Having a Baby After 35?

I had my first daughter at age 35. She is now 18 months and happy and healthy. We did get the gentetic testing done while I was pregnant but they said 35 is not such a big deal any longer. They will give you all of the statistics. The stats can make it sound a bit scary but the chances of something being wrong due to age are very small. If you already have two happy, healthy children, go for it.

Hello J.,
We have been married for 27 years. We had three children when I was over 30. One when I was 31, one at 35 and the other was when I was 40.(He was a bonus baby.) I didn't have any problems with either pregnancy. It is harder to lose the weight after 30, though, but they keep you young!
B.

I delivered my son a month shy from from 39th birthday. Uncomplicated pregnancy, and smooth birth.
J.

Hi J. ... I had my first baby when I was 38 years old and had absolutely no problems whatsoever. As a matter of fact I am still amazed at how easily the pregnancy went. Towards the end my iron was a little low but I took iron tabs and it corrected the problem very quickly. My son was born healthy and has stayed that way. He will be two in March. On the flip side, since then I've had two miscarriages, the last one ended in emergency surgery because of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. I nearly bled to death. I apologize for my bluntness and am not trying to freak you out, but there are times when even though things seem okay, everything is not in our control. Just don't let that stop you if you really want another child. I'm 40 now and am still trying! I suggest working closely with your doctor if you have any concerns at all. Get an exam to make sure all your "parts" are healthy and then just really take care of yourself! If you're like me, I'll take whatever comes cuz in the end it is sooooo worth it!

Hi J.,
I had TWO babies after 35! It was a new marriage and my husband didn't have any children, and I had two older kids 10 & 13 at that time. So when I was 37 I had a baby girl. Since my older kids had each other, I said I would try again so Michaela could have a brother or sister (but only if I got pregnant before I turned 40). Well, I had my son Brendan two mos. before I turned 40. It's been fabulous...he is now 10 years old and she is 13. They are also an aunt and uncle now, so it's kind of cool! And mom is 50! I really wouldn't change a thing. My pregnancies were fine, in fact the last one was the least difficult of all of them! My 13yo daughter does have Down Syndrome, but after testing found it wasn't genetic. They said a "fluke" of nature or something like that, but we would have had her anyway. So with Brendan (10yo) we did have the testing done in case of birth complications, and he didn't have it. Hope this helps!

Hi, J.. I am now 48,and had my first child at 39. I have 3 boys. My latest born when I was 43. I love being an older mom. You can focus on your kids, and not the pettiness of being younger. It's awesome. I'm patient, I love them to death, and I've already lived my life, so I don't feel like I'm missing out. We also have more financially to offer them, since we're older. I am active, and that makes a huge difference. I have had minor issues, but easily resolved 1. gestational diabetes with each child (resolved with birth) 2. High blood pressure with each child (resolved with birth 3. abnormal alpha feta protein readings that were determined to be false positive with a genetic ultrasound . All in all, not too bumpy of a ride. And worth every single minute of it. HOpe you go for a 3rd. I wanted to do a 4th at 45, but my husband was done.

Hi J.,
I had my first baby at 31 with no complications (except he was breech so I had a c-section). I had my 2nd baby when I was 35. The 2nd pregnancy was harder on my body. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes which could not be controlled by insulin so I ended up having him at 35 weeks but he was perfectly healthy. I had another c-section but I felt recovery time was easier the 2nd time around. Most of my friends are 35 and older and still having babies without complications.

I think the trickier part is getting pregnant over 35. Good luck to you!
T.

We had our 4th when I was 35. No problems at all! I exercised throughout the pregnancy (stationary bike until 36 wks, low-impact aerobics until 38 wks, walking, yoga, & gardening up to delivery day). Pampered myself by taking a short afternoon nap when possible, & had a massage every 4-6 wks (as result, had less swelling, back & leg pain than with 3 previous pregnancies at younger ages). Doctor had warned me that labor might take longer (due to the uterus being sort of stretched out from 4 pregnancies), but was the shortest of all (4 hours, 2 pushes, minimal tearing, no pain meds at all, baby 8#). Up to shower right after delivery! Am now "suspecting" we might be "expecting" our 5th--I'm 38 :). So I say, go for it! (BTW, my mom had me at 39, & my sister had her 2nd at 40 & her 3rd at 42, all with no problems.)

