Motherhood is a truly unique and special responsibility that is literally as old as our species.
Becoming a mother is one of those momentous events that sometimes happens unexpectedly and sometimes is the result of years of patient waiting. Regardless of what form it takes, we should all agree that it is always a blessing.
For the most part, none of us can predict exactly when we will become parents. We can do our best to make it happen – if we want to – but life has always been and will always be unpredictable.
Some women become mothers at a young age, bringing new life into the world while still in their teens. Others become pregnant later in their lives. Still others, unfortunately, face problems that may cause them to never be able to give birth to their blood child.
Of course, there is no right or wrong way. All babies should be honoured, just as all mothers should be honoured – for the amazing journey they and their bodies go through to create another human being.
Maria del Carmen Busada de LaraMaria del Carmen Busada de Lara became the world’s oldest mother when she gave birth to…
Posted by Top10BD on Sunday, June 4, 2017
But some women, like Maria Carmen del Busada, who lived in Cadiz, Spain, face scorn, and sometimes oppression, for their decisions about when and how to have a baby.
In 2006, Maria revealed that her family was shocked when she told them she was pregnant with twins.
Why? Because she was 66 years old.
The record for long-standing living mothers is held by Maria del Carmen Busada Lara from Spain, who became a mother at the age of 66 years and 358 days in 2006.
Published by La Arboleda Residencial on Wednesday, 24 April 2013.
Maria, a retired shop worker, reportedly sold her home to be able to pay for an IVF procedure that would allow her to become pregnant despite her years. She reportedly lied to doctors at a fertility clinic in California, saying she was 55 years old.
Maria believed that everyone should be able to choose when to start a family, not be pressured by society or other people’s expectations.
Diagnosed with cancer
According to The Guardian newspaper, she said at the time: ‘Often circumstances put you between a hammer and an anvil, and maybe I shouldn’t have done things the way they were done, but it was the only way to achieve what I had always dreamed of.’
Naturally, not everyone agreed with her.
Among her critics were members of her own family who called her selfish. Maria even revealed that she hid her pregnancy for a while and her relatives thought she was joking when she decided to tell them.
In 2006, Maria gave birth to healthy twin boys Christian and Pau while becoming the world’s oldest mum.
However, by tragic coincidence, she was not destined to see them grow. Just six months after giving birth, the new mum was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
‘They’re still little, so I didn’t tell them anything,’ she said at the time. ‘They’re too young for that kind of thing.’
Maria Carmen del Busada’s children
Maria’s family had to step in and help her raise Christian and Pau. The retired mum passed away in 2009, having only had time to spend a few short years with her boys.
Maria’s brother Ricardo said: ‘I think she did it too late… but now they are here. We love these beautiful boys.’
In addition, Pilar Pinto, a resident of Cadiz, where Maria lived, described how life is going for Cristian and Pau.
‘They are well taken care of and they are in great shape,’ he said. ‘I see them around town a lot.’
Pinto added: ‘God didn’t let her enjoy her children. He should have given her more time.’
For her part, Maria remained firm in her decision to have children at a later age until the very end.
Such a beautiful story. I don’t know about you, but I believe that all women should reserve the right to decide when to have children.
What do you think of Maria’s decision to have children at 60? Let us know your thoughts in the comments on Facebook.
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