How Many Children Would You Have...

[OtherS]

If you had no worries about space, money, negative impact on career, social life etc? A lot of people seem to suggest that the collapsing birth rate is down to financial worries etc, but I'm wondering whether it's at least as much to do with women not actually wanting huge numbers of children. We used to have 6, 7 or more very regularly of course, but we didn't have much choice back then. Now we have contraception and less societal / marital pressure to have kids, is the reason for low birth rates more to do with woman's choice than concern about the impact of a large family?

AIBU - It's all about money; if I could afford to have 14 kids, keep my job, figure and lifestyle, I'd be all in
YANBU - Even with all the wealth - and nannies - in the world, 1 or 2 would definitely be more than enough for me, thanks.

1

I've got two children and I wouldn't have more if I won the lottery.
I'm happy with two.

None , I like my life just fine as it is kid free

Zero. You couldn’t pay me.

I would’ve liked four. I have one. I was pregnant with a second but lost the baby, and didn’t try again after that.

I've got 4. Id have another given the circumstances you list

Just the 2.

Still none

I have 2. We have the means, space and resources for another but I just don’t want any more.

I've got 4, I wouldn't have any more now because I couldn't go back to beginning. Maybe I might have had another a few years ago if money and space and time were no object.

I have three.

I’d love to have four but will probably stop at three due to all the reasons you have listed. If I could afford to work one or two days a week I would do that and have a fourth child.

I wouldn't have any more than I do now even with all the resources in the world.

This

The two I have now. Fuck having more.

I can't really vote because you've made it far too specific.

I wanted to vote YANBU but 3 is my chosen number.

Women have more autonomy and people are more honest about child rearing. People aren't just following the herd having children because it is expected, as I think may have been the case in the past. Having said that I do think the main expenses of life are all front loaded at the moment. Housing and university being massive costs and if you have children, childcare is a massive cost. So the expense of modern life in the UK is prohibitive to children at the moment.

2.. I wouldn’t one an only to have to be on their own and deal with everything alone after we’ve both died. And I’ve found that it’s much easier to cater for families of 4. Cars/holidays etc.

I had 2. Before experiencing childbirth I thought I wanted 3. After doing it twice I decided one child for each hand was plenty.

I have five. Three stepchildren who I had full time after their mother died and they were only 1, 3 and 4 and two I gave birth to. All are adults now and we are all very close. I have three siblings so adapted fine to having five children.

Personally, I wouldn’t have liked to have just had one child.

We have 3. Might have had 4 if started earlier and one of them wasn’t such a terrible sleeper.

I'm very happy with none, so I would stick with that number.

I have 6dc. 2 families effectively.
Money and space weren't an issue.
Unlike many on MN, having dc was a very positive experience.

We have 4 together. DH has two older daughters too. I think I would have had a couple more.

I think 2 is ideal

I would have had 4 if I was rich.