I’m terrified of the reality of being a first time mother in my forties

DEAR DEIDRE: WHEN I hit my forties I worried I’d never become a mother, yet now I’m pregnant I’m terrified of what the future may hold.

I’m 42, my husband is 47 and we’ve been married for 15 years.

I never worried about my fertility and always assumed that when the time was right it would just happen for us, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.

After years of no luck and several doctor appointments, we ultimately had to give up on our dream of having a family.  I was devastated but grew to accept it.

Then four months ago I noticed I’d missed my period. The last thing I expected was to see a positive test result.

While we’re over the moon, I’ve been struggling with feelings of fear and anxiety. 

The idea of being a first-time parent is overwhelming. All of my friends had their children years ago.

Am I too old? 

DEIDRE SAYS: It’s normal to feel scared and anxious after finding out about pregnancy, especially if you’ve had years struggling with your fertility.

While having a baby later may not have been your plan, you certainly aren’t alone. In fact, nearly one birth in five is to women over the age of 35.

Join Peanut (peanut-app.io) which is a safe space for mothers. Through the app you can meet other women nearby who are at a similar stage in life.

My support pack Unplanned Pregnancy will help too.