How old were you when your *biological clock* kicked in?

[anchor31]

A lot earlier than I expected... I used to think ''no kids before 28-30'', but it kicked in recently and I''m 23 (24 in 2 weeks).

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Date: 4/22/2009 8:59:46 PM
Author:musey
If applicable, of course

I''ve always wanted to have kids ''someday,'' but never felt the urge to do it ''now.'' That''s been coming on rather strong lately, even though I know intellectually that I am not ready and do not want them yet (we have at least 4 years to go, which I''m sure will fly by in the end)... emotionally I''m just beginning to have a little conflict. My husband has been feeling the same way, too.



How old were you, or at what stage of life were you (newly married, graduating school, settled in a good job, etc.) when you first noticed it kicking in?

I SOOOO hear you on this! I''ve always wanted kids but I''ve never been in a hurry. My clock has started RAGING in the past year (28-29)! I''ll go visit my nieces and come home and just about jump FI (not that he complains)...

 

[InLuv101]

Mine kicked in early (23-24). I''m 26 now. DH''s has really kicked in since entering his 30s. He''s 31 now. We are TTC and hoping it doesn''t take too much longer!

 

[dani13]

I always knew I wanted to be a mom....I feel a *slight* urge to have a baby now, but I know its not the right time yet. MH feels the same way. I'm 30, he's 34. We are probably going to wait at least another 2 years. I know there will never be a perfect time, but we feel that we have a lot more things to do before children (buy a house, travel, etc). At this point though, we are the only couple in our circle of friends that are childless or not pregnant!!!!!

I am definitely looking forward to it when it happens though!!!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Date: 4/22/2009 9:21:04 PM
Author: Octavia
My FI is 30, and his has been kicking in really strongly lately, especially since several of our friends have newborns or are currently pregnant. I''m 27 and still in the ''let''s give it a couple more years'' stage. However, I''m not so against it, and if we had an ''oops'' right now it would be fine. Every now and then I do find myself wanting a child, so I have a feeling that once we''re married my clock will start ticking a little louder.

I''m in the same boat--DH is turning 30 this year and I''m 27 and we are in the "let''s give it a couple more years, but if it happened now we''d be happy" stage. I think that for us it''s more about where we are in our lives than our age. We''re married, we are content in our careers, we feel settled, we feel like it''s the next step. I am really enjoying life and our relationship right now, so I''m not in a rush, but I know it''s around the corner and I''m content with that, too. I think that when the feeling gets stronger, we won''t start trying per say, we''ll just stop trying not to.

 

[Jas12]

Have always known that i wanted kids, but didn''t get the "tick tick--gotta try now" feeling until my mid twenties and started feeling the desire extra strong when i was engaged. I wanted to get married first so DH and i decided we would try as soon as the vows were exchanged. 9 months later, my son was born.

 

[Blenheim]

Date: 4/23/2009 8:09:07 AM
Author: anchor31
A lot earlier than I expected... I used to think ''no kids before 28-30'', but it kicked in recently and I''m 23 (24 in 2 weeks).

This. The baby fever started kicking in a few months before we got married, at age 23, and we held off for a year and a half before starting to TTC so that we would be in a better place financially and career-wise.

PilsnPinkysMom - I''m the youngest mom with a planned baby in my group of friends. After some initial questions about if this was planned, everyone''s seemed excited for us and haven''t expressed things about us not having lived life first, but at the same time they could be thinking it and not saying it. But at the same time, it''s our life and our baby to raise so why would it really matter what they think?

 

[Elmorton]

Date: 4/22/2009 8:59:46 PM
Author:musey
I''ve always wanted to have kids ''someday,'' but never felt the urge to do it ''now.'' That''s been coming on rather strong lately, even though I know intellectually that I am not ready and do not want them yet (we have at least 4 years to go, which I''m sure will fly by in the end)... emotionally I''m just beginning to have a little conflict. My husband has been feeling the same way, too.

This is exactly where we are - we know we''re not ready and we want to wait about 4 years, but I''m really starting to want children.

