Why a baby boom during a recession?

by Joshua Arimi on October 12, 2009

Look right, left and you might spot an expectant mother, a small baby, a buggy or you Will hear people talking of making babies.

BuggyIn my place of work, this year alone, we expect over 5 babies.

Mark you it is in recession. Instead of making money, people are busy making babies than ever before.

All along I thought people make babies when they are sure of source of support in terms of finances. This was my previous thinking, it has wilted under the unexpected baby boom of 2008/2009.

Australia woke up to a shock in March 2008 to have a record of  30,000 more births  compared to 2007

Ireland last year saw an average of 205 babies born every day leading to 75, 000 births in one year.

In Iceland, the birth rate has increased by 3.5 per cent this year.

The number of people in the UK has passed 61 million for the first time.  The number of births increased by 33, 000 last year compared to 2007.

In Kenyan women are giving birth to an average of five children, creating a population boom that has distorted growth projections. Kenya’s population growth rate went from 1.53 per cent in 2000 to an estimated 2.758 per cent in 2008.

Reasons for baby boom during a recession are unclear. However according to USA today and Daily mail, UK, the Sunday Business post, Ireland there are suggestions that:

  1. Due to lack of money people are cutting on all other ‘entertainments’ except making babies.
  2. People are becoming more family-focused since there are no jobs and other distractions.

It is completely ironical to have ballooning families when resources are dwindling.

What do you think is fuelling baby boom at such a time?

Related posts:

  1. 16 Lessons I have learnt for being a Father for 1 Year-Part 2
  2. 16 Lessons I have learnt for being a Father for 1 Year
  3. Review of my 2009 and Outlook of 2010
  4. Seeing Life from God’s View
  5. In Honour of my Mum
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }

Nyambura S. Owinyo October 19, 2009 at 6:10 am

aah!, now why do lotsa people plan to have more mouths to feed during a recession?

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Joshua Arimi October 18, 2009 at 12:10 pm

@Sal, for us it is was all along planned.

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Aluha October 14, 2009 at 5:14 pm

I think I have been observing the same for several months now… Wamama wamebeba kweli! This is a divine season. God is saying it is harvest time. Don’t you have insight to see that after a valley is a mountain. After Weeping (recession) is Reaping and the sign is…

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Nyambura S. Owinyo October 14, 2009 at 8:10 am

just wondering, who can best answer this ques? Arimi, please just tell us mbona now and not…mbona mliamua…:)

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Mercy Muniu-Nganga October 13, 2009 at 12:10 pm

Totally agree with Gitonga's first part of his comment! But what is the big deal anyway??? let's have more babies… More resources will continue being created for the babies being born!! :)

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Joshua Arimi October 13, 2009 at 10:10 am

@Mustapha,Francis, Adelaide, Muchai, Makena and Gitonga. Thanks for ua contributions. They are well thought of and eye opener

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James Gitonga Mburugu October 13, 2009 at 10:10 am

Biologically we are programmed to multiply more during the hard time, so that more will survive.on the casual way.. It is the sweetest ancomfortable thing left, when other things are tough.

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Mary Makena October 13, 2009 at 10:10 am

Well, not so sure of what everyone else thinks…but I got this in my mind…MY OWN personal view…Making a baby doesn't call for having booming cash in the bank or wherever…it all comes in from deep within of the victims–and they got their own personal reasons…let pple who can handle & have the resources/materials to; make em babies!!

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Japhet Muchai Mutungi October 13, 2009 at 9:10 am

Read about the six pxoximate determinants of fertility and remember the populations in Europian countries have gone beyond compensation. Fertility is a third word problem because there is no distinct between the quality and quantity of children the majority of houeholds could need to have. in other words Africa remains in the first and second stages of demographic transition of high fertility and high mortality , while the west is in in the third of low mortality, low fertility. Some families in africa have more births to compensate what they have already lost, or have additional for insurance in case they loose due to high probabilities of loosing. All in all, i dont think the births that we currently seeing will match the population momentum of 70s after indipedence and consequent economic growth of the 70s. However with joblesness, higher coital frequencies and slight fertility transition is envisaged.

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Nduguyu Adelaide October 13, 2009 at 5:10 am

Me and my Bishop say LETS GET MORE BABIES AND TEACH THEM CHRISTIAN WAYS. this other religion is polygamous and gets many kids. LETS CHRISTIANISE THE WORLD BY GETTING MORE BABIES

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Francis Mvungu October 12, 2009 at 5:10 am

if they make money,thy wll b doin it 4 heir babies

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Mustapha Jay Ali October 12, 2009 at 4:10 am

Its the entertainment thing uv tokd of,expensiv contraceptives n lack of adequate info on the menstrual cycle{illeteracy}

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