I just had baby #6 (oopsy) at age 45. I have 5 other children all born before I hit 30 and married. I'm now a single mom with a 22 month old with Down syndrome. The pregnancy was complicated with low amniotic fluid levels and baby having heart problems. I had lots of tests with her. Don't let the Down Syndrome scare you. I still think the odds are against you that you'll have a child with problems. I, too, had complications with high blood pressure, but I had complications with the others when I was younger. I say go for it. Though I'm more tired than I was with my other children (but take in the fact I'm single and have a special needs child, along with the age). My first grandbaby was born 6 weeks after my baby. She is my angel, the joy of my life... the reason I get up every day and she makes me smile no matter what. Also.. with age I find myself less stressed over the little things I fussed over when my other kids were young. I'm more relaxed and tend to enjoy her more than I was back when. Don't let your age scare you. Heck in my book you're still a young'n :) Good luck. J.

I had my first baby at age 39! It was not easy, but it was worth it! It just seems like it is harder when you're older. You get tired faster, etc. Also, I got toxemia and ended up having a c-section. I would not let these things deter you, though. Whatever you have to do, its worth it.

Hi, I had both of my babies after 35. I was 38 with my first and 40 with my second. The biggest cause of concern is the increase in the potential of the baby being born with a genetic disease (Downs, Spina Bifida, etc) Today, women are having babies later and later in their life without complications. You will most likely have to have some genetic testing (Amnio, CVS, Quad screen, etc) to determine if there is a cause for concern that the baby may have a genetic disease. I felt great through both pregnancies and both my babies are perfectly fine. Since I was willing to accept the fact that if I had a baby with the markers for Downs and would not terminate the pregnacy, I opted to just have a blood test and ultrasound that was non-invasive like and Amnio or CVS test. I had what they call a "Sequential screen" and they did two blood draws about 3 weeks apart and an ultrasound that measured the fluid in the back of the neck where a measurement of 3mm+ meant that Downs was more likely.

Waiting for the resutls of the genetic testing can be a bit worrisome, but if you are a relatively healthy woman and your other children are healthy, you shouldn't have much cause for concern.

I had my fourth baby when I was 36. The pregnancy and birth went fine, much like my other three. I say go for it!

Thirty five is usually the age that geneticists say chances of problems with babies start to rise. So there is only a slightly higher chance of a genetic problem. I am the daughter of a mom who had me at 39. I am glad my mom took a chance on me.
L.

I had my first at 31, my second at 34, and my last at 36. The major difference between the first two and the last was that the doctors wanted me to have more tests with the last one because of my "advanced maternal age." However, we knew we weren't aborting no matter what so I held my ground on the no testing (except the glucose test which holds no risk for the fetus). I did get an umbilical hernia but I believe that was because I was helping my sister-in-law by holding up the wall to a climbing fort she was putting together in a strong wind. If you want a third child, go for it!
S.

Hi J.,
I had my first baby at 36 three months ago. The only problem I had was gestational diabetes (your risk goes up with age) but even that was not that big a deal, controllable with diet. So I say go for it! The birth itself was great and recovery fine. And the baby was perfect!! My mom had kids into her forties and no problems either. Good luck!

Well, I noticed you have a 16 month old, I bet it woud not be much difference just a couple years later. How did that pregnancy go?

I have two kids, and they were both born after I was 30. I wish you luck in your decision.

I had my first child at the age of 37 and my second when I was one month shy of turning 39. My husband was 42 and 44 at the time of their birth. While many OB's consider you at "high risk" after 35, my wonderful doctor was just the opposite and assured me my pregnancy would go smoothly. He was right as I did not experience any unusual problems and everything about my pregnancies was normal in every sense. I have two beautiful, healthy children who do not have any health issues other than the occasional cold. While sometimes I feel I may not have the energy that a 25 year old mom may have in keeping up with the two of them, they keep me young! So my advice would be "GO FOR IT!" Best of luck to you!

J., not a problem at all,
all is well, I have several friends (moms)
who got their babies around 40s,
and they are all healthy and happy.
Send out positive thoughts and feelings,
have no doubts , as your energy works for it also:
you are the big part of this creation, right?!
So, feel confident, happy, willing, and assured,
and all your prayers and feelings and thoughts
will hit the point.
Good luck, J.,
be happy, always have a causer to smile!

The "risks" of advanced maternal age (this is really an antiquated term considering that 35 isn't "old" to be having babies anymore) are small, when looking at the research you don't see a significant increase in the rates of stillbirth or downs until after 40 yrs of age, and even then it's a small increase. As for birth, more AMA Moms (with first time pregnancies) have c-sections (more than half of them unnecessary) More AMA Moms end up being induced (also unnecessary) Basically Docs run scared without any real reason to considering the utter lack of scientific evidence that would suggest an "older" mom is at any higher risk.

