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Would I personally, no. I'm 48, have three teenagers, and that is enough.
But I was born when my parents were 43 and 45, and they seemed to take it in their stride. I have two friends who have had babies in the last two years, one at age 45 and the other at 47. Both of them also had older kids who were thrilled to have a new baby in the family and have been all kinds of help to their parents. Another friend had her first and only at 44; he's now 10 years old. I know the risks go up as the mother gets older, etc., but all of the children involved are healthy.
I think the real question here is how YOU feel about having a third child. If you and your wife are both on board, I don't see any reason not to go for it, but your emojis imply that you are not enthusiastic. In that case, the one who doesn't want the baby prevails.
My aunt and uncle had their two kids in their 40s. Both in their early 40s. Its working for them very well right now because they were both able to establish themselves in their careers, communities extremely well and have a lot of luxuries and conveniences they wouldn't otherwise have as younger parents. (Enough money for wife to quit career entirely and permanently, husband has flexible executive role, strong network of friends and family in area, paid off assets like houses and cars). It also gave them more than enough time to travel and be together and accomplish goals when they were younger.
However, I wonder how it will be for them when the kids are older. I would never want to have a kid in my 40s. They will be in their mid sixties when their kids are graduating college. The thought of being that age and trying to raise a teen and burgeoning adult is not ideal to me. Who knows what toll life may take on their bodies at that point. I would much rather have my kids early, then have still some vital years left to enjoy the kids being out of the nest and being able to thoroughly enjoy the company of grandchildren.
I had my children at 32 & 34. I'm not in my 40's and my oldest is in middle school. I couldn't imagine having a baby now! My friend had her first baby at 42 and the doctor told her it will most likely be her last. Now she's upset that she didn't have children earlier so she could have more.
I think it's common for women to get baby hungry right at the time their fertility is waning...probably mother nature's way of trying to squeeze in one last person before her childbearing years are behind her.
I wouldn't do it. What if the baby has a disability? Or is hard to handle? I have a friend who had her tubes tied, later had a reversal, and her 3rd kid is a hellion. Plus at 40+ you should be thinking ahead to retirement.
I am 42 and my kids are all teens and up. I would be extremely tired and broke if I had a baby at this stage of life. No thank you! The grandbabies will be coming along before you know it
Only you two can decide if this would enhance your life or not.
I would have enjoyed a baby in my 40s, and my husband would have too. He and I both felt bereft when the days of coaching Little League and booster club was over.
Maybe you would be happier being child free earlier and concentrating on traveling and hobbies? The thing that would give me pause is the fear of birth defects. If you had a few healthy kids already, why take the chance?
Consider you'll be 60 when this kid hits age 18...
So? Most of us aren't exactly decrepit at 60. Kids keep you young. I didn't have kids in my 40s but the one I had when my other kids were teenagers was the one I enjoyed the most. We had more money, more confidence in our ability to parent, more time to spend with him. I sort of wish I had had another one right after him, because he was almost like an only child. I had a fear of rocking the boat, so we stopped with him.
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