I''m 26. I think the first thing that brought these feelings on is that for the first time in my life, I''m not living in a university town. Thus people in my area seem to have children earlier since they tend not to be in school during their twenties. So, whenever I meet new people, the first thing I''m asked is "do you have children?" followed by "Wow - when I was your age, I had two already." At first, I thought this was just funny/strange, but now since I''m starting to want children more, it grates at me a little bit.

The other thing is that in the past 5 years, I''ve been passing "lifetime milemarkers" like crazy - graduated college, got my master''s degree, got married, moved away from where I grew up, bought a house - these were all the things I''ve planned since I was a little kid. The last piece of the dream is to have children. I think because I sped through everything else, there''s a part of my brain that says "c''mon!" but that''s mostly because I''m not used to looking around and simply living my life rather than planning it.

And finally, I think there''s the biological thing - I''m in my mid-twenties, not on BC anymore, and I do think my body is saying "procreate."

 

[Sha]

I always wanted to be a mother, too - but I would say the urge kicked in seriously at about 27 years old.

 

[sba771]

Mine kicked in when I met my FI, well shortly thereafter. I was 21- I am now 23 and all I can think about is our future famiy because I am so excited about having one with him. I had been in a 4 year relationship prior to my FI and never once did having kids cross my mind. Of course we won''t be married until I am 25 so by then I will be extremely ready so hopefully it will happen soon after the wedding. (I secretly want a honeymoon baby)

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 4/22/2009 10:34:27 PM
Author: musey

Date: 4/22/2009 10:15:02 PM
Author: PilsnPinkysMom
Anyone have it kick in at a young-ish age? Diva, you said 24... To me, that qualifies.

I am also 24

I turn 24 in less than 2 weeks, and I've probably wanted (seriously) to have kids within the past year. I've always wanted them, but really could have already started the process if I had been married. But FI and I are trying to set a wedding date now, and we won't even be "able" physically to have a child until after we're married, if you catch my drift. Plus we want to have a little time to ourselves first. So it'll probably be waiting a few years.

He, however, is 38, and I don't think his has kicked in per say, but he's more than ready to be a great dad. So it's not like he's got the itch, but I know he'll be more than excited when we do get married and decide it's time. It's more just a matter of getting married, then having some time to ourselves, but deciding how much time we want vs. how soon we want to start a family. We both are really excited to be parents though. It's something we talk about a lot.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 4/23/2009 8:09:07 AM
Author: anchor31
A lot earlier than I expected... I used to think ''no kids before 28-30'', but it kicked in recently and I''m 23 (24 in 2 weeks).

*Mini-Threadjack - Anchor, when''s your bday? Mine''s May 6!

 

[Blackpaw]

Date: 4/22/2009 10:15:02 PM
Author: PilsnPinkysMom
Good question, Musey! This topic always interests me.


Anyone have it kick in at a young-ish age? Diva, you said 24... To me, that qualifies.


I don''t know that it''s my biological clock (I''m a baby! 23!), but man-oh-man I''ve got some crazy interest in pregnancy.


To be clear: I do not want a baby now, or possibly for the next 5-12 years, I definitely couldn''t support one the way that I hope to down the road, and I''m still in my honeymoon-wedding planning-self-centered phase, which I hope to drag out for a whiiiiiiiiile...


BUT: I''m totally fascinated by pregnancy and being pregnant, would love to share that experience with J and my extended family, and really love baby clothes. (Good reason to get KTFU, right?) Babies are okay, too

, but once they start talking- I have NO interest

So maybe I''m a few years behind you, Musey? It crosses my mind, I contemplate it, but I''m nowhere near being serious about starting a family. A few years ago, the wheels were NOT turning AT ALL. Even remotely. In fact, I despised babes. I think after a friend or two gets hitched, and someone in your peer circle pops a bun outta the oven, the mommy-thoughts begin (for those who think they may want to be parents, anyway)


Ah well. Perhaps when I''m a REAL adult I''ll hear the clock

I am EXACTLY the same

ive recently found the pregnant pricescopers thread and i cant seem to look away. But its only a fascination with nurserys, clothes, tiny babies that cant walk or talk, and the pregnancy thing. Im a few years older than you and have never wanted kids. But now this thread has me curious...its a worry!

