Better Late Than Never? | Britain's Oldest Mums and Dads (Parenting Documentary) | Real Stories | 

My Mom had me when she was 45 and I remember how all the kids used to say that I lived with my grandparents but I was happy to remind them that they were my parents. Now I'm 55 and my mom is 97. She has been such a wonderful mom... I could not have asked for a sweeter mother. She has been my rock and bestfriend. :)

My parents adopted me when they were in their 40's. Both died at 79. I was 27 when my dad died and 37 when my mom died. Their age was never an issue. I do remember when I graduated from college my dad was ill...but they never let me down. Love truly conquers all.

My dad died young at 54 when I was 25. I always imagined him growing old, retiring and being a grandad to my kids... things don’t always work out the way you hope they will. All that matters is the kids are loved and cared for.

My grandma had her last daughter, my aunt, 5 years AFTER I was born, she was 45. She passed away at age 95, her baby daughter was already 50. My dad died when he was only 56, age means nothing, love means everything, something we can see in this documentary, all those children look happy and well loved.

That broke my heart when the little girl said “I have to be independent incase my mum and dad die” I’m 33 and an only child, my parents are only mid 50s but the thought of losing them terrifies me. She is so strong and mature for her young age ❤️

I feel so bad for the woman whose doctor insisted she was too menopausal to need birth control, refused her, and she fell pregnant. I'm child-free so it's very different emotionally for me compared to her, but if that happened to me I'd take legal action against that doctor. Pregnancy is not something you gamble with; not at sixteen, not at forty-six.

My identical twin sister and I were placed into foster care at the age of 8 days. Our foster mother was 47 at the time. We could have never asked for a more loving mother. She was our mother until she passed away when we were almost 39. Most of our friends thought that she was our grandmother, but that didn't matter. Our biological mother and father passed away before we turned 3.

Seeing Faye sit on her couch all alone eating dinner with her cat absolutely broke my heart for her. What a douche bag that guy was for leaving her.

So strange watching this, my mum had me when she was 44 (i’m the youngest of 4), I’m now 20 and she’s 64 and I’ve never really thought of her as an older mum, she’s always just been mum!

That lady she's 52 with twins, my goodness, shes very busy. Hats off for her. Well done

I had my 5th and last child at 46. She was conceived naturally: I am not at all a fan of IVF or surrogacy. She was born at home with a midwife. 6 hour labor full term at 8 lb 1 oz. Now a beautiful kind and smart BSN nurse of 32 with three lovely daughters of her own. Contrary to what the medical doomsayers would tell you, having a baby late in life is NOT a catastrophic scenario!

That lady at the end that was a Foster Carer and decided to adopt is an absolute Angel to say the least. What a wonderful lady.

Almost in tears watching the 58 year old woman with the foster children. Such a big heart of compassion.

My heart goes out to Faye. It's hard to raise a child on your own. Kudos to her for carrying on- especially when Paul is in another relationship while she was pregnant. Talk about hitting you at your most vulnerable... so happy she has her son, though. She'll be a great Mom.

One thing is clear, to me. It is not for us to judge these parents. They seem better and more competent than alot of younger parents. Children need love, they have that covered.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if every child in the world was wanted and loved as much as these children are. I think older parents have a lot to offer children

Jane is an angel for taking in all those kids no one else wanted.

Wow that lady who adopted the children with special needs is an angel,the little girl's a miracle

I'm 42 and I'm a new Mommy. I'm able to be a much better mother now in all aspects than when I was younger. I love being a new Mom in my 40's

My oldest two lost their dad when they were 5 and 3. You can lose your parents at any age. I remarried and had two more children. Their dad cheated and married his co-worker. Anything can happen to families. My 3rd husband and I have been married for 17 years. We never had a child of our own. He raised mine and was the best father. Blood doesn't always mean better either.

My dad died young. You never know how long your life will be. Love is all that matters, no matter how long you have it.

My aunt had a hard time finding the right bloke for her and when she finally found him and they had my cousin, she was in her early 40’ies. I’m really close with my aunt and having her son is one of the best things to ever happen to her. And he’s a wonderful bright boy.

I'm 42 and I gave birth to my first child on my first pregnancy. I didn't do ivf. It's my miricle! He's a blessing. My husband's 48.

