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Not Older, Better

Motherhood After 35

By Kelly Burgess

While a "younger" mother may not have some of the health worries of an "older" mother, research indicates the latter may just be the better mother overall. Dr. Berryman reports the results of research on older mothers as parents is very positive, including the fact that increased maternal age is associated with greater satisfaction with motherhood.

Dr. Berryman suggests this may be because mothers over the age of 35 were more likely to have fulfilled themselves prior to the birth of their child and thus are less likely to expect their child to this role. In studies, younger mothers also tended to be more conflicted about their role as mothers, stressing the "enormous" sacrifices of motherhood, including isolation, financial stresses and feelings of restlessness.

If she'd had a choice, Farr would have had her son earlier in life, and she does have a few worries and regrets over having him later. But she says those pale in comparison to the benefits.

"I know without a shadow of a doubt that I am a much better mother than I ever would have been even in my 30s," says Farr. "I find I have much more patience, I'm calmer, I'm smarter and more focused and have much more appreciation for him and the little person that he is as well as the experience of motherhood itself."

Want to see more?

• Choosing Single Motherhood
• Moms Today
• Pregnancy Stories: Real Women Share the Joys, Fears, Thrills and Anxieties of Pregnancy from Conception to Birth
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