A Pregnancy After 40 – The Good, Bad & Unpleasant Side Of It

Are older parents more disadvantaged than there younger counterparts? There are, as they say, always two sides to every story as more and more women are putting their careers first and deciding to start a family later on in life. Below are a list of possible good, bad and possible side effects that may have not have been anticipated. Possible Good points You have had ample time to pursue your chosen career, more settled and more financially independent than say someone who has just started out and who is struggling to climb the career ladder. Being an older mum you would or definitely should be, much more wiser and a lot more patient. Patience is a virtue at any age, but one perhaps acquired with grace along the way. rnWith patience you also know the importance of time and can come to treasure it. The older you get the more confident you become, and with the confidence you have acquired along the way you are less likely to be intimidated especially by those who may not necessarily see the benefits of having a child later on in life. You are experiencing your first pregnancy after 40 but you are doing this for you, not because of what others may or may not be thinking. With age comes experience of which there is no doubt, knowledge is power, experiences of which can be shared with your child as they get older. Children certainly have a way of making you feel younger, if you don’t already look it! Possible Bad points Perhaps colleagues who have already had their families, you see as a threat to promotion prospects should you declare that you are expecting a child late in your career. rnWith age, a pregnancy over 40 can bring with it the risks of further complications not to mention the emotional and physical toll it can have on your body. Society’s continual reminder of your age, yes you know you are an older mum, you are well capable of remembering your own age. Free time, what free time! If you had any it will have gone, for the foreseeable future at least, and if you wanted it, you can forget it! Being more protective of your child, consequently rising to each and every whim. It is very easy to spoil a child but the repercussions of this may not be felt until years later when you can least afford to deal with the tantrums and demands placed on you thereafter. Everything in moderation of course is completely fine. Possibly intimidated by younger mums, especially if you have been apprehensive in having a child now. Being more tired is going to be a factor, that is if you let it. It is even more important now that you look after yourself and your body. You are what you eat, as well as the notion that you are as old as you feel, so do yourself a favor and stay active. Most highly likely your teenager will apparently know everything and you, according to their estimation at least, will not. Your social circle may not be so great, especially if your friends have completed their families earlier on. Possible Ugly Points The unfortunate stigma given by society that somehow being an older mum is wrong. This can bring on feelings of embarrassment or even resentment, especially if you have had so much trouble trying to get pregnant. These beliefs can be very limiting and damaging to one’s emotional state. You need people around you to understand you are well and happy as is your child and not be reprimanded, even insulted, for having had what is probably the most natural thing in the world for a woman to do. This perception may bring with it totally unnecessarily feelings of isolation and hurt, especially if your social cycle is limited if none.