Steff Posted November 8, 2004 Share Posted November 8, 2004 http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/250657p-214541c.html 'I always knew I wanted children' At 57, career gal is now ready to start a family BY NICOLE BODE DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER Heavily pregnant Aleta St. James, who'll turn 57 this week, takes it easy in her West Side flat yesterday. Aleta St. James is expecting the best gift of her life for her 57th birthday this week: newborn twins. St. James, a motivational speaker and the eldest sister of Guardian Angels leader Curtis Sliwa, is set to shatter conventional limitations of childbirth tomorrow when she is slated to deliver a baby boy and girl at Mount Sinai Hospital, just three days shy of her birthday. That would make the Manhattan mom-to-be - who conceived through in-vitro fertilization - the oldest American woman to give birth to twins. "The reason that I wanted to carry these children rather than adopting them is that I knew that I could give them - while they were in the uterus - a tremendous amount of love, a tremendous amount of support. I wanted to give them that start," St. James told the Daily News yesterday while lying on her side on her king-size bed in her apartment. "I don't think of myself with a number. I don't think, 'Oh, I'm going to be 60.' I think, 'I'm going to take these kids to school,'" she added. The single, first-time mom has wanted a child all her life - but said she was always too busy with her career and traveling to slow down for motherhood. That all changed three years ago, when she started a grueling, $25,000 journey through fertility treatments, various medical procedures and countless doctor visits. After an unsuccessful attempt at getting pregnant naturally, she turned to Mount Sinai gynecologist Dr. Jonathan Scher and Dr. Jane Miller, director of the North Hudson IVF, a fertility clinic in New Jersey. "Of course I had concerns," said Miller, who added that St. James is the oldest patient she has ever worked with. "I am not an advocate of people this age getting pregnant. Just because it could be done, doesn't mean it should be done." But Miller said St. James sailed over all the qualifying factors - stellar health, financial stability and a huge social support network. St. James was implanted with a donor egg that was fertilized by an ex-boyfriend. Since discovering the good news of her pregnancy, St. James said her nine-month experience has been surprisingly smooth - aside from a bout of sciatica spurred by the extra 50 pounds loaded onto her petite frame. She already has picked out names for her little ones - Francesca for her, Gian for him. Her cozy West Side apartment is packed with baby toys, books and clothes. St. James gamely lumbered around her apartment yesterday, two days before her scheduled C-section, stopping to catch her breath after just a few steps between her couch and the nursery. "I'm ready," she said with great determination, resting her swollen frame against the living room wall. And she has a band of supporters ready to lend a hand with the diapers, feeding and the host of other trials set to come her way. "I really can't think of anyone more capable of taking on that responsibility to show other women who never thought that they could have kids, it's all very possible," said Sliwa, a radio host. "She'll be a great mother." St. James said she's not frightened in the least of what the delivery will bring - not even when she calculates that she'll turn 70 before her kids start high school. "When you're older, you have a lot of wisdom," she said. "What you lack in energy, you make up for in wisdom." Miracle procedure is not for all The number of older women turning to in-vitro fertilization is on the rise - but that doesn't make it safe for everyone, experts warn. In the past two decades, the number of women older than 40 who are having children has more than doubled, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. But having a child at an older age can increase odds of premature delivery, gestational diabetes, hypertension and other problems, fertility experts say. The in-vitro fertilization process involves taking eggs from the mom-to-be or an egg donor, stimulating them with hormones and combining them with sperm in a petri dish. The fertilized embryos then are transferred into the mother's uterus, where, if all goes according to plan, they take hold. While older women are more prone to medical problems, they also are more likely to seek medical advice, noted Dr. Jane Miller, a fertility expert. Moms who have broken age taboo Satyabhama Mahapatra of India gave birth to a boy in April 2003 at age 65. Janet Bosher of Britain bore twins at age 58 in September 2002. Barbara Brennan, 53, of Tennessee delivered twins as a surrogate mother for her daughter in May 2004. