Savannah Guthrie, an American journalist and television anchor, got pregnant with her second child at the age of 44. She had her daughter Vale when she was 42 years old. Guthrie said she had never been more thankful when she learned about her pregnancy because she was no longer sure she would get the chance at her age.
At age 40, most women feel that pregnancy and motherhood is a blessing. But their opinions could change when they start to deal with potty training, temper tantrums and cranky teenagers. Some of these women who gave birth when they were in their 40s shared the things they wish they knew before they became mothers.
"I am always around younger women with kids my child's age, and they remind me how to have fun and see life through a different lens," said Jena McWha, a 42-year old mother of two kids ages one and five.
Motherhood, when one is in her 40s, can make a woman feel younger than her real age, despite the deprivation from sleep, according to Today. Michele Neuendorf, a 43-year old mother of two toddlers, said motherhood made her feel younger until she found out that feeling young is not always good. Those were exactly her thoughts when she started to have back acnes during pregnancy and her baby cried non-stop when she was brought home.
National Statistics Office data indicate that for the first time since 1947, the fertility rate of women ages 40 and above has exceeded the fertility rate of women ages 20 and under, as per The Guardian. This explains the increasing number of women who had their first child when they were in their 40s.
Julia Knight got pregnant when she was 40 years old and the only difference she saw was the need to get a consultant because of her age. She was also called a geriatric mother, a term for pregnant women over 35 years old.
There is a continuous increase in the number of women giving birth after 40, according to A Child After 40. This statistic is greater in industrialized nations. Experts believe women have delayed pregnancy due to various factors, including the availability and accessibility of birth control, popularity of women's liberation, delayed marriages and new developments in reproductive science.
Meanwhile, motherhood in your 40s can be pretty challenging but being prepared for the ups and downs can make a difference. So, are you a mom at 40? Please share your experiences below.
