'Sad reality' for Aussie mum who 'can't afford' another baby
Like many Aussies, Billie Hutchison is struggling financially as the cost of living soars.
An Aussie mum says she's been forced to give up her dreams of a big family, admitting the rising cost of living has made it unfeasible.
Billie Hutchison, 41 decided to have a baby on her own five years ago and had always hoped to have another via IVF, but now she can't afford it.
The Sydney woman moved back in with her parents in 2019 when she first started her motherhood journey. At the time, the plan was to save up for a two-bedroom place of her own, but that was "a different time," she said.
"Now with the cost of living and in particular housing, I'm still living with my parents and I will be for the foreseeable future, because I literally cannot afford to get a two-bedroom place in an area close to my parents, which is my whole support network," she told 9honey.
Current situation 'not sustainable'
Admitting it's fine for now, the mum-of-one fears it's "not sustainable long term" and if she decides to have another baby, she'd have to "move far away" where it's more affordable.
"It has forced me to accept that I won't be able to have a second child, which was always a dream and that's just the sad reality, unfortunately," she said.
"I'm sad to think I'll never be pregnant again, I'm sad to think I'll never have a newborn again," she added. "I'm sad that Luna won't have a sibling, that my parents probably won't have another grandchild, I don't have a sense of completion of my family."
Many Aussies can't afford to have children
Even on a "good salary" Billie admits she's struggling financially — and she's not the only one. Raising a child on a single income has meant she's had to "make sacrifices".
Earlier this year, research from baby-products subscription service Pebbl revealed a third (34 per cent) of Australians believed the rising cost of living made it too hard for young parents to provide the necessary things for a child.
A further one-sixth (14 per cent) of Aussies felt they were unable to afford to have children, 9 per cent had delayed having a baby, and 6 per cent had decided not to have a baby at all due to rising costs.
Cost of raising a child in Australia
The cost of raising a child in Australia has increased more than 10 per cent between 2016 and 2021.
Parents spend 186 per cent more to keep their child 'connected' with technology each month.
Educational costs have risen by 196 per cent.
The average parent spends $402 a month on feeding a child, up 60 per cent from 2016.
Source: Suncorp Cost of Kids Report 2016 to 2021
Even couples are struggling with the cost of having children, including Melbourne mum Erin Hutchinson, who previously told Yahoo News "it's becoming more and more apparent that it's totally financially irresponsible for me to have a child".
In her mid-30s, the thought of not ever being a mum is "terrifying" and she's "genuinely afraid that [she's] not going to be able to fulfil [her] dream of motherhood".
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