Where are all these one child families?!

[Sleepybeanbump]

I'm only child of two only children, married to an only child of two only children, currently pregnant with what may well be our only child. I've always been interested in the concept of onlies and how we are perceived. It seems from most of what I hear and read that an only is still, sadly, seen as negatively as it was when I was a child, and yet at the same time, I keep reading that one child families now make up nearly half of family units.

And yet of all the dozens and dozens and dozens of families that we know- friends, neighbours, work colleagues, friends of friends, even the vaguest of passing acquaintances, I can only think of 3 only child families that I know of.

Does anyone else have the same experience? That society's reactions to onlies haven't caught up with the prevalence of onlies, and that they come accross a disproportionately small number of onlies?

I'm an only, my son is an only, my grandad is an only, my husband is his mums only (grew up with older siblings that left before he was born) and my half-uncle is in the same situation as my uncle... Aside from that I know no other only children (except for those who parents plan to have another one day) ... i always find it weird too that there seem to be no others around!

There are quite a few near me, but most of them will probably have another in the next few years.

How do the only stats work? Every family is an only at first aren't they? Until they have a second!

I know quite a few one child families but that's because most of my friends are only just starting to have children. Afaik, all but one of my friends with a baby plan to have more.

My dd is still a baby but we don't plan to have another, though we said we'd never say never. Dp's family in particular have been very negative about this decision. Dp is one of five and his married siblings have two children apiece; I am one of four and none of my siblings have children as of yet.