Don't Tell Me I Can't…be A First Time Mum At 45

Esther Birchall tells us what it’s really like to have a baby in your fifth decade…

- Kristina Beanland And Lucy Laing

As my one-year-old son Alexander reaches the end of the slide, I pull him, giggling, into my arms. I hold him close before-carrying him over to the swings. You might mistake me for any other mum but, if you look closer, you’ll notice the fine lines around my eyes. You see, there’s something that sets me apart from other mothers. The truth is, I had my first child at 45 years old…

I’d always wanted children and just assumed that I’d start a family one day. But, aged 25, I landed my dream job as cabin crew for a major airline. Flying across the world at a moment’s notice meant I didn’t have much chance to find love.