I don't know about any of you but I feel that there should be an age limit for when you can't try for more children. The woman who's nearly 60 made me shudder! I feel sorry for the kids to have a mother that old. I can sympathise with older mums who have trouble conceiving but this woman has already got kids. Mind you, she's American so their laws may be different from ours. I just don't know how hospitals allow women that old to be treated. Hope I haven't offended anyone. Just had to get it out of my system. There are thousands of younger women out there desperate for a child and it winds me up to read such stories in the papers.

hiya poppy, i;m only 28 but i know i my limit, no more kids after 35, that way i can enjoy being active with them, also my partner who is 40 says he dose,nt fancy being a pensioner father lol

Hi Gemmie,

I agree about what your partner has said. We had our kids quite late, well I was in my early thirties and they still wear me out so can you imagine how really old parents feel!

i am on baby no 3 at the age of 36 and my husband is 41 so this is def the last one want to enjoy my kids not be worn out and be young enough to enjoy grandchildren as well my girls are 12 and 8 so think they will be a great help to me:D

hello Poppy, You obviously did not have any problems conceiving your child/ren - but there are quite a few of us who did - I got married 10 years ago and started trying for a family - it didnt happen - my husband was mis-diagnosed so we wasted 2 years on that -evntually I had to do IVF - I had do to IVF three times ( i wont even attempt to make you shudder with the grief we went through) eventually I fell pregnant at the grand age of 35 years old and gave birth at 36years. I have now undergone another failure at IVF to have a second child, so will try again later this year - if I succeed I will be 38 years old when I have my second child - will I also be too old to bring up my children and manage to play with them at this delicate age? you need to think hard before you decide you are judge and jury on when people have their children or not - in most cases there are very sad circumstances - do not be so quick to criticise.

You're wrong there, Kos. I tried for nearly 7 years to have kids and that with help. Plus I have suffered several recurrent misscarriges beforehand so I do know the pain and grief of being childless.

I didn't mean to offend anyone or hurt their feelings but to me when a woman in her sixtees who undergoes IVF to have a child WHEN SHE ALREADY HAS KIDS is only doing it for herself. When that child is in their teens their parents will by hitting 70/80. How would that make them feel and if they ever succumb to illness what then happens to the child's welfare.

It was only my personal opinion in this case as the woman was in her sixtees. I have no objection to women trying to conceive when they're older and have no kids. I'm sorry if I have upset you with my thoughts on this subject but no offense was meant!

hi there iam 43 when the new comes along in jan 07 bunny

I have just found out that you're classed as an 'old mother' at 34! Horrifying don't you think that hospitals are soooo judgemental. (must say I agree with Poppy about old mothers who ALREADY HAVE KIDS but for those who don't, the sky's the limit)

Interesting views on this subject. Personally I am doubtful about the wisdom of assisting a woman to conceive who has passed the menopause, as this is natures way of making sure babies are born to women at a time in their lives when they are naturally able to sustain and nurture a baby through pregnancy and then have the energy to cope with the demands of a new born and toddler. I am expecting my third baby at the age of 43 I will be 44 by the time my baby is due. I conceived naturally and feel much more relaxed about this pregnancy - this despite the much greater risk of me having a child with downs syndrome - than I was about either of my other two pregnancies, which happened in my early and mid-twenties. I am not against fertility treatment per se, as I know the desire and drive to have a baby can be all consuming, but treatment for much older ladies does seem to be challenging nature. Andi.

My mum was 41 when she had me. She said it was hard looking after me as she was older, but I don't think she regretted having me. It does seem as if we are going one way or the other either really young girls having kids or older women. It was hard when I was growing up the amount of times I was asked ' is that your Gran??'
Women seem to think that there bodies will just work when they want them to, when my mum was having me she was warned about all the things that could be wrong with me but luckily i was ok.

alison i found that out too i was told by my doctor ''AT YOUR AGE''!!!!! LOL. i though what do you mean 'at my age' you cheeky herbert... i know im not exactly a spring chicken but im not that old im only 34!
but i also have to agree with poppy, childless couples who have been having trouble and in their fortys then im all behind them but 60 and over,who already have kids...sorry i dont think its right but i supose worse people have kids and as long as its loved and looked after!

