Jacqui Toohey will be 40 when her first-born reaches the terrible two's but she's not fazed.
The South African-born osteopath, who moved to the Western Bay 10 years ago, said she was far better equipped for motherhood than she would have been in her 20s.
"You grow and develop so much in your 20s. I wanted to do some travelling. I graduated when I was 22 and wanted to spend some years consolidating what I had learned," Ms Toohey said.
She is one of an increasing number of New Zealand women tackling motherhood later in life.
The average age for a woman giving birth is now 30.2 years, according to the latest figures released by Statistics New Zealand.
And Tauranga Hospital has confirmed that the Western Bay is right in line with the national trend.
The hospital groups expectant mothers into age categories and for the year ending June 2004 the single-biggest group was mothers aged between 31 and 35.
Ms Toohey, who is due any day, said she would not have opted for motherhood before she was 30.
But the 38-year-old confessed a few extra years under the maternity belt would have been good.
"It takes a bit longer to find the right man sometimes, though. Sometimes it's a bit of a long haul," she said.
Ms Toohey smiled and added that her fiance, 40-year-old Clayton Bunning, was a good catch.
"We've both had a lot of fun in life so far and are ready for a new challenge."
The baby will be Mr Bunning's first child too and the couple were really excited about their new adventure.
Ms Toohey said her fiance was the archetypal rugby-loving Kiwi male.
"Doesn't every New Zealand dad want an All Black or a Silver Fern? But being an osteopath I'm not crazy about rugby. I just want a happy little kid."
Sleep deprivation would be a challenge for the new mum.
"It might be hard to drag myself out of bed. It will be like 'please take me to cricket practice, mum'," Ms Toohey chuckled.
Ms Toohey's midwife, Vicky Muller, said she wasn't at all surprised by the national trend.
"No, not at all. I think women are doing a lot of things later in life," she said.
Midwives at the Bay Midwifery Centre, who did not want to be named, agreed mothers were getting older.
They suggested several factors had contributed to the trend.
"I guess change of partner is one thing," one said.
Another said many women couldn't afford to care for children when they were still in their 20s.
"Student loans ... people can't afford to have them younger."
Primary infertility - the inability to conceive the first time they try - meant some women couldn't have children until later in life, they said.
"And then they have problems conceiving because they are older ... so it's a vicious cycle."
Ms Toohey said her obstetrician was the only person she had struck who was concerned by her age.
"He kept saying 'when you're this old' and 'a woman of your age' ... "
However, Ms Toohey said she couldn't wait for the big day.
"It's got be one of life's most amazing experiences."
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