A local mother shares her story of having children later in life

More women are waiting to start their families. I'm an older mom, but it wasn't a conscious decision. Babies had been on my mind for years, but it wasn’t until I found the right person that having a baby became a reality. I got pregnant with my first child at 36, and now here I am on the cusp of 39 having my second.

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Although this wasn’t the way I imagined starting my family, I’m convinced it happened at the best possible time in my life. In my 20s and early 30s I rose through the ranks in my career, and I did the things I wanted to do. That was my time to focus on myself. Now it’s time to focus on my children.

I consider myself a healthy adult, so I wasn’t concerned about my age being a factor in these pregnancies – although my doctors pointed out the risks that my “advanced age” carries with it. Mostly it meant more testing early on to be sure that my baby wouldn’t be born with abnormalities. With all that information in mind, I chose to skip the tests (many of which are not 100 percent proof of a problem anyway) and hope for the best.

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It’s impossible to know if I’m a better mom now than I might have been 10 years ago. But I believe anytime we open up our hearts to children – whether we give birth, adopt or welcome a foster child into our homes – that’s the right time to have a family.

Leah Black is the  former editor of Hudson Valley Parent