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshPR Posted November 8, 2004 Share Posted November 8, 2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighHeat45 Posted November 9, 2004 Share Posted November 9, 2004 When they are teenagers she will be in her 70's :headshake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted November 9, 2004 Author Share Posted November 9, 2004 When they are teenagers she will be in her 70's :headshake What's wrong with that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted November 9, 2004 Share Posted November 9, 2004 Saw a picture of her yesterday and she is a good looking woman. Kind of like that hot "grandma" from the Bowlfex commercial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T R U Posted November 9, 2004 Share Posted November 9, 2004 What's wrong with that? a lot is wrong with that.. aside from the fact that your mom will most likely be dead when you hit mid to upper 20's I feel that you would lose out from a lot with having a mom/grandma well let me change what im saying.. I guess its not wrong, if she wants to have a kid thats good for her.. but what im trying to say is that it would prolly be harder for a kid who has a younger mom... My mom was 20 when she had me, I couldnt imagine what it would be like now as I am 20 and she would be 77.... eeeesh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted November 9, 2004 Author Share Posted November 9, 2004 a lot is wrong with that.. aside from the fact that your mom will most likely be dead when you hit mid to upper 20's I feel that you would lose out from a lot with having a mom/grandma And so the saying goes... opinions are like... No offense personally.. I just think your explination is bulls***. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T R U Posted November 9, 2004 Share Posted November 9, 2004 And so the saying goes... opinions are like... No offense personally.. I just think your explination is bulls***. ok? well I edited it.. you must not have seen that and I thought the saying was Excuses are like...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted November 9, 2004 Author Share Posted November 9, 2004 well let me change what im saying.. I guess its not wrong, if she wants to have a kid thats good for her.. but what im trying to say is that it would prolly be harder for a kid who has a younger mom... My mom was 20 when she had me, I couldnt imagine what it would be like now as I am 20 and she would be 77.... eeeesh See.. now I don't think that at all. I think if it is what it is and it's all you know.. then it's normal. Many women are waiting to have kids now. The average age of a 1st time mother is near 31 (30.884 - how they got there I haven't a clue) when 20 years ago it was 19. And I think older parents live longer also. I'm sure there is a study somewhere. Since they are more active and likely more health conscience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted November 9, 2004 Author Share Posted November 9, 2004 ok? well I edited it.. you must not have seen that and I thought the saying was Excuses are like...... No, I didn't until after. And the saying goes.. "opinions are like assholes.. everyone's got one". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T R U Posted November 9, 2004 Share Posted November 9, 2004 See.. now I don't think that at all. I think if it is what it is and it's all you know.. then it's normal. Many women are waiting to have kids now. The average age of a 1st time mother is near 31 (30.884 - how they got there I haven't a clue) when 20 years ago it was 19. And I think older parents live longer also. I'm sure there is a study somewhere. Since they are more active and likely more health conscience. Well im not trying to say its not normal, I am just trying to say that being 20 years old... I am glad my mom is 40 and not 77 Theres nothing wrong with it, but I think that it would be easier on a kid to not have to be worrying about their parents health when they are mid 20's They should be able to enjoy having their parents in theri life for a long time.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T R U Posted November 9, 2004 Share Posted November 9, 2004 No, I didn't until after. And the saying goes.. "opinions are like assholes.. everyone's got one". thats cool, I saw what I wrote and decided that it wasnt a very good approach to it and I thought it over and had to edit what I said.. and I have never heard that saying with opinions.. Ive heard it with excuses though.. and it was "Excuses are like assholes, everyones got one and they all stink" but either way, they both fit the same Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted November 9, 2004 Author Share Posted November 9, 2004 Well im not trying to say its not normal, I am just trying to say that being 20 years old... I am glad my mom is 40 and not 77 Theres nothing wrong with it, but I think that it would be easier on a kid to not have to be worrying about their parents health when they are mid 20's They should be able to enjoy having their parents in theri life for a long time.. I do agree that health is a factor.. but hey.. ya never know the hand life is going to deal ya. If I were to have a child that late in life I would do my best to assure their future should something happen to me.. that might not be much, but it's all I've got. Luckily I have some time before I it 57.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamTell Posted November 9, 2004 Share Posted November 9, 2004 oh wow. At graduation, hey, you have a nice grandma.......uh that's my mom...........oh sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soxman352000 Posted November 9, 2004 Share Posted November 9, 2004 oh wow. At graduation, hey, you have a nice grandma.......uh that's my mom...........oh sorry. You know thats going to happen. I ca picture it now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamTell Posted November 10, 2004 Share Posted November 10, 2004 You know thats going to happen. I ca picture it now LOL yep, I'd feel bad for the kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighHeat45 Posted November 10, 2004 Share Posted November 10, 2004 LOL yep, I'd feel bad for the kid. kids Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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