What's the Best Age to Have a Baby? This Mum Reckons It's 30+

What’s the best age to have a baby? This mum thinks it’s best to wait until your 30s to have your first bub and her reasoning makes a whole lot of sense!

The average age for a first-time mum in Australia is 29.7 years old. This is drastically higher than when our parents had us, when the average age to have your first baby was around your early 20s. I had my first at the ripe ‘ol age of 24 and I loved being a young mum, but I can completely understand why becoming a first-time mum in your 30s works so well these days.

A mum on TikTok shared her thoughts on the matter, stating that being a first-time mum at 33 was a “10/10 experience”.

“Becoming a first-time mom at 33, 10 out of 10, hear me out,” Kristie began in her TikTok video.
“So, I know technically it’s not recommended because you have a more difficult pregnancy, maybe a harder time getting pregnant. Maybe you don’t bounce back as quickly, which what does that even mean? And maybe you’re more tired, but the pros are pro-ing.”

What’s so great about having a baby over 30?

No FOMO

Missing out on girls’ weekends away, all-night parties and weekend festivals is part of the fun of becoming a mum – things that often take place in your 20s. But, as Kristie explains, having your first baby baby over 30 means you don’t get this FOMO.

At 30, you may not feel like you’re missing out on anything by being at home with her infant because it’s all a little “been there, done that”.

best age to have a baby — Why more and more mums are waiting until they are in their 30s to have a baby. Source: Bigstock

You’re older. You know that an all-night party is going to end in disaster and you’re well aware that a two-day festival will take 7 days to recover from.

“This has been such an amazing time. I haven’t done a lot in the past three and a half months. I’m just kind of soaked in the time with my daughter. Not watching everybody’s Instagram stories, traveling or going out to dinner or going out on the weekends. And I’m not like, ‘I wish I was doing that.’ I’m like, ‘I’ve already done that. I’ve already done that a lot.’”

Less selfish, more grateful

Another thing about having your first baby over 30 is that you appreciate being a mum more. Financially, emotionally and mentally, you could be more ready to take on the epic task of parenting 24/7 and giving up things like showering alone or not being kicked in the head by a co-sleeping toddler.

“I had 15 years of being selfish, so I had no FOMO,” Kristie explained. “And I’m really grateful that I had that time, and now I’m ready to live quietly and just enjoy the little things.”

@kristiezurm
but also somehow simultaneously feeling like a teen mom
♬ original sound – kristiezurm

Several commenters agreed with Kristie.

“100%. Had my first baby at 33 and I cannot imagine having one in my 20’s!! I’m glad I had my selfish time pre baby ❤️”

“Pregnant with my first at 33. I’m glad I waited! I got to finish college, travel & get all the party & selfishness out of my system. Plus we’re still young!” another mentioned.

Why not wait?

Of course, there are some downsides to waiting until your mid-30s to start trying for your first bub. According to Better Health, by around age 30, a woman’s fertility starts to slowly decline and by mid-30s the decline speeds up. The risks of pregnancy complications including miscarriage, gestational diabetes and preeclampsia increase as women age. Pregnancy can also be a little bit harder on our bodies when we’re older.

Pregnant at 24 vs 34

Although I had my first baby at 24, I had my last baby at 34 and I have to agree with Kristie. At 24 my pregnancy was a breeze. At 34, I was a sweaty hot mess of a human who peed herself anytime she sneezed and spent the majority of the final trimester farting, burping or attempting to roll out of bed without breaking a bone. It was terrible.

But I was more emotionally prepared to handle it, both the harder pregnancy and the newborn stage. I also lapped up the newborn baby goodness, wasn’t (as) stressed about money and my doctor gave me the super fun title of “Geriatric Pregnancy” which means I could bulk-bill my scans. #AWinForThisOldMum.

I was cooler, calmer, and more collected, after sweating through a summer pregnancy, and I would definitely agree that there are some seriously big pros to having a baby over 30.

What’s the best age to have a baby?

But, of course, every parent’s path is different and we want to know what you think? What do you reckon is the best age to have a baby? At what age did you have your first baby and was it the perfect time for you? Let us know in the comments below.

Looking forward to hearing everyone’s thoughts!