The birthrate needs to be a lot more under "replacement level", that entire premise of "replacement level is unnatural for any other species, nature does not allow any other species to breed anywhere near so called "replacement level" when their environment cannot support the current population. "Replacement level" in humans is just a corporate capitalist scam. For our environment ( planet) to be in balance , there actually needs to be fewer humans.
The current research shows that the planet ran out of natural resources enough to sustain the population in 1970. In that short 55 years, the population has more than doubled,from 4 billion to approaching 9billion, 10 billion according to Unicef.
We need to have a global few and stop thinking humans need to continuously replace ourselves. We absolutely don't, it's a capitalist fallacy. Capitalism will fail without ever increasing numbers of humans. The environment will recover, mostly, without ever increasing levels of humans.
Replacement theory, and co existing ,racist version, are what will make life untenable for the humans that continue to be born at anywhere near the current birth rate
A quick look at the global counter clock shows the birthrate far, far outweighs every and all combined deaths per day, globally. It is schocking, once you see it. There is absolutely no problem with the human zo called "replacement"rate. In fact, it is the biggest problem,of many serious problems, affecting us.
Also, 5 million children born in the 5 years up to 2022, didn't make it to their 5th birthday. That is not any sign of a good environment to keep bringing yet more to life.
I am child free by choice because I'm fully aware of the danage Western lifestyle choices are having on the majority of the planet. Everyone thinking of bringing more Western kids into the world need to do aid work in the developing world first.
And the overly simplistic argument,that people need to keep having their own genetic children in the West so Westerners have carers in their twilight years, doesn't bear up to any informed critical thinking either. There are more than enough humans already on this planet that we don't need any morez at all, for at least 50 years.
Think about it. There are already generation after generation alive, right now, 9 to 10 billion of them.
Year old babies now won't need old age care for at least 75 years, on average. Peers can provide care in every care setting,there doesn't have to be an age gap.
This is not meant to trigger parents,it is globally objective,well established, evidenced geosocialpolitical research. Objectivity is difficult to cling on to, against the swamp of subjectivity ,ego and anti scientific social media, sadly.