I think my grandfather fathered 13 children over 5 decades and was in his 70s when he fathered his last child. He lived to be 92 and outlived both of his wives, the second one being about 40 years younger than him. He was very active and healthy in his 80s, slowed down in his 90s, and died of cancer at 92. He was a wonderful man.

The mom (Shirley) is an amazing mom, taking care of twins, her grandson, and visiting her father... pretty impressive!

The lady who adopted the boys and sweet little girl is an amazing wonderful woman. May you all continue to have a truly great life together. God bless you all 💕💕💕💕💕

I'm not as old as these parents, but I had my only child at 37. I'm 42 now. It's definatly hard work being an older parent. Kudos to these parents for having the energy.

I have the upmost respect for the foster carer. She is a lovely lady and has the patience of a saint. She is such a great woman and deserves a reward for all her hard work ❤

My great grandmother had my grandmother at 46 and my grandmother lived to be 102...my great grandmother lived well into her 90's

The lady who adopted 4 special needs kids amazing!

The 52 year old lady with twins is truly a dynamo. Making the most of her life, way to go!

My Mum had me when she was 40 and I remember kids asking me if she was my grandma! Sadly she died at the age of 48 so I had very little time with her but even in that 8 years she instilled some fantastic morals and values in me that I have carried with me throughout my life. I am now 47 and I cannot imagine having a 7 year old!

my mom was 49 when she had me and my sister and my dad was 64 and we had the best childhood ever... people would often think they were my grandparents, which bothered me because not everyone was able to have kids early on.. people should be more respectful when assuming the age of ones parents

That kid that wanted the video games...He would get nothing if he spoke like that to me! That smartass attitude isn't going to serve him well when he gets older.

That lady with the three adopted sons and little Annie is such a hero. What a remarkable and inspiring woman! Hope in humanity restored

I'm 60 and my grandmother had two healthy sons at 45 and 47, she and her children were happy.🌹

The foster mum who adopted those kids has the biggest heart, made me cry, she is an angel in the true sense of the word.

It amazes me that she was told no to contraception at 45 and instinctively she knew it was possible. Darin seems fine with it and that's great but I marvel at the audacity of doctor's at times.

I’ve always felt that having children when you’re over a certain age is wrong, but reading everyone’s comments has made me see things differently. Thank you all for sharing and helping me see things differently.

I absolutely ADORE the Mom taking care of the special needs children. My son is now six years old, he has severe autism, a cognitive learning delay & is non verbal, it can be rough at times but the most joy I've ever experienced in my life taking care of him & loving him. I have sooooo much respect for her.

Age doesn’t mean you will live a long time. My mother died at 37 when I was 17.

Getting pregnant,31 hrs. in labor & a natural birth. Go on Deryn!!! She did that!!!

I'm a 45, almost 46, year old woman who had to FIGHT to have a simple blood test confirming that I was full on menopausal when I was 90% sure. The fact that Daryn's doc said don't worry, you're in menopause is mind blowing.

My Dad passed when I was 17 he was 35. You never know when your time is up. I was 42 when our adopted daughter was born. She's the love of our lives and keeps us young and energetic keeping up with her.

I very deliberately married and had children with an older man hoping/thinking he'd be mature enough to be a decent father. He was 48 with our first and 50 with our second. Best decision I ever made... they're now ages 29 and 31... and we're still kickin!

The single woman with the special needs children - God bless her! That is SO beautiful! What a heart she has! I wish I could see an update on these families :)

Jane is remarkable! To give a loving home to four children with special needs is amazing and she hasn't a partner to help either - there are so many children needing a family and to take on four that need so much care is admirable.

Jane's story was by far the best. What an amazing woman. Annie is the sweetest! You can tell she truly loves those kids and gives them a FULL life. She truly did it the right way, theres so many children out there that need a family.

My parents are older parents. They get mistaken for my grandparents all the time. I'll be turning 33 this year and my younger brother just turned 31. Our parents are: dad - 83 and mom - 72. Honestly it never really occurred to me that our parents were any different to other parents until I was in high school. Our dad still played sports with us and our mom was always carting us around to school and extra curricular activities, and they never seem to get overly tired of it. It does get a bit complicated when trying to explain our relationship with our older half siblings and nieces and nephews. It's kind of a long winded story. lol. Also people get confused when I tell them that not only have I been an aunt since I was 7 months, but I also became a great-aunt at 29 years. I just like to think of our family as very unique. :)

my toddler 2 years old i was 45 when i had him, love has no age, you can be a mum at any age i have no regrets

A naturally conceived healthy baby at 46….what a blessing.

