What is a good time to give birth?

[highland145]

Go look in the great holes thread at the pic of the octo-mom and you might change your mind.

 

[Krazy4Real]

Finish school first.

 

[ObscureCaucasian]

Be able to start a college fund for your new child with contributions monthly.

This is nice but not mandatory IMO. My parents contributed maybe 5k-10k towards my education that will probably end up costing around 70k when I'm done (BS/MS). My parents don't have too much money, so any contributions were anything my mom made pulling some overtime during the last 4 years.

I don't feel like my parents should be obligated to pay for my schooling.

 

[keird]

March or April

This. It's usually mild weather by the time the kid is ready to go for strolls. We had our kid in February and it worked out well.

 

[paulney]

Why before 30? You mention ready both emotionally and financially and more often than not people under 30 are not emotionally and/or financially mature enough.

Hell, if you look at today's generation they will be idiots at 50! *shakes cane*

Physiologically your best chances of having a healthy kid are when mom gives first birth under 30. Second - early 30s. Then the chances start rapidly diminish, and you are looking at a ton of complications, extra health checkups and procedures throughout the pregnancy and what not.

For a while the trend in the US was moving towards mid 30-s or older for having a first kid, and that brought about a shit-ton of sick babies now growing up as sick adults. The trend is now reversing back to mid 20-s or so (got that somewhere on a reputable news channel, don't ask me for the source).

 

[kami333]

There's no such thing as a good time.

That being said, my criteria for my SO and I have kids:
1year emergency fund at current rate of spending(check)
expected cost of delivery saved seperate from emergency fund, ~$6000 (not check)
employer based health insurance for both of us (check)
ability to support whole family on 75% of one of our salaries (not check)

 

[Wyndru]

A lot of people here seem like they save for delivery. Are some health insurances so stingy that they don't even cover emergency c-sections?

My wife was natural birth, but if she went emergency c-section they would have covered it, and I don't pay a lot for insurance costs, like 150/month.

 

[DrPizza]

Early 20's for me. We both had jobs, we both had insurance. We had 2 boys, about 18 months apart. Looking back, I wouldn't change a thing on the timing. I'm in my early 40's now, both kids are in college. One of my friends from high school is the same age as me, but has a 2 or 3 year old now. I can't imagine being just a couple years from retirement as my kids were heading off to college. *shudder*

 

[sandorski]

Usually it's a good time once your cervix is dilated to 10 cm.

"When it's done"

 

[AreaCode707]

This is nice but not mandatory IMO. My parents contributed maybe 5k-10k towards my education that will probably end up costing around 70k when I'm done (BS/MS). My parents don't have too much money, so any contributions were anything my mom made pulling some overtime during the last 4 years.

I don't feel like my parents should be obligated to pay for my schooling.

Agreed that it's not mandatory, but I think it is part of what defines a "good" time to have kids, if you have the luxury of picking when you have children.

 

[highland145]

A lot of people here seem like they save for delivery. Are some health insurances so stingy that they don't even cover emergency c-sections?

IIRC, the maternity ins was some ridiculous # like $500/mo extra and you had to have it 9+ months out.

 

[KeithTalent]

I would definitely wait until school is finished and you have a job. What happens if when your wife has to take time off to deliver and recover? Will you be able to sutain yourselves on reduced maternity pay? Also, what kind of health care coverage do you currently have? Will it cover the hospital costs? If there are any complications, will you be able to cover that?

Anyway, I'm not trying to be a downer, just some things to think about. Good luck with whatever you decide!

KT

 

[gaidensensei]

The way I have an outlook on it is by what age do you want to be when your child goes to college. Add 18 years to your current age, think ahead if you still want to be "working" for the money at that time when s/he is 16, 17. I would tend to be inclined to say that working in the upper 50's while your child is still in high school seems to be a bit more taxing on your health.

Oh, and definitely March-April springtime if you can plan that out.