I wonder, is a biological clock the only thing that makes people go suddenly gaga for babies, or is it more external factors. I imagine when i get to my early thirties that the biological part might be ticking pretty loudly, but before then, is it more ideals of family, people having babies around you etc that make you start to want kids? Or is it strict biology even at a young age?

 

[Blackpaw]

Or is it finding the pregnant pricescopers thread on pricescope?

 

[trillionaire]

I''m 26.5, no ticking. Love Jon and Kate Plus 8, Supernanny, Adoption Stories, or pretty much any show about kids and families. I am obsessed with cute babies, would be over the moon for nieces or nephews, but the idea of having a child sounds to me the same as going to jail. Can.not.imagine. I think it''s nuts that people my age are allowed to have kids!

lol.

I am terrified about this bio clock, so I want to get a tubal before my biology hi-jacks my brain! SO and I have agreed to adopt if we get the urge for kids, but not until our 30''s, maybe 32/33ish, and it would be 2 kids in quick succession, preferably siblings!

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 4/23/2009 12:36:48 PM
Author: trillionaire
I''m 26.5, no ticking. Love Jon and Kate Plus 8, Supernanny, Adoption Stories, or pretty much any show about kids and families. I am obsessed with cute babies, would be over the moon for nieces or nephews, but the idea of having a child sounds to me the same as going to jail. Can.not.imagine. I think it''s nuts that people my age are allowed to have kids!

lol.

I am terrified about this bio clock, so I want to get a tubal before my biology hi-jacks my brain! SO and I have agreed to adopt if we get the urge for kids, but not until our 30''s, maybe 32/33ish, and it would be 2 kids in quick succession, preferably siblings!

I just wanted to say kudos to you for being willing to adopt. I think it''s such a phenomenal and great thing.

 

[Feralpenchant]

Date: 4/22/2009 10:15:02 PM
Author: PilsnPinkysMom
Babies are okay, too

, but once they start talking- I have NO interest

HAHA! Me too! Once you start talking, you're your father's child!

What does KTFU mean? I think I might have an idea.. but it could be wrong. Very wrong. Haha.

 

[mia1181]

KTFU= Knocked the *F* Up!

I don''t swear very much but this is how I say it now thanks to reading it here!

 

[robbie3982]

I believe mine kicked in towards the end of wedding planning, so I was 24ish. Baby #1 will arrive this summer and I''m 26.

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 4/22/2009 10:15:02 PM
Author: PilsnPinkysMom
Good question, Musey! This topic always interests me.

Anyone have it kick in at a young-ish age? Diva, you said 24... To me, that qualifies.

I don''t know that it''s my biological clock (I''m a baby! 23!), but man-oh-man I''ve got some crazy interest in pregnancy.

To be clear: I do not want a baby now, or possibly for the next 5-12 years, I definitely couldn''t support one the way that I hope to down the road, and I''m still in my honeymoon-wedding planning-self-centered phase, which I hope to drag out for a whiiiiiiiiile...

BUT: I''m totally fascinated by pregnancy and being pregnant, would love to share that experience with J and my extended family, and really love baby clothes. (Good reason to get KTFU, right?) Babies are okay, too

, but once they start talking- I have NO interest

So maybe I''m a few years behind you, Musey? It crosses my mind, I contemplate it, but I''m nowhere near being serious about starting a family. A few years ago, the wheels were NOT turning AT ALL. Even remotely. In fact, I despised babes. I think after a friend or two gets hitched, and someone in your peer circle pops a bun outta the oven, the mommy-thoughts begin (for those who think they may want to be parents, anyway)

Ah well. Perhaps when I''m a REAL adult I''ll hear the clock

To be completely honest, being pregnant has been one of the more unpleasant experiences of my life - and my husband has zero interest in ever sharing the experience again, and we haven''t even got to the birth yet! In fact I''m so desperate NOT to be pregnant anymore that I''m not even nervous about the birth part - I just want it done asap!

