Hannah never anticipated needing to calculate the financial logistics of starting a family before even conceiving, but with Australian house prices skyrocketing, purchasing a home first became an absolute necessity. She and her husband Ben, who prefer to use only their first names, explained they intentionally delayed having children because their borrowing capacity would have been significantly reduced if they already had dependents.
Financial Pressures and Borrowing Constraints
"We consistently received advice from family and friends to wait on having children due to the challenges of securing finance," Hannah told 7NEWS.com.au. "Witnessing friends and family struggle to buy homes after having kids first strongly influenced our decision to postpone." Lenders incorporate dependents into borrowing assessments, meaning households with children are viewed as having higher expenses and may qualify only for smaller loans.
In 2021, the couple bought 50 acres of land, choosing to build a home rather than purchase an existing property, and took out an $800,000 loan. The construction process spanned nearly three years, with refinancing and rising interest rates during the COVID-19 pandemic adding complexity and strain. "We had strong borrowing power and paid a 20 percent deposit for our land," Hannah said. "We made sacrifices, avoided travel, and worked diligently to save our deposit."
National Fertility Trends and Economic Factors
Their choice mirrors a broader national shift in when Australians have children and family size. According to the latest government Population Statement, Australia's total fertility rate is projected to drop to 1.42 children per woman in 2025–26, well below the replacement level of 2.1. The Centre for Population attributes this decline to parents delaying parenthood, having fewer children, or opting out entirely, driven by financial pressures, childcare costs, and career demands.
Recent research using HILDA data indicates raising a first child in Australia costs approximately $17,000 annually, with each additional child adding about $13,000 per year. Over 18 years, this totals around $300,000 for the eldest child and $230,000 for subsequent children for a typical working-age couple earning roughly $130,000 after tax. Experts note that higher-earning couples often spend more on their children.
These expenses are compounded by other life decisions, such as school choices, larger housing needs, and vehicle upgrades. Ongoing costs like extracurricular activities and healthcare, including orthodontic treatments, further increase the financial burden.
Personal Journey and Biological Realities
For Hannah and Ben, waiting until their home was completed in June 2023 was crucial before attempting to start a family. "We tried directly after settlement," Hannah said, falling pregnant in September 2023 at age 30. Both grew up in small, family-oriented towns with large families—each has five siblings. "All my cousins, sisters, and brothers had children very young," she explained. "Fertility is higher when you're younger; no one in my family waited until 30, they all had kids by 25."
The Centre for Population observes this aligns with a wider trend, with many now having their first child in their early thirties instead of mid-twenties. Fertility specialist Charley Zheng of Adora Fertility in NSW emphasized that IVF cannot fully counteract age-related decline. "IVF cannot fully overcome the biological clock," Zheng said. "Egg quantity and quality diminish; by age 37, six or seven out of ten eggs may be genetically abnormal, increasing to eight or nine by age 40-41, limiting family size."
Demographic Shifts and Family Outcomes
Data shows the proportion of women having two or more births fell from 80.6 percent for those born in 1945 to 69.7 percent for those born in 1975, while those having three or more children dropped from 44.9 percent to 27.8 percent over the same period. Hannah and Ben are now happy parents to daughter Alanna, who enjoys life on their Lockyer Valley acreage with livestock and pets. Their home serves as a vast playground for her.
Hannah stressed that financial security must precede family expansion. "We're planning for a sibling, but timing and finances are key," she said. "We want to ensure stability before adding another child. It's very difficult financially to consider having children now. We've been fortunate and worked hard, but this highlights issues for less fortunate individuals. Government incentives exist, but they don't provide the stability needed for family provision."
Policy Changes and Unpredictable Costs
From January 5, the federal government's "three-day guarantee" replaced the old activity test, allowing all eligible families to access at least 72 hours of subsidised childcare per fortnight, regardless of parental work or study. The government estimates around 66,700 families will benefit, with typical households earning $50,000 to $100,000 saving about $1460 annually on childcare.
Despite planning, Hannah acknowledges unpredictability. After an emergency C-section, they outsourced training for a young horse, adding unexpected expenses. "No matter how much you prepare, there's so much you can't predict," she said. "We hope to later assist our children in being financially fit to have kids at a younger age or at least give them the option."