My heart goes out to the parents and the children involved. Even so called “ideal,” situations have their own difficulties. All pregnancies are different, with every child. Many blessings to all.

The lady near the end around the one-hour mark has lovey children and she's a lovely lady. She needed those kids and they needed her.💗

How come every body gushes and falls over celebrities having kids as older parents ; janet jackson, Simon Cowel, J Lo but ordinary folks are frowned upon and called selfish. Like seriouly?!! Im 41 and yep already planning my first

I had 3 boys at age 26, 39 and 43 all were natural no IVF. The last 2 were a promise to me given by the Lord. Conceiving them at 39 and 42 were miracles. Love them SO much. Age is just a number. Love is EVERYTHING and late babies run in our family. My dad was born to my Gramma when she was 43 as well and my mom’s mother had my uncle when she was 43 as well. I wasn’t ready I guess for the last 2 until They was older. God is absolutely Good

My Dad was 55 when I was born, I am 39 and he is 96 in a few weeks. At school most of my friends parents were in their late 30's or early 40's, mine was approaching 70. Now he might be exceptional in that, until the age of around 85, he was regularly walking 4 miles to "take a look around the shops", but age eventually catches us all and in his mid-late 80's he had two heart attacks and had a pacemaker fitted, as well as the plethora of drugs that accompany chronic heart failure sufferers. So what were the bonuses of having a very old father? By the time I was born he was getting ready to retire. First he was chief engineer on a navy vessel, later he was an engineering consultant for local government. In short, he had earned enough to retire early having already bought a house and saved lots of money. Second, he knew everything. He had the experience of a grandfather while being able to offer this firsthand as a father, every day. I learned from him how to be calm, mature and thoughtful. I never saw him lose his temper, EVER. He never got afraid of anything, nothing was a problem, everything could be solved ... calmly. What were the negatives of having an old father? For me, very little. When I was 10 (so he was in his late 60's) we went on vacation to Bulgaria and we would walk miles and miles a day exploring rivers and hills. He carried my pack because I wasn't strong enough. So physically, being lucky to be so fit and healthy for his age, our childhood didn't suffer. I did think from time to time, especially in my mid teens, that realistically my Dad is apporaching the average age of death for a man and what on earth would I do if he died? I dealt with those thoughts, and by my 20's I'd already accepted that I'd had such an amazing Dad compared to almost everyone I know, it wouldn't matter anymore if he passed - I'd already won. Now I have children of my own and one possible downfall of an older parent might be that they may not be around to enjoy, meet and pass knowledge onto the grandchildren. At 39 I would have no regrets in starting a new family if I met a decent woman. I'm in no rush to, it rarely even crosses my mind, I already have kids and work ... got a full life. There might be a point though, and I would think it would be in my late 40's, that I'd probably reconsider that idea. Theres no accurate way to predict lifespan, and I'd hate to leave my kids before they were ready to take care of themselves.

Why would you leave your partner after they conceive? Especially after 24 years...

I’m 27 weeks pregnant with my first at 39 and feel so relaxed, in a good relationship and have a lot more money than in 20s. Feel like this is best time for me to have the baby.

My mom had me at 43 and my dad was 33 (2 years younger than I am now). My mom is still going strong at almost 79 and my dad unfortunately passed away of a heart attack when he was 58 and I was 25 🤷🏻‍♀️

I turn 44 in 5 days and am 31 weeks pregnant with my 4th. Feeling better than I did with my first 3 pregnancies that were all in my 20s. GOD IS GOOD

Beautiful stories! The lady at the end nailed it when she said "they tell you all the bad bits but they don't tell you that you can have a perfectly normal baby too"...... People panicked when I got pregnant at 38 and needed a 4th c-section. I got talked down to when I became pregnant again at 41 and needed a 5th c-section. I actually had a doctor tell me that he didn't want to do my c-section. I was def the oldest kindergarten mom and I didn't care, my kids didn't care and I'm a great mother :-)

I would love to see a follow up documentary of all the families and children.❤️👆🏼

Jane with the special needs children really reaffirms in me that there are still beautiful people out there. She is absolutely wonderful with the children and they, in turn, are truly blessed to have her. There was something distinctly calming about her demeanor and saintly about her soul. May God bless her and the children until he calls them home.

