Woman Became a Happy Mom at 51 & Has No Regrets, but She's Still Facing Criticism – Her Story

Weeks after her 51st birthday, Grace Collins lay in a hospital bed, battling pregnancy complications and willing her body to hold on just a little longer. While some of her followers fear an unplanned pregnancy at 50, she had worked hard to become a mom again.

Grace Collins was 51 when she welcomed her third child. The pregnancy wasn't unplanned or spontaneous. It followed years of careful consideration, medical screenings, and prayerful decision-making. Still, when she shared her experience, the response wasn't entirely positive.

While many offered encouragement, others were quick to judge her age, question her motives, and cast doubt on her choices. Collins has remained open about her journey, offering facts where assumptions were made. She shares her experience to educate her followers even as the criticism persists.

Collins met her husband, Chris, when she was 40. At that point in her life, she had already considered that becoming a mother might not be easy. She hadn't been pregnant before and suspected she might have fertility challenges.

Knowing that time wasn't on her side, she approached the idea of parenthood without delay. After marrying at 42, she and Chris decided not to wait. Instead of trying to conceive naturally, they went straight into in vitro fertilization (IVF), knowing the odds would grow steeper with time.

It was a commitment, but one she was willing to make.

Collins spent time researching fertility treatments and comparing costs, outcomes, and risks. She studied IVF the way one might research a disease, methodically and seriously, seeking out the most reliable, science-backed approach to having a child.

In vitro fertilization, or IVF, is a process in which an egg is fertilized by sperm in a lab before being implanted in the uterus. It's one of the most common forms of assisted reproductive technology and is often used by individuals or couples who face infertility or age-related conception challenges.

She also understood the logistics. Because fertility care wasn't available in her small Texas town, Collins had to travel to St. Louis for treatment. It was a commitment, but one she was willing to make. Their first embryo transfer was successful, and Collins became pregnant with her first child, Maggie, at 43.

Maggie was born in 2017, just as Hurricane Harvey struck their area. The storm caused severe damage to both the family's home and business. While navigating the stress of recovery, Collins also faced the physical demands of new motherhood.

Despite the circumstances, she recalled that Maggie was an easy baby, and she took comfort in the routines of early parenting. Looking back, she described that pregnancy as her most difficult, not because of medical complications, but because she had time to dwell on every detail.

Her second pregnancy was very different. With a toddler to care for and a growing list of daily tasks, she had less time to focus on symptoms or anxieties. The second embryo transfer was also successful, and her second daughter was born just before Collins turned 47.

By then, she had fully adjusted to the "little kid daily grind," as she called it. She was regularly packing lunches, attending birthday parties, taking the kids to the park, and keeping up with the pace of parenting young children.

Though she was older than most moms around her, it wasn't something she gave much thought to, especially when they were all sharing the same conversations about kindergarten readiness and nap schedules.

After the birth of her second daughter, Collins and her husband were left with additional embryos frozen from their earlier IVF treatments. They hadn't made any immediate plans, but the possibility of expanding their family remained open.

According to U.S. data, women over 43 have an average live birth rate of just 3.2% per egg retrieval using their eggs.

In 2022, Collins decided to move forward with another embryo transfer. Sadly, the pregnancy ended in miscarriage. It was a difficult outcome, and it gave her and Chris reason to pause. They took time to pray, reflect, and consider their next steps. They still had one remaining embryo.

For Collins, the question wasn't just whether she could try again — it was whether she should. After much discussion, they agreed to proceed with a final transfer. Collins was 50 years old. But before taking any further steps, she underwent a wide array of medical screenings to ensure she was physically prepared.

IVF success rates decline significantly with age. According to U.S. data, women over 43 have an average live birth rate of just 3.2 percent per egg retrieval using their eggs. That's why Collins took extra medical precautions before her third pregnancy.

She had a mammogram, colonoscopy, pap smear, echocardiogram, bloodwork, and an EKG. Her doctors confirmed that her health baseline was strong. With approval from her OB-GYN, fertility doctor, and maternal-fetal medicine specialist, the embryo was implanted. By early 2024, Collins was pregnant again.

This time, she took to TikTok to document her journey, which gained widespread attention and commentary. She entered her third trimester with confidence, but she didn't ignore the physical realities of pregnancy at 51. She continued attending regular prenatal appointments and kept her followers updated.

