Is it better to have kids in your 20s, 30s or 40s? Experts and parents weigh in

Fertility, finding the right partner, balancing career progression with home life and gaining financial stability... deciding when to start a family or preparing yourself for a surprise arrival can be complicated. Here, parents and experts share their experiences

Jamie and Niamh Kinsella with their children Ruben (8) and Faye (7). Photo: Gerry Mooney

Kathy Donaghy

Marriage by this age, babies by that age. From the minute we are born, human beings — and women especially — are subliminally fed societal messages about deadlines in their lives.

So when Hollywood actress Eva Mendes spoke about the judgement she felt for having children in her 40s, she was speaking for many women who faced the same response to having their own family later.