With modern medicine, people are having children much older now. My mom was 38 when she got pregnant with me, and I have close friends who are 40 and 43 with ne

With modern medicine, people are having children much older now. My mom was 38 when she got pregnant with me, and I have close friends who are 40 and 43 with newborns. So, the window has not closed. As far as other people saying that children won't fill that void in your life - they could be wrong. I felt similar to what you describe, albeit much younger than the average new parent, and having a child did fill that need. That said, it brought up a new feeling of regret of having a child too young. If you don't have children, it's not the end of the world. A child is fun, and I have had many giggles with mine, but I also have missed out on a lot of opportunity for pursuing and exploring passions that could also fill that hole. Given the added stress of and time consumed with children, I don't think I will have another. My husband and I have collectively agreed about the things that are important to us in life, and they are infinitely harder with a child. All that to say, you know what choice is right for yourself and you still have time to make that choice.