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Web Exclusive...
Resource Guide for Older Parents
By Randy B. Hecht, September 2005
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"Oh, Baby," our article on midlife parents, mentions a number of resources for this growing group:
Plum magazine
Conceive magazine
MothersOver40.com
Here are several more sources of information and support, for both mothers and fathers.
Print Publications
Later Childbearing
This patient education pamphlet is published by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. To obtain a free copy, send an email to resources@acog.org. Put the title "Later Childbearing" in the subject line and include the title, your full name, and your mailing address in the body of the message.
But I Don't Feel Too Old to Be a Mommy! The Complete Sourcebook for Starting (and Restarting) Motherhood Beyond 35 and After 40 (Health Communications, Inc., 2002)
Author Doreen Nagle covers such topics as infertility; pregnancy and alternatives to pregnancy (adoption, surrogacy); the advantages and disadvantages of becoming a mother later in life; issues of special concern for prospective single mothers; and the financial impact of starting a family at midlife.
Hot Flashes Warm Bottles: First-Time Mothers Over Forty (Celestial Arts, 2001)
One of the authors of the original edition of Our Bodies, Ourselves, Nancy London, M.S.W., founded a local support group for first-time mothers age 40 and older. Her book offers a mix of practical advice and anecdotes from older moms.
Midlife Motherhood: A Woman-to-Woman Guide to Pregnancy and Parenting (St. Martin's Press, 2002)
This book by Jann Blackstone-Ford shares the author's experiences as a midlife mother along with anecdotes gathered from her Internet discussion group. Its focus is more on support and reassurance than on medical information.
You Make Me Feel Like an Unnatural Woman: Diary of a New (Older) Mother (Miramax, 2004)
Judith Newman's book is a comic look at her experience giving birth to twins when she and her husband were 40 and 66, respectively.
On the Internet
Adoption Websites
If you're considering adoption rather than pregnancy, you can explore your options—including those specific to older parents—and learn about requirements in a variety of foreign countries at Adopting.org.
Chat Rooms and Support Networks
Sometimes you just want to make contact with someone else who knows what you're going through. Whether you're pregnant, trying, or thinking about testing the waters, you'll find others in your situation on the message boards at www.mothers35plus.co.uk. Another site you can check out is BabyCenter, which requires you to register (for free) to participate on its message boards. Relevant boards include "Parents 35 and older" and "Over 35 and trying." The same site also has a message board dedicated to older dads.
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