Hi J.; I am 35 and just had my 2nd baby 2 weeks ago. I will be 36 in August and I still want to have another one in the near future. I did not have any issues during my pregnancy; I did have to be induced w/ both due to having pre-eclampsia. Both of my girls are healthy. My husband and I did not chose to do any genetic testing that they recommend if you are over 35. The reason we chose not to is because most of the tests are not 100% accurate and there could be a chance of a false positive; I would have worried through the rest of the pregnancy and we wouldn't terminate the pregancy. My ob/gyn is in her early 40's and just had her last one about a year and 1/2 ago and she is all for being "older" and having more children.
Thank you

J.,
I am not a 35 yr old mom but, my mom was 38 when she had me some 30 yrs ago. I am fine and she didn't have any problems except for a hurrinated navel.

I wish the best of luck in your decision making process.

A.

I was 35 when I had my last of 7, I can say every test I took during the pregnancy came back positive, my baby should have downs, strep b positive (I was and not enough time to get anti-biotics in) I almost was diabetic ect, I seem to have fallen on the extreem side of everything, but my baby is and was perfectly healthy, the preg was really no different then any of the others.

My mom gave birth in her early and mid forties, I have a brother and a sister the same age as two of my older kids, and her preg's were easy with no coplications, and my siblings are in good health. You here of woman having children late in life all the time w/ no complications, of course there is always a risk, but that is true no matter what age the woman is, nothing is 100% fail safe. Good luck in your decision!

J., hey there! I say that if you feel like you want to have a baby...go for it! I am 36 and preganant with our third. I have terrible pregnancies and so have had an IUD for over three years. We had felt that we wanted another child, so we started seriously looking into adoption...just a few weeks later, I found out I was pregnant. We are thrilled...and shocked! I have had no problems so far and I feel great! My mother, and most of the older women I know...aunts, grandma, friends, have had children well into their early 40's with no problems. The risk factors truly only go up slightly in your late 30's. I personally think you should trust your feelings and do what you feel you should do. Our bodies are amazing!

All I can comment on is that my Mom was 41 when she had me and 42 when she had my younger sister. Neither of us have ever have any problems and are both rather intelligent. My sister is currently a nurse in the NICU and always made college seem like it was easy. I know there can be risks when children are born later in the mother's life, but my sister and are proof that it not always the case.

If you both really want more children go for it!! By the time people get to their mid 30s they are usually a little more laid back, patient, more secure, more confident and make much better parents. I enjoyed being a mom more after 35. This is becoming the norm, it is not unusual at all.
We wish you the best!!

Hi J. I am the mom of 6 kids, two of which were at 35 and 37. Nothing was different with those pregnancies compared to the earlier ones. Of course as we get older we do get tired out a bit more easily and losing weight it tougher...We made sure to have the amnio done to be sure there were no genetic problems. It is a completely safe and reassuring procedure. It hardly hurts..less then have blood drawn. Having this done eased our minds about the health of the baby. I am happy to have had the experience of having more children and wouldn't trade it for the world~

I am a nurse and see healthy happy moms (35+) and babies all the time. I have heard it is a little harder on the body as you get older, but not enough to not have babies. Good luck with your decision.

My wonderful mother had her last baby when she was 42 (9 children in all). I have had five (I am 32 years old). I think our bodies get tired more easily and a little more achy with each pregnancy. There is a greater risk of having a Downs baby. Overall if you are healthy I think you should go for it.

Hi J.,
I had my son when I was 36. It was my first and only. Actually I did fine and so did he. The doctors start getting weird at the age of 35 and request more tests...like blood sugar and amnio. I say don't worry about it but be prepared and decide which tests. I did the tests they recommended as long as they didn't involve and were invasive to the baby. I did not do an amnio for instance. Best of luck, my son is now a very healthy 13.
Sincerely,
S. H.
http://YesToSuccess.net/S.
helping families with health and wealth for over 11 years

J.,
I had my 1st son at 37 years old. I think if you want another one and evryone thinks you're up for it(doctors,husband,family)then i say go for it.I had a few problems because i am a diabetic with high blood pressure.

