Becoming Mom: How the Age of First-Time Motherhood Has Evolved Around the World
The moment you become a mother changes you forever. Staring down at those tiny eyelashes, delicate fingers, perfect little mouth — you might feel a rush of emotions you don’t know how to name: somewhere between tenderness, fear, wonder, powerful love, and ferocious protectiveness. Many mothers feel that it is not just the child who is born that day, but a new version of themselves.
For many centuries, most women did not really have the option of choosing when and how to become mothers. With advancements in women’s rights and liberties, and most importantly the introduction of reliable contraception and fertility treatments, the timing of that moment has become much more of a conscious choice. In many parts of the world, women are waiting longer than ever to have their first child. Where once most women welcomed their first baby in their early twenties, more women are waiting until 30 or later to do so.
In honor of Mother’s Day, our Research team dove deep into the data to explore the rising average age of first-time mothers across several countries. Here’s what we found.
United States
In the early 1900s, women in the U.S. typically became mothers in their early twenties. That age remained largely stable until the 1970s, when a noticeable shift began. Today, the average age at first birth in the U.S. has risen to over 27.
This change reflects growing educational and career opportunities for women, better access to birth control, and evolving norms around marriage and family planning.
There is a slight dip in the average age of first-time mothers in the U.S. from the 1930s to the 1950s, reflecting a mix of historical forces. During the Great Depression, some delayed childbearing, but many who did become mothers were younger. Wartime marriages during WWII often led to early births, and the postwar Baby Boom era reinforced early motherhood as a cultural ideal. Together, these trends pushed the average age down before it began to rise sharply in the 1970s.
England & Wales
Interestingly, women in England and Wales were historically older first-time mothers than their American counterparts. In the 1920s and 30s, the average age was already in the late twenties. The following decades saw a dip — likely influenced by postwar societal shifts — but since the 1970s, the trend has reversed. Today, the average age is nearing 30.
The recent rise mirrors broader European trends — delayed marriage, expanded career paths, and increased focus on individual readiness.
France
France has experienced a more gradual but steady increase. The average age hovered around 24 for much of the 20th century. It dipped in the 1950s during the postwar baby boom, when economic recovery and pro-natalist policies encouraged earlier motherhood. From the 1960s onward, the age began to rise steadily as women gained greater access to education, careers, and reproductive autonomy, reshaping the timing of motherhood for generations to come. By 2025, it sits just above 29.
French social policies, such as state-supported childcare and extended parental leave, have helped support later motherhood while encouraging family life.
Sweden
Among the countries we examined, Sweden stands out for having the highest average age at first birth: now over 31. Since the 1970s, Sweden has seen a consistent rise, with strong social support systems, generous parental leave, and an emphasis on gender equality making it easier for women to wait until they feel ready.
The Swedish example underscores how national policies can shape personal decisions.
What is the best age to become a mother?
All these statistics raise the question: is this a positive trend or a negative one? Is it better to have children when you’re younger and have more energy, increasing the likelihood that you’ll live to help raise your grandkids too? Or is it better to wait until you’re more experienced and have found the right partner, established a career, and developed more fully as a person?
The truth is, there’s no universal answer. The best time to become a mother depends on things no statistic can measure: emotional readiness, health, support, timing that makes sense in the life you’re building. Regardless of what we choose, there’s only so much we can control. You may want to have children earlier in life, only to encounter obstacles in finding the right partner or achieving a healthy pregnancy. Or you may prefer to wait, only to find that life may surprise you, and parenthood might begin sooner than expected!
However and whenever it happens, timing is only one of many factors that shape our experience as parents. More important than when it happens is how we show up for the journey once it begins.
Give the mothers in your family an opportunity to tell their stories
Mother’s Day is a perfect time to reflect on the journey to motherhood in your family — whether your own, your mother’s, or that of another relative. How old was your mother when she had you? What was it like when she held you for the first time?
If you’re looking for a thoughtful way to capture those stories — and a meaningful Mother’s Day gift — MyStories makes it easy. With simple weekly email prompts, your loved ones can preserve their personal history in a beautiful keepsake book: in their own words, in their own time, and on their own terms.
