I became a first-time mum at 44 – and it’s made me a better parent

Nobody knows why, although it’s likely that the advanced age of my eggs was a factor. The doctors said I had a 50/50 chance of success and we should keep on trying.

Six months later, at the age of 43, I got pregnant for a fourth time. When I saw the little blue line on the pregnancy test, I felt numb. I didn’t dare to believe it was possible that I could carry to term.

But, at last, the roll of the coin was on our side. Our daughter, Sidonie, was born in June 2015, a few weeks after my 44th birthday.

It’s a myth that all older women mothers must have had fertility treatment, or used a donor egg or a surrogate – all accusations I’ve seen levelled at Swank.

Sidonie was born at 35 weeks, after my waters broke early, spending three long and very stressful weeks in the Special Care Baby Unit, before Mickael and I were allowed to take her home.

The stress of my pregnancy and her traumatic birth meant it took me a good few months to fully bond with her. I couldn’t quite believe that she was going to survive and be OK – that I was finally a mother.

Thankfully, two years of follow-up gave her a clean bill of health. She is now a bright, beautiful, funny and very chatty child.

There are so many upsides to late motherhood. I know I’m a better mother now than I would have been in my 20 or 30s: I’m wiser, calmer, more confident and more secure in myself. Having achieved most of my ambitions – I’m established in my career as journalist and have had seven novels published – I don’t feel I need to live vicariously through my child, as so many young parents seem to do.

Studies confirm my suspicion that older motherhood can be a very good thing. Research has even suggested that children born to mothers over 40 are generally healthier, taller, and more intelligent than those born to younger mums.

There’s good news for me and Hilary Swank too: there is some evidence that women who give birth after the age of 40 are four times more likely to live to age 100. That’s probably because if you’re able to conceive later, it means you’re generally healthier, with better genes, and you age more slowly than average.

When people suggest that having a baby later isn’t fair to the child because they’ll be orphaned young, I point out that many children lose parents who are in their 20s and 30s.

My only real regret is that, unless Sidonie chooses to have her own children young, I’ll likely never be a grandmother.

Nobody has ever mistaken me for Sidonie’s gran, even though most of her friends’ parents are a good 10 or 20 years younger than me. I’ve always been young at heart, in the way I think and dress, and despite being menopausal, I still have plenty of energy.

Swank has all this, plus the extra benefits Hollywood stardom brings: millions of dollars with which to pay for unlimited childcare, personal trainers, the best toys, equipment and education.

Sidonie has inherited my love of reading and writing stories, and she makes me laugh all the time. She is undoubtedly the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and to Mickael.

I’m certain Swank will feel exactly the same way when her twins are born, and that she’ll be a brilliant mother. If anyone dares to tell her she’s too old to have a baby, she should tell them to mind their own business.