5 Billion Babies, Earlier

Today's guest posts is written by Vicki Boykis.  Vicki is one of those really interesting people -- the kind that has traveled, lived in other parts of the world, speaks several languages and thirsts for more.  Vicki is a freelance writer, living in Bethesda, Maryland.


My Russian Jewish mom (half part vodka, half part guilt) has been telling me that I need to have Russian Jewish kids ever since I was 10. So has every other Russian mom. I've talked to Bengali, Indian, and Italian friends, and found out that this is pretty much the case for them as well. In the West, as in America, I haven't noticed this much societal pressure to have children, with some I know having their first child at 35 or 40.

So I was surprised when I came across this article in the Wall Street Journal, which pretty much states that Americans in general are having children earlier as well.

For the first time since government records have been kept, the average age at which women have their first babies posted a decline -- according to newly released data from the National Center for Health Statistics. Mothers' mean age at their first childbirth fell to 25.0 years in 2006, the most recent figures available, from 25.2 in 2005. Women ages 20 to 24 led the shift, with a 5% increase in the rate of first births.

The article lists some reasons for the decreasing age, including a rising number of Hispanics, who tend to start earlier, having children; not having to fight for careers like the older generations; and, the benefit of young parents.

The last is the reason I will probably have kids around 25ish (given that all my grad school plans don't go into chaos). I love the fact that my mom, at 47, was already able to witness my graduation from college, my wedding (which she very loudly and actively helped me plan), and now is healthy and chipper enough to call me every day and nag me about having kids. It would be great if my grandpa could also live to see his great grandchildren, but I'm not putting that much pressure on myself, because, after all, I am a person, not a Japanese train schedule.

Comments

[FishyGirl]

I can see that. I personally know people who are choosing to have their kids earlier. I haven't quite figured out why; some of the reasons I think that's the case are increased publicity regarding fertility issues, and frankly, 9/11 and the economy. There has been an overall trend toward a simpler life, toward deciding what's most important and working toward that. I was ready to have kids when I was 25, but my husband wasn't, and then we had apparent fertility issues (though we really didn't). It's interesting.

[CoreyJ Feldman]

Very interesting, I guess that is nationwide. From my personal experience in the very insulated Montgomery County, I would not have expected that. Most of my friends married had kids in there 30's.