Did You Have a Cut off Year/age for No Longer Wanting More Kids

I waited to meet the "right guy" and married the first time at age 30. Had kids at 32 and 35. Then married a second time at age 42. I didn't think it would have been healthy to have kids past 35. Would have LOVED to have had a child with him but I had complications and very difficult pregnancies. and there would have been at least 8 years between the baby and youngest so I thought there was too much of a gap and possibly too much health issues. I still wish I could have had more kids, but it J. wasn't in the cards for M.. I'm happy with a boy, girl and now bonus step daughter so I cant look back. =)

Well I think 40 was my "cutoff" for getting pregnant, but my cutoff for adopting was 46 ish. I really liked being a young mom in my twenties but I LOVE being an older mom!

I had my first at age 34 and my second at age 37. I am now 40 almost 41 and really hope to have more kids. But my cutoff is 45. I hope to be done by then.

My youngest is 10 so I was 33 when I had her. Thing is if I really wanted another I would still try now and I am 43.

I think the thing with M. is I had my first when I was 20, then 22, they turned out so amazing that I decided to have two more at 31 and 33. Well now I have the experience to know that there are a lot of things you can't do with younger kids. Like if I had stopped with the first two I would be living the life. In another four years I will be living the life. I J. can't find it in my to do it again, ya know? I want to live that life!!!

Besides I have a 21 and 23 year old. If I wait a bit I can squish on grandkids and then send them home! Win win!

Nope, never had a limit. I turned 30 while pregnant with my first, was 33 when my second was born and 38 nearing 39 when my third was born. I turned 41 at the end of last year. If I have another one, it works. We're not actively trying but it could very well happen. When I went in for my first apt while pregnant with my third I was asked the battery of questions. Because I was healthy, active etc and so on age was not considered a factor in whether I was "high risk" or not. Had I been considered high risk I would not have been allowed to deliver at the birth center I wanted to. My kids are all completely healthy, my pregnancies were normal and I delivered each of them without complications during an unmedicated vaginal delivery. J. the same as if I had been in my early 20s. No difference because the calendar says I am older.
Age is not the factor it once was considered.

As soon as I had our only daughter (17) our family felt complete. We've had no regrets. I never desired to have more children and neither did hubby... we had our blessing with our daughter.

We are a team. We travel together, volunteer together and enjoy a solid stable family life.

M:

My timeline was all messed up!!

I had intended to stop having kids by 32....since my daughter was born when I was 21....but her dad and I divorced and I didn't remarry until I was in my 30's...it took us 3.5 years to get pregnant...we wanted 4. God blessed us with 2. I have 3 up in heaven.

If life was perfect and everything went the way I wanted - yeah - I had an age. but it didn't. so I took what God gave M..

I wanted to be done by 30yo. Then 35yo. But it took six pregnancies over 15yrs to have my son at 39-1/2yo. We also planned on having 8 kids, 4 bio + 4 adopted, in any order. Now, we're impatiently waiting on 1 adopted child to complete our family and I'm 42yo.

I would have tried for another bio child while waiting to adopt, but it was too much of a risk for M. and our son. There's what we plan, and then there's what happens :)

Well...I thought I was done with having kids at 30. I am now 47, I have a 20 year old, 18 yr old and a 3 yr old....yes, that was not a typo...my youngest is THREE. I thought I could not have anymore children and then surprise. I wouldn't change it for anything BUT I would not recommend having children that old....at the end of my pregnancy, they thought she had fluid on her brain....after a huge scare (up until she was actually born) she ended up a healthy baby. I would not go past 35 for sure. It is sad to think your are done having children but someday you will be a grammy and get to spoil the heck out of the little ones....that isn't so far away for M....LOL

I don't want to have more kids after I can no longer get pregnant. ;) I am 45 and still holding out hope for more. My last one was born when I was 39, and I cannot imagine our life without her. She is such a treasure to all of us. Those health statistics are skewed. My best pregnancy/birth was my last one. I was 25 when I had my first baby. Oh, I so hope we aren't done yet!!