I'm not sure whether or not I agree with her, the menopause is there for a reason IMO, however first of all, my gran is 88 and still going strong, she had my mum, her youngest, at 42, her eldest was born when she was 30.
My grandma may not be capable of looking after anyone now, but she looked after her first grandchild from toddlerhood whilst her eldest daughter [my aunty] worked full time. My grandma was in her (late) 50s by then.
And I used to spend Saturdays being looked after by her when I was younger too (I was born when she was 67 and my grandad was 70!)

The other thing is I disagree with the comments that it's OK if you dont have kids already but not if you do. In my opinion the fact she has three grown up children from a previous marriage (her eldest being a woman of 26) stands in her favour IMO, because I would assume that if anything were to happen to her or her husband and they could no longer care for the child, the daughter would be able to care for the child, or at least provide some stability, where-as if a childless older couple had a child, there would be no such support or back up.
Just my opinion.

By the way I was 18 when I had my daughter (now 26 months) and I'm now 18 weeks pregnant with my second baby.

my mum was 42 when she had me and my dad was 53! i never felt they were old when i was younger but when i hit my teens my dad died of cancer which just left me and mum, the age was still not a problem until recently when i have had my own children, mum cant keep up with them and i can only leave them with her for an hour! my older brothers ans sister all have grown up children that my mum was able to be a "proper" nanny too and i feel that my boys do miss out on that time with her. i love my mum to bits butwish she had mewhen shewas younger!

well, In my opinion, we should go with the nature, when it asks us to stop, it means the time has come where in the benefit of both mother and baby a full stop put for an reproduction. AS a child pschyiatrist, she shuold be knowing the consequenses the baby is going to face. If she is that desperate to have a baby, why cann't she adopt one? Why wait till now?

I had my first at 39 and will be 41 time my next is born and I am glad I had them late. My Mum is older too at 75 but this does not stop her being a great Gran and being great fun.

I think everyone should have children when they feel right and we should not be critical of other peoples choices.

I am pregnant with no 2 who will be born just before I am 45. I met hubby at 37 and before then had not met the right man. We started trying for a baby at the grand old age of 39, but it took three pregnancies to get my daughter who was born when I was 42. This is now my 5th pregnancy. I would have loved children in my late 20's (as I envisaged when I was in my teens) but I never met anybody who stayed around long enough. I am very grateful to have another chance for baby no 2 but have a huge problem about my age, but that is just where life has led me. My dad thinks I am wonderful with my daughter as I am so patient with her. I have waited so long for children and am blessed to have this chance (all pregnancies were conceived naturally). It is also encouraging to see that there are a few other mums on here of my age group.

however, I have to say that I was horrified to see this lady of 62 having a baby - and via IVF. She has children so it is purely a selfish wish and not the urgent need to have "a" child. I guess her children will be left to bring this one up if she does not last long. A hard thing to say, but I think we do have to think of our mortality in all this. If I can live to 75 or 80+, so my children can be guided by me into their 30's or 40's, then I will be happy.

Tracy

My parents are 60 and 65, i know if they decided to have children now i would support them fully, the only real worry i have is that children can be cruel, bullying because of an older parent may be an issue.

I assume that the other children this 60 something has are in their 20/30's so they could help out should things become difficult. I believe that everybody has the right to live their lives they way they want and nobody has the right to judge or prevent unless there is a danger element to them or those around them, so i say good luck to them and wish them all the best.

I know at 30 with a 7 year old and 10 month twins that i would like more at some point, i'm single at the moment so its not likely to happen anytime soon, but if it turns out that i'm 60 or approaching 60 i may just enjoy what i have got. but everyone is different.

Hi. I am 47 years old and expecting my fourth child, my oldest is 21, then 19 and youngest 11. My partner and I decided to try for a baby though I did feel that I was too old and menopausal! I went off the pill and said that I would go three months off the pill and if it didn't happen by then that would be that. I fell straight away - and now have four weeks to go and I am still in shock. We are of course delighted but 47 is old, I'm knackered right now and just managing to plod along. My partner is fourteen years younger than me so I guess this helps and my 19 year old daughter, who lives at home is expecting her baby a week after me - so our babies will be company for each other. I have been lucky I know, but after one hell of a pregnancy I do think that if you haven't fallen by early forties then it's time to call it a day. Sixties is another matter, there is no way you can give that baby your all and be in touch big time with what is 'cool'. I know how much times have changed since having my first baby, I have that to compare with. Even so, I guess it's for the individual to decided but I think the medical profession is taking God's role a little too far these days!
All the best everyone.
Trissy