What is a 'young mum'?

[Helen]

What do you think is an older mum then? Just curious because at times I feel quite old though the other day my Mum got asked if Charlotte was hers... she's 60. LOL!

 

[moomin_troll]

I was 19 when i found out i was pregnant now im 20 and i guess i am classed as a young mum but me and my partner who is 24 have got decent jobs but not as much money as we'd like lol. I do wish we were more careful and had waiting abit longer but that doesnt mean our little man is less wanted

 

[TashaAndBump]

I'm young (19) .... and I am a mummy. But, because of the attatched stigma I guess, I do not ever refer to myself as a 'young mum', and I don't think anyone really considers me as such. I don't live the 'typical' lifestyle of a young mother: I'm married, have a stable income and home... Life is pretty easy for us - I guess I'm really lucky. I'm not saying that young mothers who are single, or less well off financially, do a lesser job as parents - but I am saying that few people I meet think of me as a 'young mum' because they tend to expect younger mothers to be single and hard up - which is a stupid preconception tbh but I caught up with an old teacher of mine recently (who knew my age but nothing else...) and she asked me "How are you coping? It must be hard being a single mum at you're age - Does the dad take any interest?" Oh how I loved that smug feeling as I told her that I am married to him - should have seen her face! lol

To answer the question anyway, I'd say that what is socially considered a young mum in the UK is about 23 and under... But how good a parent is has very little to do with their age...

 

[BurtonBaby]

I dont think there is a set age, but I would rather be called a young mom than an old mom I guess lol. People mistake Erica for my moms daughter too. She has to tell people all the time that she is Grammy. I dont think that age indicates how well you take care of your children tho. I'll be 21 in a couple weeks, and DH will be 22 the same time, and if I dont say so myself, I think were great parents.

 

[Linzi]

Well Im 21 and always thought of myself as a young mum, but Im not allowed to go to the young mums group around here so *shrugs*

xxx

 

[lorrilou]

Well Im 21 and always thought of myself as a young mum, but Im not allowed to go to the young mums group around here so *shrugs*

xxx

thats the same up here too.you've got to be under 20 to go to young parents groups. which is a shame cos i would of loved to have been able to go to one when i had nicole.

 

[Sara]

I feel like an older mum but that might be because I was expecting to have a baby a lot earlier than this! (I'm 27)

 

[bev309]

I was 15 when i had my daughter - so a really young mum - & 30 when I had Jack, so I have experience of both ends of the spectrum I guess (although I don't consider myself old by any means!)

 

[TashaAndBump]

I'd say an older mum is somebody over 40... but as with the younger side of things, I don't think age (whether old or young) has a direct impact on how good a mother your will be...

My mum always worried that she was too old to be a mum again and what people would think of her (she's 44 now, was 41 when she had my brother, and had another baby 3 weeks after I had Anna) but I always told her that if she was too old to have kids, she wouldn't have got pregnant! Our bodies know what they are doing

 

[xarlenex]

By age..I would consider under 21 as a 'young mum'. However..Maturity has way more impact than age. My cousin is 23 and thee most immature guy ive ever met, his girlfriends the same, god only knows what would happen if she feel pregnant. And im only 18, But way more mature than some others.

 

[AppleBlossom]

I'd say 21 and under

 

[TashaAndBump]

By age..I would consider under 21 as a 'young mum'. However..Maturity has way more impact than age. My cousin is 23 and thee most immature guy ive ever met, his girlfriends the same, god only knows what would happen if she feel pregnant. And im only 18, But way more mature than some others.

I had no idea you were only 18 - You always come across much older...

 

[trishk]

bh but I caught up with an old teacher of mine recently (who knew my age but nothing else...) and she asked me "How are you coping? It must be hard being a single mum at you're age - Does the dad take any interest?" Oh how I loved that smug feeling as I told her that I am married to him - should have seen her face! lol

I know exactly what you mean I'm 23now, I was pregnant at 19 after 2 years of trying. People presume that both my boys were accidents because of my age and that I must be single with no money and no future. They don't expect me to be married to their dad to have planned them and to be working as a junior accountant and about to finish college as an accountant. I just find it really cruel that people think you are a terrible mam because of your age.

 

[lorrilou]

I know exactly what you mean I'm 23now, I was pregnant at 19 after 2 years of trying. People presume that both my boys were accidents because of my age and that I must be single with no money and no future. They don't expect me to be married to their dad to have planned them and to be working as a junior accountant and about to finish college as an accountant. I just find it really cruel that people think you are a terrible mam because of your age.

that bugs me!! i can remember being at work when i was pregnant with callum and a customer came in and we were chatting and when i said that i had a 4yr old at home he was like "your a typical prudhoe lass" (prudhoe being where im from and apparently everyone has kids young!!!!) and i was like WTF!! and when i told him both kids were from same dad and that we'd been together for 6 1/2yrs, he was all like oh well thats different then!!!

why is it that people assume that because your young and have kids that they must be by different dads and that your on the dole!!!!

 

[moomin_troll]

I saw a girl i went to school with who hasnt spoken to me in about 10 years and soon as she saw i was pregnant she decided to say hello n asked how far gone i was then said "are you still with the dad?" what the hell kind of question is that! I could have swung for her i just simply replied yes i am we are very happy and getting married thanks and walked away