Had 1 at 32 and the second at 36. Would love to have had both 5 years before, and then have a third. OP, if you are happily married and have reasonable jobs, the time is nigh.

No, I had my first and only a couple of months before my 39th birthday. I may have had one earlier but I didn't marry my husband until I was almost 36. We then decided to wait a couple of years to enjoy being married with just the two of us. I'm kind of glad it all happened later. It allowed me to enjoy my 20s and early 30s and I feel I'm better prepared to be a good wife and mother (I was super immature I definitely needed the time to mature)

I was 25 and am very happy with my career and life. Wouldn't have changed a thing.

Anonymous wrote:

Before 30. Of course not. I can't think of many educated women I know who had children before 30.

DH and I graduated with our JDs at 25. Married at 26, bought a house at 27, and had our first at 28. Our second will be born when we're 30. So far so good - we're very happy!

I also know plenty of educated women that had children in their late 20s, mostly JDs as that's my crowd.

OP, it doesn't matter what others think. Do you actually WANT kids now?

I sometimes wish I'd met my DH a little earlier so we could have taken our time. I had my 1st at 33 and felt great, preg with 2nd at 35.... a little scared for what life will be like with two so close in age!

If we'd started earlier I probably would have spaced them further apart, taken our time and spent more time in our marriage before having kids, and maybe tried for a 3rd.....

BUT we're doing great and have an amazing son and a loving, happy marriage. So I guess it all works out for the best

Anonymous wrote:The human body prime child bearing age is early to mid 20s.

And yet women can still get pregnant well into their 40s. If the human body wasn't made to bear children at that age, it would shut the ovaries down earlier.

It's a lot easier to lose the baby weight when you're younger

I had my first at 29 and thought that was perfect. Enough time to have 3 kids, enjoyed the heck out of my 20s, established enough in my career and young enough that my husband and I will be able to do a lot together once the kids are grown

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had my second at 28 and I immediately felt like I had aged 10 years. I have NO IDEA how women have newborns at 40-45.

I don't either! But they do!

You're tired because you have babies, not because you're old, whatever age you are when you have them.

That's probably true. My last pregnancy took a toll on my health, and I don't think it would have mattered whether I was in my 20s or 40s.

Op said she was 28

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The human body prime child bearing age is early to mid 20s.

Thank you for this marvelous piece of advice. I'll just step into my time machine...

Non-sarcastic reply: Why is that every time a thread like this gets going, and a bunch of people say, "Yeah, it would have been good to have started earlier, but things are fine/basically OK as they are" or "No, I'm happy I had kids when I did," someone (who invariably does not know how to spell) pops in with oh-so-helpful "facts" like this?

Women can have healthy kids at 24, 34, and even 44.

She's talking to OP, who does not need a time machine to reach her mid-20s. Not everything is about you.

This doesn't deserve a reply--but OP never states her age.

I had my first at 29. I wish I had started at 25 or 26.

Had mine at 24 and 28, and couldn't be happier. My career is taking off now, so we're out of the genteel poverty that was our first years as parents. We got by on hand-me-downs and thrift shop buys. Lots of people in the DC area have sort of myopic notions of what makes a good parent and wouldn't dare send their kids to public school. For them, it's good to wait until their finances catch up with their expectations and assumptions. But I love growing up alongside my kids. I don't think you have to have life all figured out before you become a parent.

Anonymous wrote:The human body prime child bearing age is early to mid 20s.

I thought it was 15?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had my second at 28 and I immediately felt like I had aged 10 years. I have NO IDEA how women have newborns at 40-45.

I don't either! But they do!

You're tired because you have babies, not because you're old, whatever age you are when you have them.

I know but my whole body felt aged. My back ached in a way it didn't at 24 with my first... It's not a judgment of older moms at all, just awe.