A woman from Sussex, England, surprised people when at 50, she welcomed a baby girl into the world. Her actions were met with varying opinions from her family and users online.
Kelly Clarke spent her life making memories and achieving various career goals. She worked as an airport terminal manager and met celebrities like Princess Diana and Kate Moss.
However, her greatest joy came when she was 50. She gave birth to a bundle of joy named Lyla Rae Clarke and revealed it was her best decision. Despite her confidence in being a single mom at her age, not everyone supported the choice.
Her Journey to Motherhood
Kelly always wanted to start a family, but the timing was never right. She had a busy work schedule and opted for a different path while all her friends settled down.
While many people might have assumed it was too late for Kelly to conceive at her age, she proved them wrong. Kelly flew to Greece for IVF treatment in a now-or-never moment.
There, she met with a sperm donor and started her journey toward motherhood. She kept the process primarily to herself and felt “weird” thinking about the possibilities, sharing:
“I fit my trips into my days off at work, so nobody knew what I was doing – but I kept thinking how crazy it was that I could be pregnant.”
Resistance from Her Family
When Kelly discovered she was pregnant, she was excited about the significant new phase—but not everyone shared her joy. Her family was concerned and didn’t approve of her decision to have a child alone and at 50.
Kelly was heartbroken and felt as if her loved ones had disowned her. Still, she persevered because she believed the time was right for her to be a mom.
The woman loved gushing about her “absolute angel” of a daughter and was “overwhelmed with the joy of finally being a mom at 51.” However, not everyone agreed, and many opinions were circulating online.
A Dream Come True
Kelly’s whole world changed as soon as she gave birth to Lyla Rae in March 2021. She knew she had made the right decision, and becoming a parent was a dream come true. Kelly fell head over heels in love, and she expressed:
“It was really love at first sight. I cried my eyes out, it was a miracle right there. I never thought I could feel love quite like I felt.”
Kelly believed she could be the best mom because of her maturity, adding: “Now I don’t feel the need to be traveling and partying. I feel the need to watch every minute of Lyla Rae growing up.”
The Best Parent for Her Child
While Kelly’s loved ones were initially worried about her decision to become a mom, they had a change of heart once the baby arrived. The mother was grateful for their incredible support and noted: “They couldn’t be a better family.”
Kelly is eager to guide her daughter, relying on her life experience to help the little one as she grows. She doesn’t feel the need to rush her daughter’s development and can take it all in day by day. The mom-of-one said:
“I can focus solely on her as I am content with what I’ve done. Everyone is different, that’s just how I feel about the way I’ve started my family.”
She Had a Loving Family
Kelly is also happy to be raising her little girl alone. She shared that there was more freedom and fewer disagreements without a co-parent. Little Lyla Rae does have the love and involvement of her aunty, cousins, and grandparents—she is the apple of their eye!
Kelly also revealed that she would be open and honest about her daughter’s conception, sharing the details when she was old enough. Above all, Kelly was happy her daughter would know how much she was wanted and loved. The mother expressed:
“One thing’s for sure, Lyla is going to know she is loved and how much I wanted her – she’ll know the lengths I went to bring her into my world.”
The Online Reaction
The woman loved gushing about her “absolute angel” of a daughter and was “overwhelmed with the joy of finally being a mum at 51.” However, not everyone agreed, and many opinions were circulating online:
“Personally I think 50 is far too old to become a mother. I became a grandmother just before I turned 50, and believe me, I tire much quicker looking after my grandkids than I did looking after my own kids when I was late 20s [and] early 30s.”
– (Debbie Lorraine) November 2, 2022
“I got pregnant at 47 for the [first] time. I was just as shocked as anyone. I now am 60 with a 12 [year] old … I have a healthy, happy, smart, funny, and beautiful son that had no choice in this matter but is happy that I am his mom!”
– (Vicki Martin) November 2, 2022
“Age is just a number. If she feels it’s right for her then good luck and congratulations. But I can honestly say getting pregnant at 40 was hard, at 60 even harder, but being a parent is a hard job at any age. I wouldn’t change anything.”
– (Karen Smith) November 3, 2022
Kelly managed to become a mom against all odds, and she showered her little girl in love every day. We wish them many happy years together as they navigate life and make beautiful memories.
What do you think about conceiving a child and taking on the challenging role of parenthood at 50? Kindly share your opinions and stories with us.
Click here for a story about a 60-year-old woman who gave birth for the first time. Her husband’s reaction to the event was shocking.