From Ivy Queen to Salma Hayek These Latina Moms Debuted Motherhood in Their 40s
By now, you’ve probably heard that Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker have welcomed their first baby boy, Rocky, together. At 44 years old, Kardashian documented her journey into motherhood in her forties, not leaving behind the struggles or wonders of being a mamá at this stage of life.
Although she previously had three children, Mason, 13, Penelope, 11, and Reign, 8, with ex-partner Scott Disick, she fervently desired to have one with Barker, as per E! News.
Medical advances such as egg freezing, fertility treatments, surrogacy, and more are helping women beat the biological clock (even if it’s just for a few years).
More women are choosing motherhood in their forties thanks to medical advances
For decades, women have been told they couldn’t have it all. If you wanted to have a child in your twenties or thirties, then you’d have to choose between having children, your career, or taking time off for pregnancy and child-rearing.
The added pressure of having a partner who wanted to have children on the same timeline was a struggle. However, times have changed, and medical advances show women that ¡si se puede!
In fact, the Centers for Disease Control 2022 Data on Births shows birth rates declined for women aged 15-24 and 30-34 while increasing for women aged 25-29 and 35-49. The provisional birth rate for women 40-44 has increased by 4% from 2021, with this group rising “almost continuously” from 1985 to 2021.
Kardashian joins several celebrity mamás who paved the way before her, proving that motherhood is possible beyond your twenties and thirties.
1. Salma Hayek
Actress Salma Hayek had a daughter, Valentina Paloma Pinault, in 2007 at 41 years old. In 2022, Hayek told Vogue Mexico, “I became a mother very late. I did it once I found my partner for life, that I had a stable career, but I wanted a (child) so badly that nothing else mattered.”
2. Ivy Queen
The Queen of Reggaeton told NPR’s Tiny Desk she never thought she would be a mother and was pleasantly surprised after finding out she was pregnant with a daughter, Naiovy, whom the Queen said has “healing powers of love.”
3. Eva Longoria
The actress and producer had her first child with Mexican entrepreneur José Bastón in 2018. By then, Longoria was 43 years old.
4. Mariah Carey
Carey had her twins Moroccan and Monroe alongside Nick Cannon at 41 in 2011.
5. Cameron Díaz
The Hollywood star and Benji Madden took the world by surprise when she announced her pregnancy in 2020 at 47 years old. Now they have an adorable daughter, Raddix.
6. Adamari López
The Puerto Rican television presenter and actress had her daughter Alaïa at 43 years old with dancer Toni Costa. López had to wait to conceive after undergoing breast cancer treatment in her thirties.
7. Eva Mendes
The Cuban actress and Ryan Gosling share two daughters, Esmeralda and Amada, who the actress had at 40 and 42 years old, respectively.
8. Paulina Rubio
The Mexican singer had her first child at 40, welcoming her son, Andrea Nicolás. She then had her second son, Eros, at 44 years old.
9. Thalía
The “Marimar” star had her second child, Matthew Alejandro, just two months short of her 40th birthday.