Nope.

Most of my mom-friends started their families in their early 40's.

Since I had my son in my early 20's... well... that leaves the possibilty of having two "only children", or the "aunt that's younger than M." thing (aka if my son had a child, then I had a child).

But I'm not supposed to have any more children. So if we want to talk about "conscious cut offs" that would be age 23.

I always said I wanted to be done by thirty but I always wanted five children. I have three and I'm 31 but still hoping our situation improves so I can have at least one more.

So maybe done by 35?

My cut off was always 2 kids by 34. I made my cutoff, and I'm 34. :)

For M. it was less about age, more about volume. I never wanted more than 2.

My cousin, however, set her cutoff at 37. She has 2, and she and hubby decided that they would "not prevent" another pregnancy before 37.
Who knows how she arrived at that number?!

Yes..my husband and I both said we didn't want anymore children after 31...we wanted to be under fifty when the youngest graduated from high school and (hopefully) moved on into adulthood...I had my third over the summer and turned 31 over the holidays...but I have been having dreams about getting pregnant with a surprise baby in my 40s :)

I had my first one at 32. At 35 I said I wasn't having anymore, then poof - i turned 36 and I J. couldn't see not having one more. I'm now pregnant with my second child and will be 37 when I deliever. It WILL be my last one.

I think my cut-off is 1-2 years from now (35 end of this month). I'm fortunate to have pictures of both my children with their mom (M.), grandmothers (my mom & hubby's mom) & 2 great-grandmothers (both my grandmothers). I'd love to be able to get a 4 generation picture again if we had another child. Also, I think about how old I'd be when the child graduates high school, college, & when I might be a grandmother and how old I'd want to be. Basically, I'm comparing myself to what I know, including the ages of my extended family at certain milestones.

It wasn't an age thing for M., it was more of a number of children I wanted. I wanted 2 kids, but was blessed with one more without trying. I actually was going in to get permament birth control and there she was. I call her my "hello baby". So after her, while in surgery for C-section I has my tubes tied.

For M., it was 30...and here I am, 31 and pregnant. This is the last, permanent measures will be taken.

40 , I won't have any after 40 , I don't want to be too old to enjoy the time the kids leave the nest.

I got pregnant at 36 and about had a nervous breakdown! But I survived and iit's all good. My cutoff used to be related to my other child. I wouldn't want more than a 5 yr gap, so , my cutoff was when my child turned 5. Then I had these 2 in my late 30s.

I think a reasonable cutoff is mid 40s, J. for mom and babies health. But I have known some killer women that were in the prime of thier life in 40s . financially and emotionally stable, physically superb. If they want to have a baby - more power to em. That would be a lucky baby in my opnion.

i have been thinking 35. i have been saying for 5 years that i'm done...but now that it's getting closer (i am 34) i'm not sure. we'll see!

28.... Right after I gave birth to my first son :)

Im due with my second in 6 weeks and I am 28. I dont think we will have more (not in the plans anyway) but I didnt have a cut off date to have more I merely said that I better have my first before I am 30 and I am very happy and content that I will have my two before 30

I was 25 when I had my son. I am now 33. I have always told myself/people etc, that once I am 35, I don't want to have any more kids. For M., partly, it's age, and health. While I am well aware that women have perfectly healthy babies, and maintain a healthy lifestyle well into their 40's, it's not going to be for M.. I find myself, being a stay at home mother, very rewarding. However, if I am 35, and my son is 10, and I am not considering to have another child, I will be perfectly content. I would like to devote my time into working full time after that age. I am in the mental health profession, and would enjoy helping others more in a professional atmosphere again. Their are so many venues I wish to explore, as well as to travel. I put all of this in God's hands, though. I know if it is meant to happen, it will happen..

I always told myself I didn't want to have a child after 40 because of the health risks. I J. had my second child 8 weeks ago, I am 41. Never say never. LOL

I am 25 with two toddlers. I want two more before I'm 30, then I'll be done :-)

yes, i passed 3 years ago and im currently pregnant, so 30 is my new one!