I have been researching my ancestry and verified what I already knew. I come from a long line of women who have had children in their 40’s. Okay, some of them were well into their 40’s and died in childbirth, but most of the later ones successfully had their child and lived to tell about it. I do appear to be the first one to have her first child after 39. Considering how quickly my family tree reaches the 1800’s (my grandparents), this is not unexpected.
My grandmother was in her early 40’s when she had my mom and in her mid 40’s when my uncle was born. My mom had my sister when she was 44 in the mid 1970’s. At that time, they thought my sister was a tumor. Took an x-ray to confirm it. Found out it was a baby instead. During the pregnancy, one of the doctors told her “No one over 29 should have a baby.” After my sister was born, many people asked if she was her granddaughter.
Thirty years later, I have my first (only) child with the full support of my doctor. In fact, she had a child at 40 also. She even encouraged me to have another child after my daughter was born. No one has asked if my daughter is my granddaughter. I can’t say that people have not thought it, but they never asked.