I believe some people sail through and love it - and I never expected to feel the way I have, but 26 weeks of 24/7 morning sickness, rib and back pain so bad that you can''t walk for more than 5 minutes and all the other nasty bits that NO-ONE tells you about before you get pregnant have left me with no appetite to do it again and our daughter will definitely be an only child unless they find a way of growing them in jam jars for the whole 9 months!

 

[gwendolyn]

Currently 31 and there is no ticking anywhere in this body o'' mine...

 

[musey]

Date: 4/23/2009 1:12:24 PM
Author: Pandora II

Date: 4/22/2009 10:15:02 PM
Author: PilsnPinkysMom
BUT: I''m totally fascinated by pregnancy and being pregnant, would love to share that experience with J and my extended family,

To be completely honest, being pregnant has been one of the more unpleasant experiences of my life - and my husband has zero interest in ever sharing the experience again, and we haven''t even got to the birth yet! In fact I''m so desperate NOT to be pregnant anymore that I''m not even nervous about the birth part - I just want it done asap!

I believe some people sail through and love it - and I never expected to feel the way I have, but 26 weeks of 24/7 morning sickness, rib and back pain so bad that you can''t walk for more than 5 minutes and all the other nasty bits that NO-ONE tells you about before you get pregnant have left me with no appetite to do it again and our daughter will definitely be an only child unless they find a way of growing them in jam jars for the whole 9 months!

Yeah, everyone''s different

the women in my family (with only a couple of exceptions) have all LOVED being pregnant. I guess that''s partly why they all have had to struggle to cut themselves off at a socially(and financially)-acceptable number of children

My cousin is working on number three right now and says that she "can''t wait to be pregnant again." Sure, there are physical issues (which some women experience more than others, and sometimes they''re worse or better from one pregnancy to the next in the same woman), but overall she cites it as some of the most magical days of her life.

 

[Loves Vintage]

To anwer your question -- right now actually! I'm 35.

I've always been a no-kids-for-me kind of gal, but over the past few years, this has changed gradually. My hubby has always wanted to be a papa. We are very excited about the prospect of having a baby!

 

[musey]

Date: 4/22/2009 10:15:02 PM
Author: PilsnPinkysMom
I am EXACTLY the same

ive recently found the pregnant pricescopers thread and i cant seem to look away. But its only a fascination with nurserys, clothes, tiny babies that cant walk or talk, and the pregnancy thing. Im a few years older than you and have never wanted kids. But now this thread has me curious...its a worry!

My fascination is with 2+ kids. I''m excited about the pregnancy, the infants, the nurseries, etc... but what I''ve really started ''craving'' is the toddler years and onward. Maybe because that''s what I''ve started seeing recently with our friends'' kids... their oldest just crossed the three-and-a-half line and became SO much fun! Not that she wasn''t fun before, but it was like having a little buddy to actually interact with, instead of having to ''watch'' her, you know?

Anyway, like I said kids are still 4+ years in the future for us (unless one of our careers skyrockets unexpectedly

), but this is the first time I''ve started feeling like getting pregnant would not be the end of the world. It really would NOT be a good idea for us, but emotionally I suddenly feel ''ready'' somehow. What a funny shift to be going through... and I really didn''t think it would be such an obvious thing. Interesting!

 

[bebe]

Married at 22, had DD at 30 and DS at 32. (54 now)

When we got married, I kinda hung on to the idea I didn''t want kids. Then around
27 or so the clock kicked in. It took 2 miscarriages to get DD and another to get DS.

(Many pros and cons of waiting versus earlier. I wish I had mine earlier. I want to be around when
they have children and I want to be active in my grandchildren''s lives.

)

 

[mia1181]

Everyone is different. Most of the women I know hated being pregnant (obviously happy with the end result) but I know someone now who is 20 weeks and still having brutal MS and all that, but is just loving being preggo. I also think it has to do with factors such as how easy it was to concieve. People who have had a difficult time concieving seem to enjoy (and appreciate) their pregnancy a bit more.