In early April 2024, she noted that her online bio still read "50 and pregnant," and casually shared that she had just turned 51. Despite feeling tired, she described herself as doing well overall. In the video filmed during school pickup, she said:

"Making a baby is hard work... But every pregnant woman gets tired."

She explained that she sometimes hesitated to talk about the discomfort she experienced, believing others might say she "chose this at 50." However, she reminded herself that pregnancy fatigue wasn't age-specific.

Her four-year-old had been up for several hours the night before, and she was simply a tired, expectant mother doing her best. Even so, later pregnancies carry increased risks. These include higher chances of miscarriage, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and the need for cesarean delivery.

Later that spring, Collins experienced swelling and elevated blood pressure — a sign of possible preeclampsia — prompting her care team to admit her to the hospital for observation. Though the situation was concerning, her vitals stabilized, and she was discharged with a plan to stay on bed rest for the remainder of the pregnancy.

She wasn't discouraged by the complication, just grateful to still be pregnant and to have the help she needed at home. She shared the update in a May 2024 TikTok, thanking the nurses and emphasizing how fortunate she felt to have strong support from her husband and family. She shared:

"I have a great husband, I have a great family… they're going to help me keep on bed rest for the rest of this pregnancy."

Her care team aimed for the baby's arrival around 37 weeks as Collins remained home, resting and preparing. She gave birth to a healthy baby boy in mid-2024. At 51, she now had three young children at home, ages 7, 4, and a newborn. Her days were filled with tee-ball, gymnastics, preschool pickup lines, and infant feedings.

She described the pace as busy, but familiar. Online, however, the conversation around her story hadn't quieted. While many people sent well wishes and congratulations, others continued to post harsh comments. One person called her decision their "worst nightmare."

Others couldn't fathom the idea of parenting at her age. One TikToker wrote, "But why?? I'm 50—no way I could or would at 50." Another commented, "I could not think of anything worse than having a baby and I'm 50." Some remarks were deeply personal.

"Sorry for that baby," one person said. Others framed the pregnancy as selfish or unnecessary. "Omg I can't imagine my mom being 70 at my high school graduation," read one comment.

Another added, "Do you think it's fair to your child that they'll be a teenager w/a senior citizen parent? Are you going to be active when they are older and can play sports with them, do all the things the kid wants to do?"

She's been open about her past, describing herself as a recovered addict who's now been sober for over 17 years.

Collins didn't ignore the backlash. She recorded videos addressing the comments head-on, calmly explaining the timeline, the medical planning, and the intention behind the pregnancy. She reminded viewers that this wasn't a whim, but the result of years of preparation.

"I know how old I will be at my son's graduation," she said in one video. "I've done the math." She shared that she stays active because she wants to, not just for herself, but for her children. And while she can't predict the future, she's committed to being present, involved, and in the middle of their lives for as long as she can.

But it wasn't all criticism. Her videos also drew in voices that cheered her on. One of her followers expressed, "Excited for you. Can't wait to see you holding the baby💜."

Another commented, "What a beautiful life. Congratulations, there's nothing like falling in love with your new baby." Others offered quiet affirmations like "You got this Momma!" and "I'm happy for you!"

Long before Collins became a mother, she had to rebuild her life from the ground up. In October 2024, she shared that she had been sober for 17 years. She hadn't set out to get clean, and she had no intention of getting sober, as she didn't believe it would work.

At the time, she was deep in addiction and living in South Texas. She wanted to reconnect with people she knew in the Hill Country — people who could give her unlimited access to drugs.

Public transportation and driving were out of the question, so she convinced her mother to drive her to a treatment center in that area, under the pretense of seeking help. Once there, she met up with those people, celebrated her 34th birthday, and resumed using.

But things spiraled quickly. She became erratic, even by the standards of the group she was with. Eventually, the drug dealer she had been relying on turned to her and said:

"You need to go back. You need to get out of here. You are crazy."

That same dealer drove her back to the treatment center and left her in the parking lot. Collins didn't walk into treatment with optimism. She was forced back in, angry and unwilling. But something changed inside those walls. She doesn't remember a single turning point.

What she does remember is that she stayed and that she got sober. She believes prayer played a role. She believes her mother's prayers did, too. That moment, however unintentional, became the starting point for everything that followed: her healing, her marriage, her children, and the home she now shares with them.

Collins has never sugarcoated the struggles. She's never claimed that parenting at 51 is without effort — only that it's worth it. For her, each child represents something far greater than timing. They are the result of prayer, persistence, and a second chance at life she never expected to get.