The age at which women have children now is increasingly getting older. Although long-term trend data shows the age at which women in Britain had their first child got younger in the ‘Baby Boom’ years between the 1940s and 1970s, since 1974 it has been on the rise and from 2013 onwards, the average mother has had her first child after her 30th birthday.
While there are many factors involved in this, including IVF and improved medicine that make it easier to have kids after 35 and even 40, for many women a decision to start a family later has been linked to career development.
For those who are having kids later, however, there is still a question of career progression, notwithstanding much legislation in recent years concerning flexible maternity and paternity leave, as well as increased employment protections against redundancy during maternity leave.
Despite all that, some things cannot be altered by a change in the law, like the simple reality that the older you are, the less energy you will have.
This is why getting a maternity nanny may be a great move. It has often been assumed that the father will have a short paternity break and the mother a much longer one, but that is not always so. It may be convenient for the mother to return to work sooner, especially if she is in a senior work role.
A maternity nanny can help a new mum of any age cope with the business of juggling work and other life commitments with motherhood. At an older age, this may be even more valuable.
This way, professional women can make the absolute most of their lives, knowing they can progress with their careers, earn a good income and give their infants the best possible care without it all burning them out.
