Naomi Campbell welcomed a daughter earlier this week, just a few days shy of her 51st birthday.
And, while older mums are becoming more the norm these days, not everyone agrees that it’s a good thing.
Clearly a very divisive subject, here, two writers – both mums themselves – offer their opinion.
So what do you think – is it selfish bringing a baby into the world later in life, or should all babies be celebrated, no matter what the age of its mother?
Naomi Campbell welcomes daughter – and I’m delighted
Kelly Rose Bradford, a 48-year-old mum of one, is “delighted” for the supermodel.
She told ED!: “I was delighted to hear Naomi Campbell’s baby news, but suspected I would be in the minority and I was right
“The negative comments soon came rolling in, with all their dull predictability.
Read more: Naomi Campbell shares first picture of her newborn daughter
“‘The poor child will only be 20 when she is 70,’ crowed one online commenter, while others claimed the baby would be brought up by nannies while Naomi continued to enjoy her supermodel lifestyle.
As for being selfish and all about them – well, as any parent knows, that is impossible with a newborn.
“Not only that, but much dreary chatter ensued about how she’d had the child – phrases like ‘rent a womb’ and ‘shopping’ for eggs.
“For goodness sake, does it really matter? The baby is obviously very much wanted, and will be well provided for, regardless of how Naomi become its mother.”
Men get the ‘life in the old dog yet’ fanfare
Kelly continued: “As a woman in her late forties who would love to have another child, I don’t understand all the hate when it comes to older mums proudly showing off their newborns.
“The same rarely occurs when men become dads when they should be drawing their pensions.
“When broadcaster Jon Snow welcomed a new baby at the grand old age of 73 this year, and 89-year-old Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone had his son in 2020, it was in the main to much nudge-nudge-wink-wink, ‘life in the old dog yet’ fanfare.
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“Just because a woman has past her prime biologically shouldn’t mean she is denied the chance of motherhood.
“We would never diss a woman with fertility issues for considering surrogacy, or donor eggs, or any medical intervention to enable her to become a mum. Yet when an older celebrity does it, it is ‘selfish’ and ‘all about them’.
“Which to my mind says more about the person making the comments than the woman who has welcomed a longed-for baby. A touch of the green-eyed monster that they couldn’t afford the same, perhaps?
“And as for being selfish and all about them – well, as any parent knows, that is impossible with a newborn.
“So I say good for you Naomi – and huge congratulations.”
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Naomi Campbell welcomes daughter – and it’ll be ‘exhausting’
Samantha Downes, founder and director of Instagram financial news service @YourMoneyNews, is a 50-year-old mum of two.
And, after hearing Naomi’s news, has a word of warning for the supermodel.
Samantha told ED!: “If you had asked me a few years ago whether 50 was too old to have a baby, I would have laughed at you.
“I could hardly deny any woman the joy of having children in later life – after all, I had my eldest daughter at 38 and my youngest when I was 42.
“During my first pregnancy the term ‘geriatric’ was unknown to me and the only time I became aware of being a bit older was half way into my second pregnancy.
“I was referred to see a consultant midwife and, during my consultation, she kept asking me: ‘Why on earth have you been referred to see me?’
“It turned out she had assumed – having not checked my date of birth – that I was in my late twenties.
“This ‘age issue’ then started to become all too real as, during my pregnancy, several friends and relatives trying to get pregnant – all in their early 40s – suffered miscarriages.”
Puberty hits and you need to be there
“After having my second baby, I still harboured a wish to have a third child, but time – and my career – marched on.
“Then, as I entered my late forties, my oldest daughter started to enter puberty. And that, dear reader, is when the proverbial hit the fan.
“My now 12-year old girl is, and was, the most delightful child. A joy to be with. But there’s no mistaking she’s in the full throes of being a teenager.
“I pride myself on my fitness regime and my relatively healthy diet – which does include wine and treats.
“But dealing with a pubescent girl is exhausting. You need to be present for them in a way that cannot be substituted with hired help of any kind (read this Naomi!).
“It means supporting, listening and being there.
“It’s not something anyone (mother or father) wants to be doing in their early fifties, let alone in their early sixties.”
A teenager when you’re drawing your pension? No thanks!
“If a woman can conceive naturally at 50, use a surrogate, egg donation or even adopt then that’s wonderful. Being a parent is an amazing life-affirming, life-breaking, mind- blowing experience.
“But you have to be there to enjoy it in all it’s glory – good and bad.
“And dealing with teenage tantrums when you’re about to draw your state pension, even with all the help in the world, and money, I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
“Good luck Naomi – you’re going to need it!”
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