“To seal the marriage” adding that one to the list of terrible reasons to have a child.

My son was born when I was 48. It was my easiest pregnancy, I worked until the day I delivered. He is six now and I feel healthy, strong, happy. I am in better shape and in better health than I ever have been. I think that many women are not aging like women use to 50 or 20 years ago. Many of us are taking better care of ourselves and not buying into the idea that aging should slow you down. I feel really bad for Faye. It is pretty obvious her husband was on his way out, She is only half way through her pregnancy and he is already in another relationship. I am glad she is getting her baby, it sounds like it wasn't his plan but that shouldn't mean that she should be left alone without a child.

The farmer Dave is such a good father and considerate partner.

53:30 Jane is this only 'older mom's who's completely in it for the children whereas the other old parents want it for themselves. Jane is an absolute SAINT for living this special children. You can see the love and admiration in her face when talking about her children 🥰

I gave birth to my youngest/3rd child when I was almost 45 years old and my husband was 49 yr old. I'm now 78 and my husband is now 82 . All are children are doctors, doing good, have their own houses and living independent

The one lady says "When he is 20, I'll be 66 and that's ancient"! Lol, I am 61 and still do the things I did when I was 20 , like hiking, camping (in a tent), gardening etc. It's only your attitude, genetics and how you take care of your body!

It´s not about age, it`s about love. My husband died at an age of 41 when our son was nearly 3. Now he is 11 and I think I´m doing well without my husband, but I miss him beeing there for my son.

I had my last child at 44. I was in shock and denial the entire pregnancy and wished it would go away. I knew I would love him like the others once he arrived. My husband told me that God had a plan. I thought it was a bad joke. Well, my pregnancy was easy and my beautiful baby boy was born. He has been the greatest joy of my life. His siblings adore him. It turned out that God did have a plan. 2 years ago, my oldest son married and walked away from our family. My little son is just like his oldest brother. God sent him to me to us to help us through the heartbreak of losing our oldest son. My youngest son has been my companion for the past 16 years. He and I have traveled all over the world. I am blessed to feel healthy and look younger than many moms younger than I am. My son has been a gift from God and I am grateful for him every day.

17:41 what a rude child! 'I haven't had that for years, so you can shut up!' wow never in my life have I told my mother to 'shut up'. The child reminds me of Augustus Gloop....

My husband died at 39, when our sons were 3 and 6. We did "everything right" and yet we all suffered this terrible blow. Life has no guarantees. My Grandad had two more sons at 5 7 and 59, after he remarried after the death of his first wife and a remarriage with a woman 22 years younger. He lived until 93.... when both of his sons were married with children of their own. (Also my new "Grandma" took fantastic care of my grandfather when he came down with Alzheimers.) I applaud these people who pursue their dreams!

Oh my goodness, the lady who adopted those additional needs children, what a truly beautiful soul. They said at the end of the programme that it was 2006 and I’m so hoping that these families are doing well and that little Annie is still bringing so much joy 💕💕💕. If you are that wonderful lady reading this I’d really love an update please? 💕

I’m 43 . I married a man that had kids. We tried 1 round of fertility pills . I gave up .To much stuff going on now all 3 kids are grown. And now I feel like we can actually give it a honest go now. . Watching all of these couples. Give me hope .

I naturally got pregnant @ 45 years old had her & now I’m 55 & she’s 10 years old. My daughter & I were pregnant at the same time. Our babies were 3 months apart.I couldn’t imagine my life without her . So don’t let your age be a factor in having a child you are more patient & you have more time too .

I am pretty open to old age parents (if I ever have a child, I will be one too), but I do not agree with going broke to pay for IVF treatments when you already have a child, at any age but especially if you are older.

am I the only one that had no sympathy for Paul? What's your problem, bud? She's the pregnant one and it's all about his feeling and his journey. Get on board or get out and pipe down, Paul.

The lady who fostered all those children is such a beautiful kind loving mother I think she has a pure heart that radiates love in the purest form. As for the older ladies who were desperate for children I am happy that they managed to fulfill their wishes of becoming parents.I wish them all the very best for now and the future.

I wish they would do an update story on all these families, the babies, etc and see where they are now- with a portion of a new bunch of people. That be awesome.