I personally don''t care about the pregnant part. I wouldn''t be disappointed if I never carried my child. I just want to have a baby that is mine.

 

[musey]

Date: 4/23/2009 9:45:13 AM
Author: Dani
I always knew I wanted to be a mom....I feel a *slight* urge to have a baby now, but I know its not the right time yet. MH feels the same way. I''m 30, he''s 34. We are probably going to wait at least another 2 years. I know there will never be a perfect time, but we feel that we have a lot more things to do before children (buy a house, travel, etc). At this point though, we are the only couple in our circle of friends that are childless or not pregnant!!!!!

I am definitely looking forward to it when it happens though!!!

I was always the same way, especially with traveling. I thought a baby would mean no more traveling, until they were old enough to be self-sufficient anyway, but my in-laws have completely put that fear to rest for me. They took my husband to Europe when he was six weeks old, and they never stopped traveling since. He was quite the jet-setter, and had been almost everywhere in the world by the age of 15.

So now that that''s a non-issue, the only thing standing in our way is income. We don''t make enough to do what we want to do AND buy a house AND have a kid. The problem is, though, that in a lower cost-of-living area, our income would be PLENTY to have a fantastic house and do a lot of traveling AND have a kid. So then the problem is no longer money, but money in our location - so if we got pregnant, we could move and slip right into the lifestyle we wanted to have with a baby... but then it would mean giving up my career (as I have to be where we currently are). So THEN it becomes an issue of career vs. kid, which is not a decision I''m ready to make.

Can you tell I''m feeling a bit conflicted?

 

[BeachRunner]

I''m 25, soon to be 26, and the baby bug has not hit me yet. FI and I are just aren''t financially stable, and I want to get my masters before I have to take on a child.

So now that that''s a non-issue, the only thing standing in our way is income. We don''t make enough to do what we want to do AND buy a house AND have a kid. The problem is, though, that in a lower cost-of-living area, our income would be PLENTY to have a fantastic house and do a lot of traveling AND have a kid. So then the problem is no longer money, but money in our location - so if we got pregnant, we could move and slip right into the lifestyle we wanted to have with a baby... but then it would mean giving up my career (as I have to be where we currently are). So THEN it becomes an issue of career vs. kid, which is not a decision I''m ready to make.


Can you tell I''m feeling a bit conflicted?

I don''t think you sound very conflicted Musey. You know what you want; to begin your career. You also know what you would like; babies!

 

[fieryred33143]

Date: 4/23/2009 1:52:05 PM
Author: musey

So now that that''s a non-issue, the only thing standing in our way is income. We don''t make enough to do what we want to do AND buy a house AND have a kid. The problem is, though, that in a lower cost-of-living area, our income would be PLENTY to have a fantastic house and do a lot of traveling AND have a kid. So then the problem is no longer money, but money in our location - so if we got pregnant, we could move and slip right into the lifestyle we wanted to have with a baby... but then it would mean giving up my career (as I have to be where we currently are). So THEN it becomes an issue of career vs. kid, which is not a decision I''m ready to make.

Can you tell I''m feeling a bit conflicted?

I don''t think you sound conflicted either. I think you sound smart. There are a lot of things to consider before having a baby and a lot of things that really do need to be "in order" before having a baby too.

These were all things that I thought of too. In an ideal world, we would have sold our condo and bought a house, been married

, and have the majority of our debt paid off. I also would have dealt with my health issues beforehand (I''m overweight). Of course my world feels ideal now that she''s coming and I can''t imagine not having her part of my life but there are definitely a lot of things that I would have liked to have done before having a baby.

It''s just a smart way of thinking.

 

[iwannaprettyone]

I''m 27 and up until last month I was out on the whole pregnancy thing. Well alas, had a "scare" and hubby was a little disappointed about the false alarm. So now, I find myself thinking about it more and more. I graduate in December so maybe after that...