Hoda Kotb says that after adopting her daughters, she questioned whether she deserved them

• Hoda Kotb, 60, said she utilized to deliberation that she didn't merit her kids.
• The "Today" show big is nan mother of 2 daughters, Haley, 7, and Hope, 5.
• Having children later has its benefits, older parents antecedently told Business Insider.

Hoda Kotb says she struggled pinch imposter syndrome aft having kids.

The "Today" show anchor discussed parenting pinch Suzy Welch, an NYU Stern School of Business professor, astatine Making Space: A Wellness Weekend, an arena she hosted complete nan play successful Austin, Texas.

"At 1 point, aft I sewage to my kids, I said to myself, 'I wonderment if I merit them.' Imagine that feeling. That's truthful crazy, but I thought it," said Kotb, who became a mother successful her 50s. "And I thought, 'I'll conscionable activity really difficult to beryllium really good, because I'm not sure.'"

The "Today" show anchor, now 60, has two adopted daughters, Haley, 7, and Hope, 5. She added that it took immoderate clip for her to recognize that she deserved her kids. "I'm here, I merit to beryllium their mother. I wanted this, and I will attraction for them for arsenic agelong arsenic I'm able," she said.

Kotb, whose curen for bosom crab successful 2007 had near her infertile, has been unfastened astir her experience arsenic an older mother.

In a June 2023 section of nan "Just B pinch Bethenny Frankel" podcast, Kotb said she erstwhile thought it was "too late" to want kids successful her 50s. But aft seeing signs that motherhood was still possible, she decided to spell to nan take agency.

"I don't cognize what commencement feels like, and I stake it was amazing, but this was really close," she said, reflecting connected nan infinitesimal she learned she would go a mother astatine 52. "I retrieve that emotion for illustration it was yesterday."

In September, Kotb announced her plans to step down arsenic anchor of nan "Today" show successful 2025. She said she wanted to walk much clip pinch her kids.

"Obviously I had my kiddos precocious successful life, and I was reasoning that they merit a bigger portion of my clip pastry that I have," she said connected nan show.

A typical for Kotb did not instantly respond to a petition for remark from Business Insider sent extracurricular regular business hours.

Having kids later successful life

More women are becoming parents later successful life. A 2023 study from nan CDC showed that nan commencement complaint for women supra 45 roseate by 12% from 2021 to 2022.

While being an older genitor has its challenges, it besides comes pinch benefits.

Heather Grossman, who became pregnant astatine 47, antecedently wrote for BI that she initially struggled pinch parental imposter syndrome.

She worried astir being nan oldest mom connected nan playground and being judged by others. But this worry yet subsided.

"Feeling nan kicks and caput butts of my increasing babe reminded maine that I was successful nan mediate of thing wondrous, sublime. And I recognized that nan group closest to maine felt only joyousness astir my choices," she wrote.

Similarly, Blake Turck, who became a first-time mom astatine 43, saw advantages to having a babe later successful life.

"I'm decidedly wiser now than I was 10 years ago. I've navigated loss, love, and adulthood," she wrote. "I've nurtured myself, arsenic good arsenic my partner, and during that time, acquired definite instincts and traits that will undoubtedly make maine a amended mother coming than I would've been astatine 33."