10 Reasons Why Canadian Women are Opting Out of Having a Baby in 2022

The choice to become a parent — or not to — is one of the biggest decisions a woman can make in her life. The idea that the existence of a tiny human rests on the shoulders of one or two people can be daunting, scary and, quite frankly, not for everyone — especially in 2022, as many Canadians are rethinking their family plans amid the uncertainty of the pandemic. Whether it’s due to concerns over the environment, unstable financial times or simply a personal choice, there are plenty of reasons why women are reconsidering motherhood. We’ve rounded up 10 of the reasons why some women are consciously choosing to remain childfree.

Woman standing with arms out stretched looking at mountain

Unsplash

1 / 10

Raising children is a huge responsibility

Kids are a lifelong commitment. From the physical tolls of pregnancy and birth, nighttime wake ups for feedings, endless diaper changes and navigating school politics, raising a child comes with a lot of responsibility. In a world where women are already pulled in so many directions, parenthood might not be something women want to add to an already full plate.

Unsplash

2 / 10

They may already be looking after other loved ones

Taking care of family members, whether they're your children or your parents, can be a challenge. Gen X and some older millennial women are also known as the sandwich generation. Wedged between taking care of aging Boomer parents and small children can be very stressful, unfulfilling and exhausting. Women may want to opt out of toggling between the two, since a lot of the physical, emotional and mental loads can fall unfairly on them.

Woman standing in between bushes admiring nature

Unsplash

3 / 10

Climate change is a concern

The degradation of the natural world is cause for alarm now and will affect future generations. As the world continues to burn and environmental groups are stressing the need to slow down the use of resources, the thought of bringing a new life into a rapidly crumbling world can be overwhelming and scary for many people.

Woman standing still looking up at the sun

Unsplash

4 / 10

Lingering intergenerational trauma and family drama

Breaking chains of intergenerational trauma and peeling back layers of family politics can be a real deal-breaker when it comes to having kids. Some women may not want to repeat the same patterns and behaviours they saw growing up. With this in mind, some women are opting out of having children to stop harmful cycles from perpetuating.

Pexels

5 / 10

Life is already good

As we shift into a post-pandemic world, many women have begun to reevaluate their lives. For many, what was lost in time was gained in perspective. People have started to look inwards to see what makes them happy and are realizing that perhaps they are living their best lives already. Small pleasures like enjoying morning routines, nights out with friends and booking travel on a whim were things that people missed most during the pandemic, and are arguably the very things that are hard to accomplish and maintain in the same way when there are kids around.

Pexels

6 / 10

Wanting to avoid potential judgement and mom shaming

It is no secret that moms get shamed. In person and online, the culture and the way the world talks about motherhood can sometimes be rooted in negativity, competition. If a mother says she is tired, she is seen as ungrateful. If she has a glass of wine at the end of the day to unwind, she is judged as unfit. If she chooses not to breastfeed or cannot, some people act like her body has somehow failed. With all the shame and judgment that swirls around motherhood, it is no wonder that a woman would not want to put herself through all of that.

Women in workout clothes sitting on their knees laughing together

Unsplash

7 / 10

Finding fulfillment in other places

Rewarding work, lucrative side hustles and strong relationships may all be reasons women do not want to add kids to their lives. While many automatically believe the narrative that women must have children to achieve fulfillment, there are actually many ways to be fulfilled — for some, this includes raising a child, and for some this does not. In a world that is slowly edging towards equality, many women are realizing that they can find happiness outside of motherhood and that having children is not the only path to gratification.

Women on rooftop in city smiling with eyes closed

Unsplash

8 / 10

The rising cost of living

Having kids is not a cheap endeavor. When grocery bills start looking more like car payments, it may be time to reevaluate finances. Rising prices, with no real reprieve in sight, may feel daunting to women who may already be struggling to pay bills or save for the future. As the cost of living rises, but wages stay the same, having kids may be financially challenging to some.

Five women sitting on couch laying on each other

Pexels

9 / 10

They already have a large family

Some women may already come from large families and may have had to play the role of pseudo mom, cool aunt or caregiver for a long time. Having to fill those roles may have already been gratifying or, alternatively, draining — and some women may have zero desire to recreate that for themselves with a child of their own.

Woman with hood over her head and hair in her face holding onto her neckline laughing

Unsplash

10 / 10

They simply do not want to

In the past, larger families with lots of kids were the norm for many reasons. Families would expand to have more people to help with chores and pass down land or traditions, for example. While motherhood is a priority for many women, some women today simply don’t want to follow that path in 2022 — the world today is very different than it was in years past, and it is evident that there are so many viable options to having a happy, fulfilling life. Women are exploring their choices and forging paths outside of motherhood that may not have been as readily available to them in the past.