Is it just me or is there a baby boom???

[Evie76]

I think it may just be me noticing other pregnant women more than I did before - kind of a sympathetic thing I reckon.:icon_question:

[Catastrophic]

Theres a baby born around me! hehe... Since i found out i was pregnant i've also found out about 10 of my friends are pregnant also!!! And the list keeps growing!

[AnyDream]

Yes, there has been a little weeny tiny increase in the birth rate: from the ABS website (3301.0 - Births, Australia, 2005):

"In 2005 there were 259,800 births registered in Australia, 5,500 (2.2%) more than in 2004, and the highest since 1993 (260,200). This also represented an increase of 13,400 births from the low number of births registered in 2001 (246,400 births)."

There has been a bit of speculation that this is because the Gen Xers were told to have their career first, and tended to delay having children into their 30s, whereas the GenYs believe they can have their cake and eat it too, and so have not been delaying their families in the same way the Gen Xers (as a broad group) did.

However, because Aust's population is increasing the actual number of births per woman in the popn (fertility rate) continues to decline.

[Evie76]

Hmmmm........ I thought so. Here I was thinking I was a great pioneer and then I find 5 million (slight exaggeration there) people around me are also having babies.

I am a Gen Xer but I am glad that I have got my career and solid housing underway before a baby has come along. I have a house for my children to grow up in and my husband and I have viable jobs with which to support their education. My parents, on the other hand, constantly struggled with money and housing because, back in the 70's kids came first.

While I will not be as young as my parents are with grandchildren etc........ I feel that i have set up a life before the kiddies come along - if you know what I mean.

[DisGirl]

I've noticed it too. I think I also notice it more because my friends are all at the same stage of their lives and therefore more people in my social circle are having babies or at least thinking about having them. Same way a few years ago we were going to weddings a lot.

[Lea13]

I was just thinking this the other day!! Everywhere I look I see pregnant bellies!!! And now here are the facts to back it up!!!

[Evie76]

Yeah, I'm currently reading Michael J Fox's autobiography and he said he NEVER noticed people with Parkinson's Disease but as soon as he was diagnosed with it, people with PD were everywhere.

The same MUST go for the cars, weddings and babies. Unfortunately it can also apply to a shirt that you bought that you love. Everyone else seemed to like it too!!!ARRRGGG

[Kazbah]

Hyper-awareness I think.

[Karina]

I have to say I didnt notice so many pregnant people until we started trying to be one of them.. I now notice so many everywhere I go, and so does DH.

[AnyDream]

Well Target must have some sort of baby sale on right now cos we were sitting having a cold drink outside T in the city, and seriously, every forth or fifth woman that went past was clearly pregnant (and carrying baby goods to confirm the rounded tums). What the..?

[Evie76]

Yep, it's a boom. It's gotta BE!!!!!

[ella79]

ha ha! your summation sounds quite accurate Marydean - i'm a Gen-Y (i think?! born 79), and it's so right about me wanting to have my cake and eat it too!! i got out of school, got 2 degress, got a good job, bought a house, married, and am now starting my family! i don't think that my job should prevent me having kids - i want BOTH!!

i've also noticed a HELL of a lot of PG women around lately - they're EVERYWHERE!! but it's exactly like the car analogy that someone used - i never really noticed any Honda Accord Euros on the road, and then we bought one last year, and now every second car appears to be one - that's got to be terrible for the re-sale value!! ha ha!!