A mom shares how she bucks the trend of what you “should” do in life

A woman’s Instagram post questioning the strict schedule for celebrating major life milestones is going viral.

Desiree Nathanson, a 44-year-old yoga teacher, recently shared her experience of getting married and having a child after 40, sending an important message about society’s timeline.

In the post, which has been viewed 2.8 million times, Nathanson encouraged other Instagram users to “do what’s right for you” and “not give in to societal pressure to do everything you’re ‘supposed to’ do”.

Nathanson’s path to marriage and motherhood was anything but conventional: She met her current husband at 27, got pregnant at 40, and gave birth to her second child at 41.

The mother of two danced to Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” and wrote in the caption, “I work four jobs and don’t plan on changing my lifestyle anytime soon. Sometimes I wish I had a 9-5 job with benefits and security, but honestly it’s not for me.”

Nathanson’s story resonated with many women who feel trapped by societal expectations.

One Instagram user wrote: “You probably don’t know how much sharing your story can help. It could bring light and hope to others like me. I feel lucky that the algorithm decided to show this post to me.”

One woman, who was 39 and pregnant, said Nathanson’s post had given her hope as she was “figuring out” how to get back into her favourite hobbies, including dancing and styling.

Another woman expressed how much she wanted to hear Nathanson’s story: “I’m 38, no kids, no marriage. A lot of people stress about the timeline.”

According to the Pew Research Center, the average age at which American women have their first child has been steadily rising.

In 2021, the average age of mothers giving birth to their first child rose to 27.3 years old, up from 25.6 years old in 2011.

The demographic shift towards older parents is influenced by a variety of social and economic factors, including financial stability, career prospects and home affordability, research analysts concluded.

Nathanson also Advanced Motherhood Podcast The movement aims to break down outdated social norms and give women a “ray of hope” to live life on their own terms.

Nathanson, who was praised for her “refreshing” social media posts, said: “Don’t force yourself into the blueprint you’ve been told you should follow. Design a blueprint that works for you.”

If you’re facing a family dilemma, contact us at life@newsweek.com. We’ll ask our experts for advice and maybe feature your story. Newsweek.