A woman has gone viral for sharing the not-so-great comments that people have said to her about being an older mom.
In her TikTok video, Patti Avery Schmidt, 53, displays the various comments she has received, from "Wow, you're lucky she's healthy" to "When she's 15, you'll be 60." The mom-of-four is seen dancing with her 8-year-old daughter Avery, and then reacts by strutting, giving a thumbs-up and break dancing when each one is displayed on the screen.
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"It doesn't typically bother me when people do the math; I find it amusing for the most part," Schmidt told Newsweek.
Other examples of the comments Schmidt has received were: "How do you have the energy?;" "Oh, so you did IVF;" and "Better you than me!"
The video, set to Alexis Jordan's song "Happiness," seems to have struck a chord with other moms on TikTok. Many wrote about their own stories: "My mom had me when she was 38 and I love the relationship I have with her. She's so wise and she's helped me in so many ways. I love this for you both!"
Another posted: "I had twins at 47, it was the easiest pregnancy and they were born super healthy, almost full-term at 6 pounds and 5.11!! Power to the older moms!"
One "older mama" commented how other people often mistake her kids for her grandchildren.
Another TikTok user called Schmidt a "beautiful mom" and shared how her aunt had her son when she was 50: "Now she is 89 and he is 39."
Women becoming mothers later in life has been increasing in the United States over the past few decades. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports the birthrate for women aged 40 to 44 has been steadily increasing.
From 1990 to 2019, the birthrate for this age group almost tripled. In 1990, it was approximately 4.5 births per 1,000 women; and by 2019, it had risen to around 12 births per 1,000 women.
Further research from U.S. Census Data found the number of births to woman aged 40 to 44 accounted for around 3 percent of all births in the early 2010s.
Schmidt said she takes these comments in her stride and that "humor is always best." She added that "I do have older moms, or younger moms who aspire to one day be older moms, reach out to me for advice and support."
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