What a great board and a great read but I'm even more confused than I was before. I will be 46 in November and very much want another child--I have since I had my beautiful daughter, Larianna, right before I turned 41. My husband, however, was happy and content with her. His thoughts were that we were blessed to have her--after all, I was a "AMO" mom. Yes, imagine my demise when all my files had this "AMO" label on it--Advance Maternal Age. I was and am anything but "old". :- )
I opted out of the genetic testing for birth defects because I was going to have my baby regardless of what they said. Amnio came with risks and if there were any physical deformities, we'd see them on the ultrasounds. I had a very easy pregnancy and delivery and was told I did better than women half my age. My daughter was born with a "creased line" on her left butt check and it was labeled as an "excess gluteal fold". She was given an MRI for spina bifida which came back negative.
My husband, who has been the controlling factor in not having another child, recently said that since I've been given a clean bill of health from the doctors that we can have another one. I was elated and floored and now scared at facing the possibility that I can have another baby (provided I could get pregnant and carry to term). The question is, do I? The only reason I hesitate is because of birth defects and more specifically DS. I truly believe that if I had a baby with DS or any other condition that didn't label my baby as healthy, is that's what God intended for me. I believe we are programmed to think of this as a negative but whose to say it's not the cloud with the silver lining--that it wouldn't change our lives for the better? Am I being selfish to want another baby? When I give my daugher a bath and see her gluteal fold, I sometimes wonder "what if"? I'd love to have another one for our daughter--both my husband and I had two younger siblings. I don't even think of my age as a limit as I'm fit, healthy, and wanting another one. The age factor comes in due to the risks. I can't say that we "need" another child or do we? Is this simply a want? Is that so bad to want to add to our beautiful family that is filled with love? Am I being selfish or do just count my blessings now and put this thought out of my head? I'd love to hear from those of you older than 43 and pregnant or considering the same. Thank you for your time and I apologize for the rambling.
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What a great board and a great read but I'm even more confused than I was before. I will be 46 in November and very much want another child--I have since I had my beautiful daughter, Larianna, right before I turned 41. My husband, however, was happy and content with her. His thoughts were that we were blessed to have her--after all, I was a "AMO" mom. Yes, imagine my demise when all my files had this "AMO" label on it--Advance Maternal Age. I was and am anything but "old". :- )
February 27, 2011 - 9:08amI opted out of the genetic testing for birth defects because I was going to have my baby regardless of what they said. Amnio came with risks and if there were any physical deformities, we'd see them on the ultrasounds. I had a very easy pregnancy and delivery and was told I did better than women half my age. My daughter was born with a "creased line" on her left butt check and it was labeled as an "excess gluteal fold". She was given an MRI for spina bifida which came back negative.
My husband, who has been the controlling factor in not having another child, recently said that since I've been given a clean bill of health from the doctors that we can have another one. I was elated and floored and now scared at facing the possibility that I can have another baby (provided I could get pregnant and carry to term). The question is, do I? The only reason I hesitate is because of birth defects and more specifically DS. I truly believe that if I had a baby with DS or any other condition that didn't label my baby as healthy, is that's what God intended for me. I believe we are programmed to think of this as a negative but whose to say it's not the cloud with the silver lining--that it wouldn't change our lives for the better? Am I being selfish to want another baby? When I give my daugher a bath and see her gluteal fold, I sometimes wonder "what if"? I'd love to have another one for our daughter--both my husband and I had two younger siblings. I don't even think of my age as a limit as I'm fit, healthy, and wanting another one. The age factor comes in due to the risks. I can't say that we "need" another child or do we? Is this simply a want? Is that so bad to want to add to our beautiful family that is filled with love? Am I being selfish or do just count my blessings now and put this thought out of my head? I'd love to hear from those of you older than 43 and pregnant or considering the same. Thank you for your time and I apologize for the rambling.
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