My wife’s theory is that there will be a lot of babies born in about 6 months (9 months after the quarantine started), but only for first time parents. Being quarantined with a child is the absolute best birth control.
I initially thought this too, but then someone pointed out that people choose to have kids when they feel their life is stable (and safe).
Sure there will be a load of unplanned pregnancies, but a lot of people actively planning their family might choose to wait to see if they have a job/a place to live/are still alive after the pandemic is over.
Apparently there was a similar drop in birth-rate after the 2008 financial crash - people just held back waiting to see what happened before committing to having kids.
In this regard, human psychology is weird. Ask any first time parent of a ~6 month old if they're going to have a second one and the answer will most likely be a resounding "no!".
Then when that baby is ~2 years old, suddenly the pain of delivery, the sleepless nights and the baseless crying seem to be forgotten, and the cycle starts again.
I thought so too, but birth control is so common, day after pill, etc that I don't think it will matter much, unlike the old days. I'd love to be wrong though.
It seems like a lot of unmarried couples live together these days. Anecdotally, I know more unmarried couples that live together than I do unmarried couples that live separately, at least if we're talking about the kind of relationship that is anywhere close to "making babies".
pffft. no way. didn't slow us down at all and I got a 10 and 12 year old.
Wife isn't having any more for medical and conscious decision reasons. We just feel that 2 for 2 is plenty a replacement rate for our middle class efforts.