Hi J..
I am an older mom. Had my first when I was 29.5 and my last when I was 39.5. Had the second when I was 37.5.
Troubles with pregnancy? Well, I had high blood pressure with the first and gestational diabetes with last, but just monitored my bloodsugars and watched what I ate. I refused to have an amnioscentesis done and all those test for when you are over 35. I don't believe in abortion and was gonna take what the good lord gave me. I didn't want to have to worry about "false" positives. I am a nurse and through the first I read "complications of pregnancy" and it scared me to death...Would NOT recommend anybody do that. I have 2 absolutely beautiful, intelligent and healthy daughters... My son, the oldest, is also very smart and goodlooking. I really wasn't ready to have kids any sooner and I wouldn't trade them for the world. All of mine were C-sections...I tried for a v-back with the second, but I had an old back injury and it just didn't work out. Had to be induced on all three anyway. I don't think that had anything to do with my age though. I have friends who have had an "oops" in their mid 40's and delivered healthy babies without problems.
I have homeschooled my children at various times. If I had to do it all over, I wouldn't give my kids immunizations, and have stopped doing that. I am now 51years old. If you want another child....go for it. Mikkey

I was wondering the same thing.

Go for it. My aunt had both her daughters in her late thirties/early forties and they turned out great. I know everyone is not the same but if you are healthy and take care during pregnancy your chances of having a normal pregnancy are great. There are people having kids in their 60s now, 35 looks pretty good. I wish you luck if you pursue it.

Hi J.,

If you want another child, go for it! I was 36 when our first child was born and 38 when our second child was born. Both pregnancies were great! With the first one, I wouldn't have known I was pregnant if I didn't know I was pregnant. After some tiredness and sore breast the first month I didn't have any pregnancy symptoms. At 37-weeks gestation with the first pregnancy they did diagnosis me with pre-eclampsia but that can be common in first time older moms. I've also since learned that eating a high protein diet can help eliminate pre-eclampsia not too mention that the diet itself is good for the pregnancy. Both labor & deliveries went great for me! I had very quick labor & deliveries, unmedicated and with no complications. Both child are healthy and happy!

Good Luck!

J.

I was 37 when I had my 4th child. There is a 9yr age difference between him & his older brother. While my older kids all say they love their younger brother they say it's a little more of a challenge to be close to him due to the age difference. I did not have any problems with my pregnancy or delivery. Now that all my kids are grown & out of the house it's like raising an only child. My husband (his father) passed away when my son was 7yrs old. That was a very difficult situation for all of us, however I have since remarried 2 1/2 yrs ago. My husband & my son are very close. Since your oldest is only 3 1/2 yrs & if your marriage is good & loving I don't see where there would be a problem. Another thing to consider is can you financially afford it? I am 54yrs my oldest is 30, then I have a 27 yr old & a 25yr old & my youngest is 16. Do I have any regrets having a child when I was 37? For the most part I would say no. I will admit that sometimes as I near the age of retirement I think I would like to move to a warmer climate but this will all be put on hold until I know that my youngest will be able to be on his own.I hope you find this helpful. For me the choice was a difficult one to make as in my previous pregnancy I had miscarried when I was 5 1/2 months along. I am glad I decided to have another child, he is such a joy !

Hi J., I had a baby when I was 37. He is my 4th child. I had high blood pressure, but I have had high blood pressure since I was 25. It was hard to control. That is the only problem I had the delivery and everything went fine. I had a healthy 7# 7 oz baby boy and that was 2 years ago.

I had my third baby at 37. It was a harder pregnancy in some ways but nothing major. The morning sickness was rough because I was experiencing blood sugar swings that were hard to manage, but younger women have problems too. My stomach muscles are not as strong as they used to be so I had a large belly without a lot of abdominal support (pendulous abdomen) which created a lot of lower back pain.

I had a homebirth, and my age didn't affect the birth at all, but postpartum was probably the hardest part of the whole pregnancy, as I was pretty exhausted and it took longer to recover my usual energy level.

I think it gets to be more of a risk in your 40's. I think the high-risk classification after age 35 is a bit overcautious. I do know that first-time pregnancies in the late 30's/early 40's tend to result in long arduous births, but not necessarily difficult pregnancies.

Dear J.,

I had three babies after age 35 with no problems. Be encouraged!

B.

Here is some info for ya,
http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp094.cfm

In my research, I saw how age of the mother plays such a HUGE roll in genetic disorders.
For down's syndrome only (no other chromosomal disorders included):
A mother of the age of 20 has a 1 in 1,667 chance of having a down's baby. That means for ever 1,667 moms, 1 baby will have downs. (some reports say even more)
At age 36, 1 in 289 will be downs.
At age 40, 1 in 106
At age 45, 1 in 30.

