Biological Clock

Mrmoe

This is something I have been thinking a lot more about recently. I do not know whether it is because of my age (27) or life experience I have gained up until now (job, career, buying a house etc) but the thought of having children is coming more and more part of my thoughts. Is this a common thing to happen once you reach a certain age or stage in life? I don't really see it amongst too many off my friends who are of the similar age.

Looking for evidence of a male biological clock there is some evidence but it is not overwhelming to any degree.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/27/health/27sper.html

When it comes to fertility and the prospect of having normal babies, it has always been assumed that men have no biological clock — that unlike women, they can have it all, at any age.
But mounting evidence is raising questions about that assumption, suggesting that as men get older, they face an increased risk of fathering children with abnormalities. Several recent studies are starting to persuade many doctors that men should not be too cavalier about postponing marriage and children.

I dont think anyone has ever said it to me either nor have I heard it being said to to any other fella that they should start settling down and having kids by a certain age blah blah etc. Is this something we take for granted or is not that important?

Otis Driftwood

Since I turned 30 the idea of having kids has definitly come more to the fore front of my thoughts.I always knew I wanted to have kids at some stage however now I find myself going a bit googly eyed when being around young kids/babies.Alot of my close friends have had kids over the last couple of years and I have to say when I see them I do feel a twinge of jealousy.

Of course if it ever happens for me Id ideally like it to be in the "right" context ie married,steady decent career,own home etc but being currently single,not owning a home and being a bit in limbo career wise its the least of my concerns.

I think it happens to a helluva lot more men than would admit it.One of my best mates is very much like this.He has a permanent job that he will do til he retires,bought a house 2 years ago etc.Although he would never admit it he is mad to settle down to the point that ever girl he has started seeing over the last 18 months or so he has steamed in feet first and come on ridiculously strong to the point that he scared them away.

Im sure it will happen for me at some stage(the settling thing,not the steaming in thing :pac: ) so Im not in any major panic as yet.Having said that,I dont think Id like the idea of having teenage kids when Im in my 60s.

Time will tell I suppose!

solerina

Im Female, so sorry to butt in....maybe because its not something guys talk to other guys about but will talk to a woman about I find that a huge amount of the males I know who are late 20s and older want nothing more than to become a dad....they talk about the female biological closk but its usually the male in my friends relationships that are the ones pushing to have children. I think your feeling are more common than you realise OP.

yawha

Cum in a baggie and throw it in the freezer.

Problem solved.

TouchingVirus

yawha wrote: »

Cum in a baggie and throw it in the freezer.

Problem solved.

Is there a less crude option available in Ireland? I've never heard of a sperm bank/sperm storage facility myself.

Morag

TouchingVirus wrote: »

Is there a less crude option available in Ireland? I've never heard of a sperm bank/sperm storage facility myself.

There isn't, you'd have to go to the UK and pay thousands for them to keep samples.

Mrmoe

Sharrow wrote: »

There isn't, you'd have to go to the UK and pay thousands for them to keep samples.

I don't think it would be too popular an option anyway considering that there is no essential age limit for men, just a lower likelihood of success by more traditional methods.

I just thought it was strange that I was thinking about it more. I get on fine with kids, I have loads of nieces and nephews that I get on great with and have looked after regularly over the years. I never had a great urge or even thought about having my own seriously, if anything I was veering towards not having any although if I did it wouldn't have been a problem. However now it seems like a light bulb has gone off in my mind and I dont know what triggered it. Even looking back at my family history I can't see a pattern with regard to age, my own father was in his mid 20's, grandfather in his 40's and great grandfather in his late teens.

Snowie

I'm 29 an uncle and to be honest experiencing a 2 month baby for 3 weeks was awful... It cried a lot that annoyed me.... Thi seeing him older now he's gettin hooge and then I think I kinda looking forward to when we can play with petrol and matches a d stuff but being a parent is nuts for any one... I know so many people who are parents or pregnant...

It's not that I don't like them but it's a massive commitment a. Commitment. That I'm not intirly ready, I want to be in a good position for parenting..

Teferi

Mrmoe wrote: »

Looking for evidence of a male biological clock there is some evidence but it is not overwhelming to any degree.

Could it be something to do with the pressures of society? If there isn't overwhelming evidence then surely it should be looked at.

Anyway, at 23 the thought of having a child honestly scares the bejaysus out of me. I'm way more safety conscious than my gf. I've noticed that a lot of my cousins in their late 30's are starting to have kids now. A friend who is about 36 is about to get married and will probably have a kid within the next couple of years. I think for both partners its going to get older and older.

RedXIV

I'm kinda in the opposite end of the spectrum I always liked the idea of having kids and to be honest, I did want them when I was younger so I wouldn't be too old to do anything with them. I've a friend who's dad was 70 when she was 21 and I remember thinking that was terrible.

I'm living with my gf now and she has a 6yr old from a previous relationship and we have a 10 month old and another on the way. And I just turned 24 in February. It is tough being a dad sometimes, especially when all you want to do is sleep and especially for me since I pretty much came out of college lifestyle straight into parenthood but on the same token, I love it when I get to play with my daughter, I like knowing I can make a difference to their lives and you do change a bit when you have kids.

I bought an old school mega drive over the week and the first thing I thought of was my 6yr old is gonna love this (he didn't appreciate it as much as I did though )

challengemaster

RedXIV wrote: »

I bought an old school mega drive over the week and the first thing I thought of was my 6yr old is gonna love this (he didn't appreciate it as much as I did though )

What you really meant was "The child inside me will love this!" :pac:

FewFew

I think it's more to do with your position in life rather than age. I think a fair few people above have said that when they got a career, a house, a steady girlfriend etc it just seemed to click in your brain. Out of my mates who have kids (all around the 27 mark) it's only the few with steady career/house/significant other that got the urge to be a daddy and went about doing it. I reckon it's more social pressure and reasoning that brings it on, I mean, I know I want kids at some point, but to get broody about it in my current single/start of career situation would be mad.