 

[Adrenaline]

When you can give your child things at no cost to the way you live your life. Why would you want a child if the child is going to make you and your wife live a life of poverty and throw the child in with it?

When you and your wife are both stable is the best time to have a child. Stable jobs with decent benefits to help when needed and extra cash for all kinds of stuff.

My daughter turns 4 next week and she is spoiled more than my wife and her siblings and me and my siblings combined. If I did not have a daughter I would have NO bills (I had bills for cars, house, college loans before the child and have them afterward) at this point in life. Four years of paying for things nonstop for a child adds up.

 

[Saint Nick]

October 5th is the most common birthday in the US.

 

[highland145]

October 5th is the most common birthday in the US.

3/18 and 3/29 are the best ones.

 

[KeithTalent]

October 5th is the most common birthday in the US.

Seriously? That's my birthday. :hmm:

KT

 

[gaidensensei]

Seriously? That's my birthday. :hmm:

KT

Happy belated birthday!

 

[KIAman]

As a father of 2 boys, don't have kids unless your purpose in life is to have kids.

 

[DrPizza]

When you can give your child things at no cost to the way you live your life. Why would you want a child if the child is going to make you and your wife live a life of poverty and throw the child in with it?

When you and your wife are both stable is the best time to have a child. Stable jobs with decent benefits to help when needed and extra cash for all kinds of stuff.

My daughter turns 4 next week and she is spoiled more than my wife and her siblings and me and my siblings combined. If I did not have a daughter I would have NO bills (I had bills for cars, house, college loans before the child and have them afterward) at this point in life. Four years of paying for things nonstop for a child adds up.

I think this ignores somewhat that "the way you live life" changes a bit after you have a child. If your way of life is jetting off to Europe for a week or two multiple times each year, then the best time to have a child is "never." If your way of life is eating out at expensive restaurants 5 nights a week, and you're not willing to give up something like that to have a child, then the best time to have a child is probably never. We have enough kids in the world who are treated as liabilities rather than assets. Right now, I live in the poorest county in my state. Yet I see daily that most of the kids still have more "stuff" than most children had a couple decades ago. It doesn't take a high income and paid off mortgage to be able to successfully raise a family. There are already too many spoiled rotten children out there who think the world owes them everything. (That probably applies to the attitude of one of my own children at times too. )

 

[vi edit]

Early 20's for me. We both had jobs, we both had insurance. We had 2 boys, about 18 months apart. Looking back, I wouldn't change a thing on the timing. I'm in my early 40's now, both kids are in college. One of my friends from high school is the same age as me, but has a 2 or 3 year old now. I can't imagine being just a couple years from retirement as my kids were heading off to college. *shudder*

My wife has a coworker that is 42 and has 4 boys under the age of 4.
She has another that is 50 and has twins that are 6 months old.

I think I'd cry if I was 50 and found out I had twins on the way.

 

[alfa147x]

Early 20's for me. We both had jobs, we both had insurance. We had 2 boys, about 18 months apart. Looking back, I wouldn't change a thing on the timing. I'm in my early 40's now, both kids are in college. One of my friends from high school is the same age as me, but has a 2 or 3 year old now. I can't imagine being just a couple years from retirement as my kids were heading off to college. *shudder*

Hmm GF parent's retired as their children (2) went of to college... Their son ended up going to a private college and they had to pay out the ass for tuition and stuff. Then he lost his scholarship causing them to not be able to help their younger daughter (who got a full ride besides food and housing) She's doing okay because we live together and we both work. But it sucks that the more responsible one got the short end of the stick

Retirement + college payments + bad planning =

Honestly if you can mid 20's IMHO is the best time

 

[lxskllr]

Seriously? That's my birthday. :hmm:

KT

Count backwards and see where you end up ;^)

 

[KeithTalent]

Count backwards and see where you end up ;^)

Um, I'd rather not. D:

KT