Tick tock tick tock

Hardly a month goes by when I don't have a conversation with a friend who is or has been in the Biological-Clock-Ticking-Must-Act-Now Boat (BCTMANB). In fact, it’s fair to say most single thirty-something women stress quite a bit about Mr Right, kids and missing out on both.
My mum’s theory is that men don’t really grow up until they’re forty and while I don't quite agree, if she's in any way right it definitely narrows the playing field. I’ll never forget when I was in the BCTMANB myself a few years ago, broken-hearted and convinced my life was over. Naturally, I decided it was the best time to visit (aka torture) a friend who’d just become a new mum. Handing me a hot cuppa, she pep-talked me with anecdotes of her mothers’ group.
“How old are they all?” I bleated, sniffling into my tissue.
“All over 37 – some even over 40,” she said. “Here’s the thing though, MOST aren’t married, it’s their first baby and many haven’t been with their partners long! Some are engaged, but most are career girls who met the right guy late and instead of faffing about, both decided to go for it!”
“There’s hope for me then,” I blubbered, borrowing the baby blanket off the baby to blow my nose on it.
“For god’s sake,” she said. “You’re only 32, you idiot. And stop crying, you’re scaring the baby.”
It was a turning point at which I learned that 1) we can have babies even in our 40s – it's not ideal, but we can and 2) plenty of women meet Mr Right in their late 30s and go on to have three kids! Just check out all the celebs (below) who became older mothers - and take heart if you're in the BCTMANB right now. There's still time, and you really should enjoy it by nipping out to your favourite bar for a cocktail or three.
Any older mums out there, or know someone who left motherhood 'til the last minute? Spill the beans...

Toni Collette (first baby at 35), Liz Hurley (first baby at 36), Sarah Jessica Parker (first baby at 37), Julia Roberts (baby at 37, 39 and pregnant again), Brooke Shields (baby at 37 and 40), Julianne Moore (baby at 37 and 41), Jennifer Lopez, (twins at 38), Naomi Watts (first baby at 38), Courtney Cox Arquette (first baby at 39), Elle Macpherson (baby at 39), Helen Hunt (first baby at 40), Jennifer Beals (first baby at 40), Emma Thompson (first baby at 40), Nicole Kidman (pregnant at 40). Madonna (baby at 41 and 45), Halle Berry (pregnant at 41), Salma Hayek (first baby at 41), Helena Bonham Carter (baby at 41), Jane Seymour (twins at 45), Marcia Cross (twins at 45), Christie Brinkley (baby at 46), Geena Davis (baby at 46), Holly Hunter (twins at 47), and the list goes on…