Ladies, We Need To Talk

The older mum trend. Meet the women having babies after 45

Ladies, We Need To Talk

Show Notes

Mid-life is hard enough, but what happens when you add a baby to the mix? The average maternal age has been creeping up over the past twenty years, with more women than ever becoming first time mums in their 40s, delaying motherhood to build careers, travel, find the right partner, secure housing, or navigate infertility. Having a baby later in life can be exhausting. Sleep is elusive, many women are edging perimenopause and the risks to both mother and baby can increase. Then there's the judgement — the sideways looks, the inevitable question: are you the mum or the grandma? Yumi Stynes meets two first time mums who fell pregnant in their mid-40s to talk about the challenges and the joys of being an older mum. Plus women's health expert Dr Karin Hammarberg weighs in on the risks- and rewards- of waiting. This episode will answer questions like: Can I get pregnant after 40? Can you get pregnant when you're 45? Why do women delay getting pregnant? Should I wait to get pregnant? What are the chances of getting pregnant over 40? What is a geriatric pregnancy Is it harder to get pregnant after 40? What to listen to next: Surrogacy: why women carry babies for others — ABC listenIs your attachment style messing with your love life? — ABC listenFelicity Ward on motherhood, depression and a sexual rebirth — ABC listenLast shot pregnancy — ABC listenWhat to read next: Why these women have never had a partner — ABC NewsThe surprising health benefits linked to having a baby at 35 and older — ABC News This episode contains references to pregnancy, dating, marriage, babies, toddlers, children, conception, TTC, sex, IVF, in vitro fertilisation, motherhood, donor eggs, maternity, parenthood, cancer, geriatric pregnancy, Advanced maternal age, pregnancy after 40, fertility after 40, Hilary Swank, Gisele Bundchen

More from Ladies, We Need To Talk

Oct 18, 2026

Getting an ADHD diagnosis while going through perimenopause helped explain the quiet bubbling rage and feelings of inadequacy that Myf Warhust had been dealing with her whole life. Discovering she had ADHD mid-life has been life changing for Myf but like so many women, she questions why it took so long to be diagnosed in the first place. She's channelled those feelings into her new book, Middle Rage where she explores the bullsh*t women have been experiencing for a millennia. Yumi Stynes sits down with the Spicks and Specks team captain for a candid conversation about this new era of her life, one that's free of dating apps, managers and men who send her dick pics. More information: Middle Rage is published by Hachette Australia. This episode will answer questions like: How does menopause affect women? Can menopause affect ADHD? Why didn’t people talk about menopause? Why are women getting diagnosed with ADHD later in life? Why did Myf Warhurst write Middle Rage? Is Myf Warhust still on Spicks and Specks? What is Myf Warhurst doing now? Is Myf Warhurst a feminist? What to listen to next: The secrets to a happy relationship (they're not what you think) — ABC listenWhat to read next: The secret to happy long-term relationships — ABC NewsThis episode contains references to Myf Warhurst, rage, misogyny, menopause, perimenopause, ADHD and Eurovision.

Oct 12, 2026

What's the key to a long-lasting, happy relationship? Grand gestures and date nights might cause a momentary flare, but successful couples know there's more to it than that. How do they fight, divide the load, and keep their intimacy hot when life gets busy and deeply unsexy? Yumi Stynes speaks to women about how they found love that's stable, healthy and fun. And clinical psychologist Ms Gemma Cribb talks through the foundations that all happy couples build their relationships on. You'll be surprised! This episode will answer questions like: Can you be happy in a long-term relationship? What makes a relationship last? How can you support your partner? How do I know if my partner's happy? What to listen to next: Our bodies, our choice. But are abortion rights under threat? — ABC listenWhat to read next: The women 'quietly quitting' their marriages — ABC NewsThis episode contains references to relationships, partners, marriage, intimacy, children and mental load.

Oct 5, 2026

What does free speech mean if women can't afford to defend it? And what happens when the law meant to protect reputations is used to silence women speaking out about alleged sexual violence? Jennifer Robinson is one of the world's most recognisable human rights lawyers. She's represented actress Amber Heard, whose trial became the stuff of fierce public debate and trial by media. Now Jennifer's fighting to change that, by challenging a legal system that can be weaponised to silence survivors of gendered violence. More information: How many more women? Is published by Allen and Unwin This episode will answer questions like: Who is Jennifer Robinson? Why did Amber Heard testify in the UK defamation trial? What are the allegations against Johnny Depp? What happened to Brittany Higgins? What is the Stop the SLAPP Alliance? What to listen to next: Our bodies, our choice. But are abortion rights under threat? — ABC listenWhat to read next: The women 'quietly quitting' their marriages — ABC NewsThis episode contains references to defamation, Brittany Higgins, Lisa Wilkinson, Amber Heard and Johnny Depp.

Sep 28, 2026

Sex parties without creepy dudes? Forget keys in a bowl and seedy nightclubs: women are flipping the stereotype and creating sexy playgrounds on their own terms. Fifteen years into her marriage, Fliss, a Sydney mum of two, stepped into the sex party scene, and now she hosts her own women-focused events with vetting calls and references. Therapist and volunteer 'consent angel' Lotus who monitors partygoers safety explains what's changed in recent years, and PhD researcher Amelia looks at what play means at queer sex parties. On Ladies We Need to Talk, Yumi Stynes steps inside the scene, where consent is non-negotiable, to find out why more women feel safe exploring desire, body image and juggling it all with kids. This episode will answer questions like: What is a sex party? Who goes to sex parties? What is a consent angel? Who runs sex parties? What do people do at sex parties? How do you keep sex parties safe? Is it cheating to attend a sex party? What to listen to next: Why tradwife content is so seductive — ABC listenWhat to read next: The women 'quietly quitting' their marriages — ABC NewsThis episode contains references to sex, relationships, intimacy, sex parties and consent.

Sep 21, 2026

From making bubble gum by hand to tranquil depictions of motherhood, why is the tradwife fantasy so appealing and why can't we look away? During the pandemic, tradwives like Nara Smith and Hannah Neeleman from Ballerina Farm dominated our algorithms. They baked perfectly scored sourdough loaves in spotless kitchens and made cereal for their toddlers from scratch. These women depict an enviable, calm lifestyle that very few women can attain. While some influencers reject the label of tradwife, their content taps into a powerful fantasy that has drawn millions of women to watch, even if we have no plans or desire to ever live that way. Yumi Stynes is joined by Professor Heejung Chung to unpack the tradwife phenomenon and the real-world impacts that come with the promotion of "traditional" gendered ideals. This episode will answer questions like: What is a tradwife? Where did the tradwife movement come from? How do tradwives afford the lifestyle? Do tradwives have their own money? Are men looking for a tradwife? Do tradwives have to be submissive? Is Nara Smith a tradwife? What to listen to next: "I'm actually gay": My husband's best kept secret — ABC listenWhat to read next: The women 'quietly quitting' their marriages — ABC NewsThis episode contains references to tradwives, traditional lifestyles, Ballerina Farm, Nara Smith, Yesteryear and Hannah Neeleman.

See all episodes →