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What Older Women Should Expect Their First Time Expecting
It’s been said that 40 is the new 30, and 50 the new 40. However, when it comes to being pregnant, especially for the first time, 35 is still a line doctors draw in the sand. Don’t let that notion scare you. More and more women are having children in their 40s, let alone their late 30s, and modern medicine is helping minimize the risk of what were once considered high-risk pregnancies. Here’s a little knowledge to help you make good decisions and calm your nerves as a new older mother.
How Healthy Are You?
To start with, if you’re considering having your first child later in life you should review your overall health with your doctor. A pregnancy at any age takes a toll on a woman’s body and starting out in good health no matter your age is an important part of making a health-conscious decision. Pregnancy is a stressful time and adding worrying about underlying health concerns is no way to go through it for you or your baby.
Get a Good Baby Doctor
In correlation to a pre-pregnancy health assessment, going to the obstetrician for prenatal care as soon as you know you’re pregnant is another smart and important decision. Women over 35 are more susceptible to certain conditions, including preeclampsia, which can cause high blood pressure and gestational diabetes, and testing your blood and urine can catch these problems early so that that they can be treated. Attorney, Stewart Cohen says to talk to the hospital and delivery doctor as well to make sure your delivery will be as smooth as possible. Older woman have a higher risk of having a baby with a birth defect so many doctors prescribe prenatal vitamins that include folic acid, which helps lessen the chances of defects that affect the baby’s spinal cord as well as their brain.
There’s Always Money Involved
Raising a child in any income bracket costs a substantial amount of dough over their first 18 years and anyone starting later in life may want to consider that aspect of their decision along with the emotional and physical parts. Trusts, college funds, and other investments, small and large, will help at key points down the road. As older parents, you’ll have a head start, but you’ll still want to provide for the future. Especially if you retire before your child finishes schooling.
Having a child at any age is an amazing and humbling experience and if you are a little bit older you may want to plan just a little bit more so that your pregnancy, delivery, and first few years as a new mother go as smoothly as possible.
