The months went by and I'm getting used to it, I'm 40 years old. Even if my nice young colleagues at work or my new acquaintances say that I don't do them at all. I took like an old-fashioned shot without context. Being a mother at 40 is not what magazines sell to you. Whether with stars or carefully selected testimonials to sell fantasy, you can postpone the age of pregnancy because you look younger thanks to a healthy lifestyle or cosmetics. Let's stop the illusion. Not everything is like a dream.
There are the beautiful machos theory, that is, you have a child and on the late, you assume your family life are juggling both literally and figuratively.
Talking with my entourage about young and not-so-young mothers, whether they are managers, civil servants or housewives, Yes! We try to find solutions such as delegating housework, shopping, childcare, and even if the dads do their part there is still a side of dissatisfaction.
Finally it's not a question of age and or baby. At 40 years old, it is more difficult to recover the days after late evenings, whether the cause is family (my daughter has nightmares or lost her pacifier at 3am) or festive (that would be better if it happened more often and not only on New Year's Eve!)... And where are the sleepless nights spent because of nocturnal activities without the risk of hearing a "paaaaaaapaaaaaaaa or maaaaamaaaan..." clear-cut its cravings for future cuddles and even to make a 2nd one that would not multiply statistically to limit these moments of intimacy become so rare?
But there are good things about age: the wisdom of knowing one's limits, of not giving oneself entirely for everything, of learning to be selfish and say no without guilt, of accepting to be imperfect, or disappointing perhaps. It doesn't matter if we recognize the people who appreciate us as we are: with our flaws and weaknesses and our humanity after all!
PS: I dedicate this article to my best friend who just told me how her 1st pregnancy, arrived just before her 41 years of age, so naturally with her sweetheart she met only a year ago (and already daddy of 2 children). Not everything will be easy. But a child's smile or laughter and tiredness fly away is magical, I promise you).