 now ? or was that 40 ? LOL

 

[Pearls18]

I'm a "got to have it all" mum, I had the baby at 22, married my high school sweetheart that year, but got my degree beforehand, now work in central London in a good job and studying my masters to qualify...no reason why you have to be one or the other

 

[babyzoe]

isn't 50 the new 30 now ? or was that 40 ? LOL

Love it!

 

[Loubie_2012]

I thought like you! When I was younger I used to love the fact that I had a young mum (she had me at 21) and used to think some of my friends parents were really old lol. Well I'll be one of those oldies! I'm 27 and we'll start trying when I'm 28 so will probably have a baby at 29... As I get older I still feel really young - at 21 I was still a baby! I even said to my husband yesterday that when we went over to my parents for dinner it felt like a really 'grown up' thing to be doing as a married couple. He just laughed but knew what I meant - it's the kind of thing you imagine doing as a teenager (having your husband there when you are with your family) the next thing will be taking my LO haha can't believe I'm already nearly at that point - it doesn't seem like long ago I was starting uni!

 

[aubreee]

no reason why you have to be one or the other

That was my plan actually. Turns out I can't make the plans without my man

I was moving around (across borders) quite a lot and that was a relationship killer mostly. Now I am settled in my career and got a fairly new relationship which i really hope is "the one", I can absolutely see myself getting married to him and him being my kids father..but then again he needs to think the same and the last thing I wanna do is push him into things.

So turns out all my plans were fine, I did my uni and career the way I planned it but family.... I hope its gonna happen before I turn 30, I turn 27 in a few months.

 

[thestarsfall]

I'm kinda the same way as the OP...

I think when you're younger any age that is older seems like so far away and is so detached from the age you are at the time (like if you're 15 thinking about getting married in the FUTURE and having kids in the FUTURE or something). And if you were to interact with someone the age that you would want to have kids it would be a complete disconnect because there is so much maturing that happens in the later teenage years. So then once you go past all those you're pretty much the same person until drastic life events happen (re: kids) so you don't see yourself as aged as much and still think of yourself as a 20 yr old when you're getting closer to 30.

 

[babyzoe]

I'm kinda the same way as the OP...

I think when you're younger any age that is older seems like so far away and is so detached from the age you are at the time (like if you're 15 thinking about getting married in the FUTURE and having kids in the FUTURE or something). And if you were to interact with someone the age that you would want to have kids it would be a complete disconnect because there is so much maturing that happens in the later teenage years. So then once you go past all those you're pretty much the same person until drastic life events happen (re: kids) so you don't see yourself as aged as much and still think of yourself as a 20 yr old when you're getting closer to 30.

That's a really good way to put it. I've never thought of it like that before.

 

[bumpin2012]

I always thought I would be finished having children before 25. I was ready, OH was not. As it was I was 28 when my first was born and I am SOOOOO glad I had to wait. I was ready at 21. But I have a solid career that I love and am happy to return to, I had the early 20s fun at the clubs, I have built a strong relationship with my OH. We bought a house, 2 cars, 2 dogs and a cat. All we needed was a baby!

When LO arrived I had no desire to return to my pre baby life. I did not mourn the loss of pre baby me like so many women do. I really feel that getting to do all the things in life you want before kids come makes becoming a parent more exciting, less stressful and just better in general (Hope this made sense!)