I'm 35 (36 in March) and have been trying to get pregnant for over a year. The risks increase as you get older so It’s a personal decision, I have a friend who is a few months younger than me, she will stop TTC when she hits 36 and not for her but in fairness for the unborn.

Me, I'll keep trying either till I can't anymore (God takes away that choice) or I just decide not to anymore, but I'm far from deciding against it. I can see me trying until I'm 40+ if I don't get pregnant between now and then (I hope it doesn’t take that long) .

GL on your decision.

I am the mother of three children..two girls who are 11 and 7 and a 6 month old son. I had my son when I was 41 years old. My pregnancy was difficult but the birth was the most relaxing. I feel that I am a much calmer mom at this stage in my life but I do recommend that you get as much rest as you can. I would not change anything!!

J.:

I think having a baby is up to you, your husband and your OB. If your are a healthy woman who takes care of herself then by all means... go for it!

I had my 2 1/2 year old at age 37 and we both are fine. I would love to have one more baby and I am nearing 40. I guess I never really think of age as a deterrent to adding another baby to the family.

Good Luck!

I was 36 when I had my 3rd child. It was actually the easiest pregnancy of the 3 - and the first 2 were pretty easy. The only thing that's been harder is getting my body back into shape.

i had my first and only at the age of 38 and no problems. and a friend of mine had her first at 37 and her second at 39. andshe didnt have any probelms either!!! so good luck!!

I had my baby at age 38 and was nursing into my 40th year. While I can say you will notice a difference in your body aches and pains, while carrying, and a little slower response to running after a toddler, it was still worth it. After all, didn't one of those Hollywood types have twins at 50 and there are lots of women having babies in their 40's now. You will be fine! Don't fall prey into the fact that the doctors consider it more at-risk. Yes, it's medically true that you may have a slightly higher risk of downs, but just don't worry about it. You can have genetic testing done if you want.

Hi J.-
I had my third child last year when I was 36. We too were nervous about having a baby after 35. I found it comforting that the doctor's took that into consideration and gave me the option of extra testing, etc... The only testing that we took advantage of was an early ultrasound that was in 3-D.

We now have a loving 1 year old girl. I'm so glad that we decided to take that chance.... I also believe that God definetly has a plan! I had a miscarriage after our second child. After that we decided to try this last time to see what would happen.

She truly is a gift! Hope that helps! K.

I had two after 35, one at 35 and one at 37 and had no problems. In fact my last birth was the easiest by far. I didn't really see any big differences for me. Be sure to take your vit. ahead, though. Other wise, I think it was a piece of cake.

I had my third one at 35 and also had twins at 37 and didn't have problems with either. My doctor wasn't even concerned about me having twins at 37 and that's usually alot harder pregnancy. I wouldn't worry about it - if you want another child go for it! The weight may be harder to take off afterwards, but it's worth it. Take care of yourself and have a great pregnancy!!

Hi-
I conceived my son, who is now 3, at 34 and gave birth at 35. We are both healthy as horses, and I had a fabulous pregnancy! Go for it!

Hi J.,
I am almost 38 and am pregnant with my fourth baby. So far, this has been the healthiest and easiest pregnancy for me. I say "go for it". So many women are waiting until they are older these days. I know a few moms who had their first baby at 40 and are doing very well.
Best of Luck and try not to worry!!
C.

Go ahead and have another baby! I know someone who had a beautiful homebirth, no complications, at the age of 50+!!!!

J.,
I have a good one for you! after being married 19 years and wanting kids suffering 1-2 miscarriages we finally had our bundle of joy and celebrated our 20th anniversary when he was 3 months old. I was 39 when I had him. The pregnacy went perfect and he was born healthy! I'm sure there are not so happy endings but it was great for us . Deb Winslow

I had two children after 35 (38, 41) and both pregnancies went perfectly fine-no different than the others. Both girls were and have been since perfectly healthy and normal.

Dear J. H, We had our first child at 36, second at 38 and the third at 41. It wasn't until my third that I thought maybe I was too old. The pregnancy, birth and baby were fine. I did feel like my recovery took a bit longer but really I had more willing helpers for all the little things. Our third really is a blessing as they all are. A family of five really feels just right. I must admit that when I see a newborn I ask myself if 43 is too old. Good luck with your jouney.

