I had my first at 27 and definitely felt young for DC. Still do in my early 30s compared to other parents.

Under 30

24 or younger.

Anonymous wrote:I think 27 or younger.

Under 21. I got married at 25 and had first child at 27. That's three years from 30 and is not a young mother but peak years.

I felt super young at 27. Mostly it was just isolating and lonely here since my peers didn't start having babies for 5-10 years after. In reality it's not young, it's pretty ideal.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's so different around the country.

"Young families" just refers to the age of the kids, anyone with young kids.

I got pregnant at 30 which seems average for a DC female attorney.

Other areas of the country that are rural, it's not uncommon at all to have a first kid at 17 or 18.

Our great grandma's had their last babies up until 45, 46.

I dont assign labels to it as I am friends with people of all ages.

You are aware that urban teenagers have kids too, right?

And it's viewed as completely normal for many urban teens to have babies.

“Urban” teens JFC just tell us what you really mean.

Probably teens that live in cities. Like how the op called out "rural" the other poster commented about "urban" as a comparison.

Anonymous wrote:I was 25. No, that wasn't young. I am now 65 with a 40 and 38 year old and doing a whole lot of Ok compared with my contemporaries who are just marrying off their kids or getting them launched because of an increasingly larger adolescence that encompasses ages up to 35.

Do it before 30, Moms.

I want to add that most of my friends had kids later than I did, up to 10 or 15 years later. There were a few having kids in their mid 20s, but not many, and we didn't think women having kids at 25 was too young or irresponsible, though. Our parents had kids at 19 to 22! And married very young. The messaging was at the time of my 25th birthday was to be comfortable in one's career. We were expected to have full careers and work. There were glass ceilings to break, jobs that women needed to break into that were traditionally male. So, we did that and it was hard to do that and have babies. Things like maternity leave, benefits, and breastfeeding time, and family leave weren't a thing, and one misstep could cost you a job and credibility in the job. Daycare was abysmal.

The messaging now, though, is to be mid level or advanced in one's career ( like partner or pretty up there on salary ladder) , and financially at set goals, and fully ahead, in the large forever home, etc. I still say this isn't great advice and will cost you later. However, I do agree with having all major educational goals done. Finish grad school if you can if that's on the target goal sheet.

I had my first at 26 (married and owned a SFH by then) and people treated me like some sort of slutty teen mom

I had my first at 26. This was 15 years ago. My husband was 30. It’s so wild to me that nowadays that is considered too young. I was definitely a full blown adult. Married, finished my grad degree, paid off our SLs, bought a house, no debt besides mortgage, etc.

I understand that it is though. I wouldn’t want my kids having children before 30 either. Heck by the time they are in the position to have kids, the social norm will probably be 35. It’s just so weird to me how much things have changed since I was a young adult.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think of a young mother as anyone for whom all of her kids are not yet kindergarten age.

So if you meet a woman today who is 49 who has a five year old who will start kindergarten in September 2023, you would think of that 49 year old woman as a young mother?

No but I have never met anyone like this. Older women with preschool children generally also have older children.

You are not from DC, are you?

Anonymous wrote:I was 25. No, that wasn't young. I am now 65 with a 40 and 38 year old and doing a whole lot of Ok compared with my contemporaries who are just marrying off their kids or getting them launched because of an increasingly larger adolescence that encompasses ages up to 35.

Do it before 30, Moms.

I completely agree with this! Get it over with, honestly. You will be tired with a baby at 25. It's a lot harder at 35.

I had mine at 30 and 33 and I didn't think it was like way too old, but younger would have been better.

I had my first before 30, but we waited until our first was 4 before trying for our second for multiple reasons…and then that took 3.5 more years due to secondary infertility.

Life doesn’t always work out exactly as planned.

I was 25. No, that wasn't young. I am now 65 with a 40 and 38 year old and doing a whole lot of Ok compared with my contemporaries who are just marrying off their kids or getting them launched because of an increasingly larger adolescence that encompasses ages up to 35.

Do it before 30, Moms.