Trying to Have Kids Amidst a Polycrisis

I love kids. In a different timeline, I'd almost certainly have them. But when I was in my 30s, I looked around — and looked at my own bank account, and the realities of childcare, the weight of my student loans, and how hard people without close family support were working just to get by — and I thought: I can't make this work. And because I didn't even try to have a kid, I didn't have to confront the likelihood of needing fertility treatment to get pregnant in my late 30s.

People often say that there's no good time to have a baby, so you should just ignore all the things that make it feel fraught and go for it. You'll make it work. But that argument has begun to feel increasingly out-of-touch. Parenting amidst a polycrisis is really hard. If you've delayed parenthood for whatever reason, getting pregnant — or adopting a child — has become incredibly expensive. Even in countries with robust safety nets, adults are increasingly deprioritizing having kids. In her new book, Anna Louie Sussman takes a non-sensationalist look at the declining birth rate in so many countries, digging past the surface-level data to get at the much deeper question: what makes parenthood feel increasingly inconceivable? And what could possibly be done to make it feel otherwise?

Thanks to the sponsors of today's episode:NOBL gives you real travel peace of mind — security, design, and convenience all in one. Head to NOBLTravel.com for 46% off your entire order!If you’re looking to make a small change in your routine, you can get 15% off your first order at Blueland.com/CULTUREGet $35 off your first box of wild-caught, sustainable seafood—delivered right to your door. Go to: https://www.wildalaskan.com/CULTUREArticle is offering our listeners $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more. To claim, visit ARTICLE.COM/CULTURE and the discount will be automatically applied at checkout.Show Notes:Learn more about Anna Louie Sussman's work hereBuy Inconceivable hereWe talk about the original NYT article ("The End of Babies") that sparked this book; you can find it here (gift link)We're currently looking for your questions on the following topics:WHAT'S GOING ON INFLUENCER CULTURE? with Katie Sturino — what's going on with privacy, spon, monetization, politics, algorithm fatigue — anything you want to ask someone who's watched the influencing world transform from insideTHE LATEST IN BOOK TRENDS with Alyssa Morris (from our very popular BookTok episode!). Ask Alyssa about whatever you're se