A happy mom means a happy child. But what about women who decided late to start a family? We checked what are the pros and cons of such a situation.
For everyone late motherhood means something different. For some, the age limit for childbearing will be 30 years, for others 40 or more. In medicine, the term “geriatric pregnancy” is used to describe pregnancies in women who are at least 35 years old. This age means that the attending doctor is obliged to refer the pregnant woman for extended prenatal tests. Importantly, they are carried out free of charge under the National Health Fund.
Women are giving birth later and later, because they usually want to finish their studies, pursue their careers and stabilise their family and financial situation. It is also worth noting that women today are biologically active for a longer period of time than just a few decades ago. There is also a growing awareness of a healthy lifestyle, physical activity and a balanced diet.
Giving birth to a child after the age of 35 has its numerous advantages. First of all, we feel ready for motherhood due to our experiences and life so far, we make this decision consciously.
We also usually have a strong and more mature relationship with our partner and a financial background, which gives us a sense of security. At this age we may have already built a house or bought a large apartment. Unfortunately, the unstable financial situation is often the reason for postponing the decision about having a child for years to come.
The advantage of giving birth to a child late in life is that it extends our youth. Daily care of him requires strength and to be constantly active, so there is no other way out.
Biology can not be fooled. As a woman ages, the risk of pregnancy complications increases. The older a woman is, the greater this risk. What can happen? The main ones are miscarriage, premature birth, gestational diabetes and high blood pressure diseases during pregnancy. There is a greater risk of having a baby with a birth defect, genetic defect, or low birth weight.
There is also another way to look at it. Trying to have a baby is not always a quick success. Sometimes it takes years of trying. Mature women usually don’t have that much time, moreover, after about 40 years of age fertility decreases significantly, even if you live a normal life. It also occurs that older moms have a more difficult delivery that eventually ends in a cesarean section.
Although painful, an older mom may miss important milestones in her child’s life, such as her child’s graduation, wedding, or the arrival of grandchildren. Thus, she will spend less time with her child, and because of her age and weakened condition – this time will be spent in a different, calmer way. A woman then needs more moments of rest.
Giving birth to a long-awaited child may make us huff and puff, worry and make it difficult to be independent. The difference in generations may also be a problem, so there may be disagreements in understanding, or rather lack of understanding for some of the child’s behaviors or decisions.
Main photo: Alex Pasarelu/unsplash.com
