I'm pregnant with baby no.4 and I'm so scared of being treated like rubbish from midwifes and Drs because I'm now classed as a geriatric mum. I only just turned 35 in the last 3 months. So many people say look out they will have a field day cause your 35. I just want to enjoy my last pregnancy.
9 Replies
People can be horrible. If it's not horror stories it's too young / too old / too many /not enough children.
I was 35 & 39. I didn't get one negative word and never heard the word geriatric from a professional. I went private, though, where my age is more common.
Where I copped it was at playgroup from all the very young mums who openly made fun of my age & gloated about theirs. I just felt sorry for their ignorance & went elsewhere.
One of the best things about being older is caring less what people think. If you need it, just have a prepared answer to let people know their rude comments aren't helpful.
37 and 39 here! It’s not unusual having children later in life. Enjoy and don’t worry about anyone else.
I didn’t hear it once and I had the best pregnancy and a great birth and the whole thing just went really well (second baby).
I got a lot of this too, except it was because I was 17 at the time. I was so nervous to start my pre natal care as all I kept hearing was "watch the nurses treat you like shit because you're young, that happened to my neighbour's, best friend's niece". Blah blah blah...
Nothing could have been further from the truth, all the doctors, nurses and midwives I dealt with were kind, supportive, respectful and had the utmost professionalism. They were actually the only people to treat me like any other expectant mother and not like a stupid, knocked up teenager.
It did teach me not to base my expectations on the word of all the nay sayers though, and that applies to life in general. I've learned that a lot of people are very negatively geared and they thrive off spreading that negativity.
I had my first at 17 and I was told I was too young.
I got married at 31 and was told that's so old to get married.
Can't win 🤷♀️
35 is fine. Congratulations on your pregnancy!
I had 8 by the time I was 32. I didn't have any bad experiences from the hospital. It was everyday people that were the most judgemental.
I am 35 and pregnant with my third. I mentioned to the midwife my concerns regarding being a geriatric pregnancy and she said the guidelines have changed and it isn't until over 40, that you are deemed geriatric / advanced maternal age.
Everyone has been absolutely lovely to me and it was my own insecurity and concerns that had me wound up!
Please try and enjoy your pregnancy!
I had my kids at 34 and 36 and I never had any bad experiences. The word geriatric was never mentioned or written on any of the paperwork I saw.
I had wonderful midwives, obs, ultrasound techs all in the public hospital system.
Lots of women are not able to conceive until later so that judgement is completely unnecessary. A family member of mine had her first at 35 as it took a whole lot of effort to fall pregnant. My sister went through IVF and did not have a successful pregnancy until even older. The doctors and midwives were lovely to both of them.
35 is not old at all, remember the good ol days when there wasn't birth control lol. Some of those ladies were having around 13 children.
Just enjoy your pregnancy and the joy this baby is going to bring and forget about any judgemental idiot.
Congratulations 🎊 🥰