Great story, I had my children at 33 and 39. They are my joy

The 84 year old dad is so sad. Their son won’t be able to take care of himself even after 18 because he’s so spoiled. Recipe for disaster!!

If I'd have spoken to my parents like Robert, I'd have got whooped

I am full of respect for the lady taking care of four special need children! What a lovely women ❤

The one son that wanted the video games speaks horribly to his parents :(

I had a wonderful boy at the age of 25 who has quite severe learning difficulties. It hasn’t been easy with many set backs along the way. If I had him at 25 or 50 it would have made no difference. I also unfortunately lost my my mum 5 years ago when I needed her the most. She was 61. Life is a gift, nobody should take it for granted xx

You know what! You all brought me to tears! Many young moms don’t appreciate their children. All of you know how to love and that’s all that is important. That is what gives children what they need to live a happy, stable life. I will add you all to my prayers. I know exactly how it feels to want another child and I’m 50. So, I understand how you feel.

I adopted a 3 yr. old at 47. Her adult siblings have always said that I treat her more like a grandchild than a child. I've been more relaxed and confident with her. I encourage adoption of older children by older parents, but I wouldn't have wanted to be pregnant at 47.

Young or old, being a parent is hard work and there are no guarantees. Young moms die, become unexpectedly disabled, and can give birth to a child with birth defects. Just like older moms can be healthier than some younger ones, better prepared financially and have the benefit of life experience. I know a doctor I used to work for that had her first child at 45 and second at 47. The first was natural and the second was IVF. Both pregnancies went well and she and her physician husband couldn't be happier. I consider their children very lucky to have parents who planned to have them and can give them love and security.

The lady who adopted the kids is a saint, really...she's managed to keep the baby girl alive and happy, just amazing! She moved me to tears

My husband and me tried to have children we did have that kind of money to get help he died,4 years ago we had no kids it's sad I don't have a Life partner at the age of 57 I just don't think about it anymore.... this Lady is Blessed....

This lady with the little precious girl and the three brothers....what a special lady...a heart full of love for a child there is nothing greater than helping and caring for others who cannot for themselves...that's Purpose. Time never wasted. The Lord bless her highly.

So, the couple around the 25:00 minute mark... they were together for ten years, trying to get pregnant. Had a failed IVF attempt. Then, had a successful one, she gets pregnant, and it's THEN that he leaves her??! What??!!! Seems like he should have better thought things through before they did IVF.

he has a problem with wife using a donor egg, but he leaves her and starts a relationship with another woman, menly man, OMG!

This is an encouragement. Believe it or not, I have people already making threats against myself and non existent offspring simply because I've had my 42nd birthday. My mom had me at 42 and my dad was 51, and it is just awful what people have told me, including one lady has sworn to me that CPS can and will take that baby right out if my arms if I have one because my age is deliberate child abuse. I have even been told my kid could die and it would be my fault, making that a murder and I need to get my head screwed on to reality. I have been asked for my doctor's name and I have been told that fertility clinics can be charged for making people I've 35 pregnant and I am to believe the clinics close by are going to be contacted if they take me as a patient. It hurts a lot to hear this. I should be happy to talk if dreams of achieving motherhood someday, but people do not lift my spirits at all and they try to work my family against me that I am selfish and I need accept this act of God. It is not fair, but I do hold on to hope I'll have at least one baby someday, the Lord willing.

Lost both parents.. in my 40th single never been married. This is very encouraging to me. When God says Yes. Not even age can stop your child bearing 🙏 congratulations 💃🏽🎉 That's for sharing.

These 40+ year old people in UK look more like 55+ year olds

My father was 42 when I was born. He was the oldest parent and I was asked if he's my grandpa when I went to school. Also, why do all the parents look that old??? They look 10-15 years older than they realy are!???

My mom had her last three children at 41 ,43,and46 she was the mist loving and hard working mom in the world. She lived until she was 93 .we all miss her very much. She had eight kids twenty three grandkids and thirty four great grands. She loved them all like they were her only one. We adored her as well as my Dad. My dad worked two full time jobs to provide us with a good life. .we did not want for much.

That older couple looking after their younger children are just amazing to me. So what if they are older?? They have good values to pass on to their children, have a safe home and are also able to keep up with their kids. They aren't on welfare and are doing an amazing job. Good on ya :)