Ready or not?....

I'm in a bit of a thinking mode this evening. My gorgeous Latina girlfriend Laura came over today, we popped down to the local pub for a cheeky wine and one of the things that came out of my mouth was, as much as I love my daughter to bits and wouldn't change anything, sometimes I do feel as though I wasn't quite ready for a baby and should have waited another year or two.
The age that a woman becomes a mother is a subject of great debate; is it better to be a young mum, so you have more energy and your body pings back into shape like an elastic band, or is it better to be an older mum, once you've bought a home and forged a career.
Last year, the average age of first-time mothers was 29, which sounded quite old to me, personally, when I read the statistic, but nowadays girls are still likely to be partying and traveling well into their late 20's, whereas just a couple of decades ago most women would be married with a couple of toddlers by that age. At the Mother and Baby club that I sometimes go to, I'm the youngest mum by quite a few years and, for my area, I'm considered a young mum. Then, if you look at the rest of the country, "young mums" are actually in their teens or very early twenties.
I've read numerous articles in newspapers, magazines and online about the various pros and cons of having babies in your 20s, 30s or 40s, but then a thought occurred to me- is anybody ever 100%, truly and undoubtably ready to become a mother?
One of the arguments against being a very young mother is the financial issue. It's becoming harder and harder for 20-30 year olds to get on the property ladder and start owning instead of renting and the cost of living is increasing, so some people argue that it's best to wait until you've got a mortgage and are a bit more established in your chosen career path. But then again, with the increase in the cost of living, the price of various baby paraphernalia increases. Plus, there's always something new that becomes a "must have" and babies seem to need a remarkable amount if things for such little people. I found that I was ordering things that I had forgotten to sort out right up to my due date and even then, I felt unprepared.
Then there's the physical issue. Younger mums may have the advantage over older mums in the stamina and energy category, but nothing can quite prepare you for pregnancy and childbirth's strain on your body and the sheer exhaustion of sleepless nights and non-stop feeds and changes. There were times in Isabella's first week that I was so tired, I swear I had an out-of-body experience!
We also have the emotional side of having a baby. Some might argue that older mums are more emotionally mature, but surely that can't prepare you for the raging pregnancy hormones then the larger-than-life feelings of love and devotion for your child. I find it quite scary how my little girl, who was nothing but a bundle of cells just over a year ago, has become my whole world and means more to me than life itself. Nothing could prepare me for how much I'd fall in love with my baby. They don't warn you of that in your midwife appointments!
Then there's the practicality of having a baby. I found out very soon after giving birth that, no matter how much you read and research, no matter what classes you go to and no matter what you think you've learnt from friends and family, babies just don't behave by the book. There's always curve balls being thrown at you to keep on you on your toes. I'm sure that many second and third time mums find that past experience helps, but there's always new things to learn and discover in motherhood.
In conclusion, no matter how old you are and planned or not, feeling ready for a baby and actually feeling ready for a baby are two very different things. But hey, that's all part of the ride that is life!
TTFN xxx