In your opinion, is 26 "young" to have a first baby?

[Anonymous]

I'm pregnant with my first and just starting to announce and people are surprised and saying I'm "really" young to be having a baby. I'm 26 and married, not 17! We both have good jobs and I'll be returning to work after the birth.

[Anonymous]

It's nobody's business, just ignore the nosy assholes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm pregnant with my first and just starting to announce and people are surprised and saying I'm "really" young to be having a baby. I'm 26 and married, not 17! We both have good jobs and I'll be returning to work after the birth.

No matter when you're pregnant, people will always have some form of commentary about it. Actually, people will always have some sort of commentary about your pregnancy the entire time you're pregnant, and then they were I'll have a running commentary about your parenting. So, I'd say rather tongue in cheek - welcome to being a parent

Signed -40 year old who is apparently so old to be starting a family and should have just stayed DINKs

[Anonymous]

It's pretty young in a social sense, if not biological. Nowadays most people in this area (educated professionals) seem to start around 32/33.

[Anonymous]

I'm 27 and am surprised I haven't heard it more. DH is 30 and our friends with kids are his age or older, my friend group hasn't really started yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's pretty young in a social sense, if not biological. Nowadays most people in this area (educated professionals) seem to start around 32/33.

This. Most people haven't saved up a lot of money by 26.

[Anonymous]

In the DC area, yes, 26 is young. Absolutely nothing wrong with it and not truly "young", but yeah I think some people will make that comment to you. Not our of malice, just that they more often see moms in their mid 30's around here.

I started at 35 - be glad your life lined up for you to do it younger! Trust me! Wishing you happy pregs and happy babe.

[Anonymous]

No it is perfect, especially if you want to have more.

Tell 'em you're looking forward to being really young when the kid goes off to college.

[Anonymous]

I was 26! No way. You're an adult. You've been an adult for 8 years. You are not too young

I will tell you from other people's perspective, I could see in just a few people's eyes that they thought I was too young. My boss, a few coworkers. But looking back I think the eyes were giving me the "your life is over" look. It's sort of true and I probably give people that look now. Ha ha. I try to keep it to myself....

Also keep in mind - technically the younger you are, the physically easier it is. After then, I knew a couple of 18-19 yos that were married(!) and pregnant! I feel bad for them in the tiniest way. But also man did they bounce back afterward. They can really run around and chase after the kid..... Whereas I am 32 with two now and I'm TIRED!!

Ok that's all I have on my mind.

You're not too young. I think 26 is just right. It was great for me.

[Anonymous]

It's young around here, but perfectly normal in many areas of the country. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the DC area, yes, 26 is young. Absolutely nothing wrong with it and not truly "young", but yeah I think some people will make that comment to you. Not our of malice, just that they more often see moms in their mid 30's around here.

I started at 35 - be glad your life lined up for you to do it younger! Trust me! Wishing you happy pregs and happy babe.

Agree with this. Biologically it's far better than having kids in your 30s, which many women do because they got married late and/or needed to establish professional careers. If you don't have the marriage issue and have already established your career (or are not worried about doing so), I think it's great to have kids that early.

[Anonymous]

Yes. I'm in a new moms group in this area which is pretty large (about 100 moms). The vast majority are 30 with their first baby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's pretty young in a social sense, if not biological. Nowadays most people in this area (educated professionals) seem to start around 32/33.

+1
But you probably knew this. Either way it doesn't matter, you don't have to be in lock step with the cross all of the time. Congrats!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was 26! No way. You're an adult. You've been an adult for 8 years. You are not too young

I will tell you from other people's perspective, I could see in just a few people's eyes that they thought I was too young. My boss, a few coworkers. But looking back I think the eyes were giving me the "your life is over" look. It's sort of true and I probably give people that look now. Ha ha. I try to keep it to myself....

Also keep in mind - technically the younger you are, the physically easier it is. After then, I knew a couple of 18-19 yos that were married(!) and pregnant! I feel bad for them in the tiniest way. But also man did they bounce back afterward. They can really run around and chase after the kid..... Whereas I am 32 with two now and I'm TIRED!!

Ok that's all I have on my mind.

You're not too young. I think 26 is just right. It was great for me.

And I am 36 with a 3 year old and another on the way and I am freaking exhausted!!! Younger is better for sure if you can swing it. 26 is very far from teen mom territory, especially if you're married.

Heck, my grandparents had their kids at 19, 21, and 28. Worked great for them. They are about to turn 90, still fairly active, and have 6 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren and G-d willing will see at least 2 more great-grandkids born within the next year. Starting their family young was ideal for them. Of course this was in the mid-40s where that was the norm, but they were considered a tad young even then (got married straight out of high school).

[Anonymous]

Not young at all.