Here are just a few of the possible benefits of having a baby (or babies!) past forty --send me more and I'll add to the list! 

1. You are more aware of the need to draw on the grace and strength of the Lord and thus experience it daily! (Our attitudes affect whether we are in a position to receive God’s grace and strength –He freely offers it, but we have to receive it!)

 2. You are more aware of your own limitations and make sure you place a priority on good nutrition and adequate rest (and, again!) spiritual refreshment. This makes such a tremendous difference! (“I’m sorry dear, Grandma can’t baby-sit tonight, I have to be in bed by nine in order to get enough rest during this stage of my pregnancy.”  I also have a sign to hang on my bedroom door, “Mom is Napping”, and I use it!)

 3. You understand what really matters most and you're more willing to let the small stuff not get to you, including others' opinions about your still growing family. ( What a freedom it is to look at life in a positive way and allow God’s Word to shape priorities and perspectives!) 

4. You are more mature spiritually and have a stability and calmness in dealing with little ones. You're experienced so that things that once were upsetting, no longer are a problem. 

5. Having more children keeps you young! Sure, on the one hand you see all these young expectant women who look young enough to be your daughters –because you are old enough to be their mother, but you also are kept young by enjoying life with a little one again.  

6. You can identify even more with what your grown children and other younger parents are facing as they rear their little ones, and your advice (when asked for!) can be even more valuable because you are not only speaking from experience in the past, but from present experience. (No rose-colored glasses! ) You can demonstrate that you practice what you preach and teach by God’s grace and wisdom!  

7. You can travel the country and get senior-citizen discounts for yourselves and your child will be young enough to stay and eat free!  

8. You have built-in entertainment --no need to spend big bucks for a night on the town. Stay home and play with the baby. :-) Recently I marveled at how our little comedienne was keeping us in stitches. Who needs TV or movies?

9. You'll have someone in your life whose face positively lights up at the sight of you. Who is so adoring and happy just to see your smile morning, noon, and night. I love the way for this limited period of time, I'm the most important and treasured person in her life.

10. It's comforting to have another nap buddy so you're not the only one to take a snooze in the afternoon.

11. Babies have a way of slowing us down so we can stop and smell the roses. They vastly improve our quality of life! Now we're mature enough to really appreciate this.

12. You're too busy having fun with your new little one to have a mid-life crisis! ;-)

13. You might just end up living longer if you have a baby after 40! Ok, well that's just the result of one study conducted at Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, but it sounds good, huh? [They compared groups of women born in 1896 and discovered that those who had had a child in their 40’s — either firstborn or a subsequent one — were four times more likely to live to 100 than those women who did not, who died on average at age 73.  The researchers think that having a baby after 40 means the reproductive system and the rest of the body is aging more slowly.] We know our times are in the Lord's Hands, but why not enjoy the thought of these positive studies on "mature motherhood", too

In His Love,

Tamara

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My friend Kate Megill adds the following benefits:

 To all those gals who feel they are "too old", I have had 3 pregnancies in my 40's and, although I do feel a bit less *chipper* than I felt when in my 20's or 30's, they have been wonderful! I have learned a great deal about nutrition and healthy living and so they have been just as easy as my earlier pregnancies (although, I have morning sickness all day for 6 months with my girls and 9 months with my boys).

I concur with all the benefits of later life babies.

- I no longer have idyllic visions of my life as Super Woman. I know my limitations and can peacefully live within them, resting in the Lord for those times when I need to go beyond.

- I am MUCH less stressed about all things in my life because I have had that many more years to grow in my walk with the Lord and have learned more to abide in Him and less in me!

- It is easier to realize the importance of rocking and cuddling in the light of eternity instead of cleaning the oven! (Although I *do* realize it should be cleaned, sometimes it is just not the priority for today!)

- I have learned to be more organized, so having more children - even close together - is not the great issue I once thought it might be.

- I have learned to enjoy my children more, not just be the Sergeant Major (although yes, loving and consistent discipline is important but the harsh task master is not part of my life nor do I feel pressured in that way like I did when I was younger).

- I no longer compare my children to other families or get stressed out when we do things differently (we always seem to be different! *grin*).

- We laugh so much together!

- I don't stress about my weight anymore. I am content to let the Lord use it to mold my character as I work toward better health even as I sag a bit more each year! *grin*

I am hoping that the Lord still has some more blessings for us in terms of more children, but am content to let that decision rest in His hands.

In His Joy and Grace,
Kate Megill 

All you older moms who have gone though this, or are going through this, please  email me your positive thoughts and ideas on having babies after forty and I’ll keep adding to our list here!