I had my daughter at 36. We were, and still are, very healthy. I take care of myself for starters,and was very good during pregnancy, I followed all the rules, light excercise, eat good, lots of water etc............. My doctor told me I was doing alot better at 36 than alot of the younger moms. I did the extra bloodwork needed but since that came back fine, I declined the amniocentesis. I just couldn't stand the thought of a big needle in my abdomen....and I don't think I would've changed anything if I had received "bad" news. I also have friends who did the carrer first and are now starting to have kids...............I'm 39 and wouldn't think twice about it!

I actually had my first baby at 35yrs, and I am SO glad I waited! I feel I am more of a patient mother and can appreciate this time with my daughter. Since you already have 2 kids, this may not relate, but I wouldn't let the age thing change your mind. You may have to have an amnio since Dr.'s usually recommend this after 35. I am planning on having my second and I will be 37. Good luck to you!

Please, have another baby if you want one. You're young! I had my first at 34 and second at 36 and got my tubes tied afterward because I thought I was too old to have another. Maybe the recovery was longer (I wouldn't know because I have nothing to compare it to), but now I realize I was silly thinking I was too old and my Dr. thought so too. I had issues durring and after, but nothing major and I have a perfectly gorgeous, happy, and bright little angel in my life. Please, have another one!!!

J.,

I am the oldest of nine. My mom had us mostly two years apart; my youngest brother is younger than my oldest son. I believe she was 40 when she had him. She had one at 36 too. It sounds taxing on the body to have several children and continue to do so when you're older, but she never had a complication with any of us. Just long labors:)

Good Luck,
A.

I will be 40 in a month and had my first in jan of 04 and my second in november 04.
every person is different with their physical fitness and pain threshhold etc. even after 35. my opinion would be if it wasn't that long ago you had your son and physically in good shape you shouldn't have any problems with a third one at 35-36. sure it can get harder to just get pregnant as you get older and no one knows for sure when that time is for each person. or how in a year or two our bodies can change and not do well with it.
my situation was very different. had 6 miscarriages bewteen 30-35. with ex husband. but had no problem getting pregnant.
i don't think my age had anything to do with my daughter coming 12 weeks early, why they are both born in 2004. i think it was just my body not having enough time to recooperate and just my own personal physical fitness where that is concerned. so even though my second pregnancy was difficult with my water breaking at 26 weeks and bedrest and a 77 day stay in the nicu for my daughter, i don't think that had to do with my age since i had no problems what so ever with my son.

i'm sure as long as you are healthy without any history of medical issues that your dr would also say you would be ok to get pregnant at 36. and they would,i hope, follow you closely and the baby closely as a precaution.
good luck
T.

Age is just a number. If you are healthy and have had no previous health issues, then go with it. I had infertility problems and was not able to conceive until age 42. My twins were born healthy and are now 6 years old. At first I worried I would be too old for them. I can honestly say that they keep ME young. I also think that when you are older you are more settled and more patient. Your goals tend to be more fanily oriented and less about yourself. I am glad that we are blessed with our girls and couldn't imagine our life with out them .
Sometimes in the beginning my husband would say ..."do ou ever remember what it was like before the girls?" and I always answered "yes and I'm so glad we have them" Then we would smile and count our blessings.
Don't worry about being too old, love is an amazing thing.
Good luck

Hi J.,
I am pregnant with my 2nd child and will be 35 in a month. (Had my first at 31). So far everything has been great. The doctor wanted some extra tests done since our risk factor increases slightly each year after 35, but the tests so far have come back fine. I personally wasn't worried, we would love the child either way. For some reason, many of my friends started their families later so I have a few friends who have had children after 35 and they have all had healthy babies. Some felt the pregnancies were harder on their bodies the older they were, but nothing they haven't put our of their minds now.

Hi J.-
I had a baby at 41 (my sixth birth and seventh child) and everything went fine other than I felt my age! My child has not had any health problems. I know you can find evidence for anything you want to believe, but I have read that the "latest" findings are that older woman DON'T have an increased risk of giving birth to a child with Down's Syndrome. That was comforting.

I have absolutely loved having my two little ones in my later years. (I adopted a child as well) They keep me young and on the move.

Go for it! I had my first daughter 5 days before my 35th birthday and my second daughter at age 37 and both are healthy and happy. I did have my concerns about the risks involved but I had genetic testing (triple screen test) at around 12-15 weeks of my pregnancy to determine any problems. It put my mind at ease for the rest of the pregnancy. If you are healthy and have healthy kids, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't have another child. Good luck!