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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]For reasons I don't want to get into, having children looks more and more not in the cards for me. Is there possibly a physical silver lining to that?

I'm in great shape as it is, a size 2, and my body is as firm and tight well into my 30s as it was ten years ago... maybe even better, since I don't drink as much as I used to. Will my not having been pregnant/given birth delay the weight gain and bodily changes that come as women get into their late 30s and 40s?

I'm not seeking validation for choosing body over kids. Only looking for silver lining in an otherwise disappointing situation. The other upsides of course are more time to engage in competitive athletics and travel and hardcore outdoor activity, but I'm wondering if forgoing the physical stress of children will enable me to maintain a physical peak for longer. For what it's worth, the other childless women I know of various ages seem pretty trim. [/quote]

I’m 50 and never had children. It wasn’t my plan and I have three babies in heaven who never drew breath on earth - I mourn them every day.

That said, my breasts are in much better shape than any of the women I know who breastfed babies and didn’t have a boob job to repair the damage to the breast tissue that naturally occurs following. I can only assume my pelvic floor is in much better shape too, BUT, I’m starting to experience some weakness in my bladder control which my doctor tells me is a natural occurrence in all women as they age, whether they’ve carried a baby full term and given birth or not.

There are some protective factors in pregnancy but they are largely balanced out by the negative. Later in life pregnancies (after 35) are actually linked to higher incidence of breast cancer and some other reproductive organ cancers.

There is little doubt that the years of sleep deprivation and parenting stress has an impact on the health of mothers, but if you’re childless not by choice, the grief of that can have a significant negative impact on your health too - so it’s important to manage that grief and cultivate positivity as much as possible in your life. You will undoubtedly have more money and more time to pursue your passions, and if you are married or in a committed relationship you will likely have less stress and conflict in that relationship absent the strains of parenting and financially supporting children.[/quote]

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