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Parenting

02nd May 2020

Having a baby at 40 is a surefire way to stay young, says one famous mum

Trine Jensen-Burke

Joanna Gaines

The average age of first-time mothers is on the rise all over the Western world – with Ireland having one of the oldest first-time mothers in the world according to recent statistics.

However, while advanced maternal age can in some cases come with its medical challenges, mainly when it comes to how easy it is getting pregnant in the first place, many also argue that being an older mum has its benefits too, such as being more secure in your job/relationship/living situation, having a better financial network in place and also being more sure of who you are and ready to welcome a baby into your life.

Another argument for having a baby or adding to your family in your late 30s or 40s is that a baby will bring with it a new lease of life for the entire family – and yourself.

This is something that TV star, interior designer and author Joanna Gaines can relate to, after finding out she was pregnant with her baby #5 a full eight years after welcoming her last baby – and now at the age of 40.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

This is 40. And I like it… #pregnantandforty #anddoughnuts

A post shared by Joanna Stevens Gaines (@joannagaines) on

And while her

And yet now, the designer says that having a baby in her arms is making her feel “young again.”

“I kid with people, ‘If you ever want to feel young again, have a baby at 40,’ “

Gaines has been open about what a shock to the system a pregnancy at 40 was, getting personal in an an emotional essay for the fall issue of her magazine,

“I truly believed I was done…

 

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I think it’s time for the next size up #sixmonths

A post shared by Joanna Stevens Gaines (@joannagaines) on

“Chip and I made a choice to take some time off this past year because it seemed best for us in that season — even though we knew it would stretch us to stay still,” she explained.

Finding out that 13-year-old Drake, 11-year-old Ella, 9-year-old Duke, and 8-year-old Emmie would soon have a brand new sibling was a bit of a shock to Gaines’ system, as was the pregnancy.

At 40, Gaines’ pregnancy was termed “geriatric” by medical professionals, a term which

“I have always really enjoyed being pregnant—I tend to feel my best during those nine months.

When asked if she and Chip are planning a sibling for baby Crew, Joanna said there are no concrete plans, but the door isn’t shut to a spontaneous addition.

“I thought I was done, and then we had Crew,” she says. “

(Feature image via Joanna Gaines/Instagram)