https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 08 May 2026 12:55:37 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-myth-of-baby-panic#post-873009 Thu, 20 Jun 2013 20:25:19 +0000 sarac 873009@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it is unfortunate that scientific reality gets twisted around to suit various agendas. The reality is that fertility decreases for everyone after 30. Some people still won't have any trouble, but some will. More will have trouble at 35 than at 25. This is just scientific reality. </p> <p>I couldn't conceive at 26, so it isn't as though you hit this wall at 35. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-myth-of-baby-panic#post-872930 Thu, 20 Jun 2013 20:08:36 +0000 RLCeigh 872930@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@norCalWayfarer: thanks for sharing, really interesting. I'm 'Advanced Maternal Age' which is oh-so-fun to see on my charts. I live in Boston, have an advanced degree and a great career, and met my husband when I was 36. For our first lil guy, we got pregnant on the second cycle and I had an awesome, east pregnancy.<br /> This time it's taking a little longer and now I'm thinking about my age a little (lot)more-- I hope to have another baby before I'm 40. Eeek! 40. I turned 39 in May so all systems are go! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-myth-of-baby-panic#post-872406 Thu, 20 Jun 2013 18:07:19 +0000 KT326 872406@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I knew I was going to struggle with infertility when I was only 19. I think many factors do play into it. Many of my coworkers had babies later in life. Some had no problems at all and others did. </p> <p>@NorCalWayfarer: I'm in the SF Bay are too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-myth-of-baby-panic#post-872352 Thu, 20 Jun 2013 17:57:55 +0000 PEAPIE 872352@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oo. Good articles.</p> <p>I think no matter what, it's better to be READY than to jump into having kids because you feel rushed for time. I know everyone's definition of READY is different, too. Most of my friends had babies in their mid 20's.</p> <p>For us personally, we wanted to get our careers started. DH wanted to get some years under his belt at the firm and I wanted to establish my own business, with the long term goal of being able to stay home with future baby. So we did that, and sometimes it was hard especially with everyone of my friends having babies, having second babies... Now that we're TTC, I'm not regretting that we waited because our goals were met with the expectation that they will make a better life for our future family. </p> <p>I think fear of decreasing fertility is fair. I mean, you can't be fertile forever. But it's not something to "panic" about. </p> <p>Thanks for sharing<br /> @NorCalWayfarer</p> <p>ETA: </p> <p>"There is no single best time to have a child. Some women and couples will find that starting—and finishing—their families in their 20s is what’s best for them, all things considered. They just shouldn’t let alarmist rhetoric push them to become parents before they’re ready." - JEAN TWENGE</p> <p>Our society LIVES off of alarmist rhetoric...</p> <p>:) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-myth-of-baby-panic#post-871821 Thu, 20 Jun 2013 15:47:50 +0000 NorCalWayfarer 871821@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Lioneyes: Same here -- I'm a professional in the SF Bay Area and most women I know wait until their 30s. Although most have been married for several years (and many with their SO for 10+ years), they have advanced degrees and wanted to work for a couple of years before having kids. Things are expensive too -- student loans, saving up for a house, etc. It just seems like having a kid before age 30 was almost impossible for me (having gone to college/post-grad for 7 years). We just started TTC and I'm 29. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-myth-of-baby-panic#post-871783 Thu, 20 Jun 2013 15:40:37 +0000 lioneyes 871783@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LOL i JUST posted on this too !</p> <p>I think it's an interesting topic, especially since I live in a place where women, for the most part, don't even think about getting pregnant until after 30. I plan to start trying at 32, which I don't consider old. I think a lot of the "panic" about having kids younger is just one more way that women get concern-trolled. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-myth-of-baby-panic#post-871760 Thu, 20 Jun 2013 15:37:15 +0000 NorCalWayfarer 871760@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>There have been several articles today about the "myth" of declining fertility in the late 20s.</p> <p>I thought it was interesting where the data is from: "The widely cited statistic that one in three women ages 35 to 39 will not be pregnant after a year of trying, for instance, is based on an article published in 2004 in the journal Human Reproduction. Rarely mentioned is the source of the data: French birth records from 1670 to 1830. The chance of remaining childless—30 percent—was also calculated based on historical populations."</p> <p>I think it's a mixed bag -- we have antibiotics and fertility treatments now, but also increased environmental hazards such as plastics and chemicals. I know plenty of women who had babies in their late thirties, but also plenty of women who struggled with infertility in their 20s. I guess I can only base my experience off my own TTC journey and know that it will be different for each women based on a variety of factors (including higher education, job, finding a partner, finances, etc). </p> <p>What do you think??</p> <p>Shorter article: <a href="http://blogs.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2013/06/20/baby-panic-women-over-35-may-be-quite-fertile-after-all/" rel="nofollow">http://blogs.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2013/06/20/baby-panic-women-over-35-may-be-quite-fertile-after-all/</a></p> <p>Full Atlantic article: <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/07/how-long-can-you-wait-to-have-a-baby/309374/?single_page=true" rel="nofollow">http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/07/how-long-can-you-wait-to-have-a-baby/309374/?single_page=true</a></p> <p>Jezebel's take on the issue: <a href="http://jezebel.com/fertile-and-30-is-the-new-flirty-and-30-520382993" rel="nofollow">http://jezebel.com/fertile-and-30-is-the-new-flirty-and-30-520382993</a> </p>