66 and pregnant?? It's just not right!!

I wouldn't recommend anyone in their 70s starting a family to be honest, but what makes this so much worse is that it only happened because of carefully planned medical intervention.

People should be able to do what they like as long as it doesn't effect anyone else, but that's the thing isn't it? The decision to become Britain's oldest mom does affect other people, not least the child that is yet to be born.

I hope that this lady lives a long and healthy life, but who will care for the baby if anything happens to her? I'm not just talking morbidly about death either. There are all manner of things that could render looking after a child nearly impossible.

Surely this is a worry that all mothers face when deciding to have children, I don't know if I could cope knowing I had a greater risk of popping me clogs before they'd gone through their teenage years.

Boris Johnson said that he can't believe the negative press attracted by this situation. He chattered on about medieval women dying at the age of 40.. yet they still had children. Yes Boris, I'm sure they did, but if the contraceptive pill was around they probably wouldn't have done. It's a different day and a different age and it makes no sense to compare the two.

Okay - let's get off the high-horse for a moment and be realistic. Even without thinking that it's just 'wrong' to consider having babies at that time of life, what about the actual day to day routine of having a baby? It's bloody hard work! It's physically, emotionally and mentally hard work! When you've got a toddler a simple walk in the park, ain't no walk in the park.

The lady in question says sometimes she feels no older than 49. Pah! Let's see how close to 49 you feel after you've wrestled a toddler into the car seat for the fourth time in one day, after 18 months of broken sleep. I don't know about kids keeping you young, some days I feel I've aged 20 years

Not that you need to be physically fit to have kids - not at all. Being able bodied is not a pre-requisite to being a good parent, but you do need to be mentally strong. This child rearing lark can be tough sometimes. At age 28 it's all I can do to stay one step ahead of The Kid. God knows what kind of mental state I'd be in if I'd embarked on this journey 40 years from now.

And children don't require less time and energy the older they get either. In fact teenagers (however they may protest to the contrary) are not self-sufficient. They need love, guidance, support (financial and emotional) and a role-model, as much as any toddler does, and they need to feel safe that these needs will continue to be met, and not have to worry about their parent's state of health.

I know, I know. There are plenty of crap parents around - I'm sure this woman is capable of providing a kind and loving home, why should she be deprived when there are so many other kids being dragged up, left, right and centre?

The fact that there are children who have a less than perfect home is very sad, but that in itself is not a reason for bringing another child into the world, whether that be from a 16 or 66 year old mother.

This lady doubtless has a world of opportunity to offer a person right now; couldn't she look at fostering, adopting or working with some of Britain's vulnerable young people?

Whatever my views on parenting in your 60s, I wish her and her baby all the very best of luck. One thing is certain, unlike some mothers (me included), this lady will never take one moment with her baby for granted.