Think someone posted something similar earlier, but worth revisiting:
Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond) just warned women not to wait too long to have kids:
https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/patricia-heaton-warns-women-not-wait-too-long-have-children.amp

Not new, but hits different outside the BigLaw echo chamber. Partnership tracks and fertility curves barely overlap.
Some have kids, just later than they mean to.

How are others here thinking about this, or are many still punting?

I'm 35. My fertility tests all came back looking excellent, but I'm doing my first round of freezing at the end of the month and will probably do three since work pays for it. It's not really work related for me. I just really don't like most men so I'm probably going to do this on my own.

I have 4 kids. I had one right after graduation from undergrad (went later in life, I was 29), had a baby in my second year of law school, and had my last two while practicing. Not once did having a baby disrupt my path to Partnership. In fact, I think my ability to work hard and do good work for the firm and clients while juggling family life has made me more appealing as a partner. Obviously, it is hard, and the firm's culture really matters, but if you want kids, have them when you are ready. Your career will always be there.

There's never a perfect time to have kids. If you want them just do it. It will be hard but that's life. (Although I do suggest trying to hold out for a partner or make sure you have an excellent support network. Or a shitload of money so you can outsource a lot.) Pursue jobs that serve the family life you want to have, whatever that looks like for you, and be unapologetic about it. Make your choices confidently and be ready to adjust when needed.

I think this article overlooks the fact that many of us don’t have kids until later because we haven’t decided if we want them or not. Once you decide you want kids, hell yeah you should get started. I didn’t want kids until I was good and ready - had my first at 33 and having my second at 35 and while I may have precluded the possibility of a third (I’m simply too tired) I regret nothing. But I think a lot of us aren’t ready for a while and articles like these do nothing to help anyone who is still deciding if that’s a path they want to take.

I kind of hate articles like this. As someone diagnosed with unexplained infertility prior to conceiving, I still rather have gone through what I did than have had a baby before I was ready. I don’t understand why I would take a warning from a random lady (I have no idea who this is) whose 1-2 generations older than me and probably only has the vaguest concepts of age-related infertility.

Nope. My parents were the “have kids and figure it out” type. My entire childhood was a chaotic mess. I wanted to have the right partner, stable job or at least some savings, and permanent housing before I had kids. Everyone has their own priorities and standards here, but I’d rather have no kids than have them before I’m ready or raise one in an unstable home environment.

I mean I get her point about fertility but not everyone has a pool partners readily available to get married to and or have children with, or the support system to be able to say “well it doesn’t matter if I can’t afford children, I need to have them before I hit my 30s!”

I would have loved to gotten married and had kids prior to starting my career just for timing purposes but that wasn’t realistic.

Depends on the firm, but I have several partner mentors that generally advise to try to have all your kids as an associate because the parental leave is more respected for associates than partners. It was helpful to keep that in mind, but I think people should just have kids when it makes sense for their personal lives and not try to game some perfect time at work because that doesn’t exist.

I just had my first at nearly 40 and while I am so grateful for her, I regret waiting.

I’m 34 and due with my second baby this year. Just a few months short of a geriatric pregnancy. Lol First baby at 32. I thought this was perfect timing!! Spent my 20’s traveling, building my career, and meeting the right partner. In my opinion, early 30’s is a good time for babies, if life lines up that way.

I think the focus should generally be on more proactive testing and planning for future outcomes than when to have the kids. You can be infertile at 20/30/50 or have a healthy pregnancy at any age. The problem is not knowing until you are trying to ultimately conceive. We should advocate for us to have more knowledge about our individual situations so that we can make more informed decisions, whatever those are.

I had my kids at 39 and 40. Super grateful it was very easy to conceive naturally (1st try with both) but man am I tired now.

Biglaw 8th year. Had my first at 34 and just had my second at 36. I want at least two more. Wish I started sooner. I’ve been telling anyone who will listen not to wait to have kids. Recently made the decision to go off partner track and revisit in a few years. Never thought I’d do that and it took me a long time to be able to say it out loud. Always thought I’d do it all blah Blah blah.