I was healthier at 40 than 20, so I didn’t feel worried

Teacher Ruth Scott, 44, from Glasgow, had her third child Matthew, three, when she was 41. She is also mum to Anna, six, and Emily, four.

I didn’t get married to my husband Chris until I was 36, so I was a bit of a late starter.

We were living the life of Riley, enjoying nights out and nice holidays but I was aware of my body clock ticking.

I had my first daughter Anna just before my 38th birthday and Emily came along 20 months later.

When I fell pregnant with Matthew, despite having had two straight forward previous pregnancies, the atmosphere in the antenatal care changed.

I became paranoid because of the discussions about “the risks”.

My brother works in neonatal and was a bit concerned but I didn’t want to talk about it. The fact was: I was 40 and pregnant and I didn’t need to be scared or freaked out.

I was treated differently. With Matthew I was automatically put on a “red path” and I had extra midwife appointments and had to see a few consultants.

I was much healthier in my 40s than in my 20s, so I didn’t understand it.

In the end he was the easiest labour of the three. Anna was an emergency C-section and Emily almost arrived in the car on the way to the hospital.

I don’t think there’s a “right” age to have a baby but I do find myself thinking “what if?” Sometimes it’s exhausting and I wonder if I would have been more patient and had more energy in my 20s.

In two years when Matthew goes to school, I have no doubt I will be the oldest mum at the gates.

I think about Matthew’s 18th birthday and realise I’ll be nearing 60. And the age I’ll be as a gran, it doesn’t bear thinking about...

But on the flip side, I’m much more financially secure now than I was 20 years ago.

And I like to think I look younger than my age, and I’m pretty young at heart.