New mothers speak: Stop panicking, start listening

New research reveals deep anxieties among new mothers about falling birthrates. While politicians panic and offer medals, cash bonuses, and IVF access, women say their real concerns remain ignored. Every week brings another story on declining global birthrates. Leaders urge citizens to reproduce. JD Vance: “I want more babies.” Jacob Rees-Mogg: “We need more babies.” In France, a government mailing urged 29-year-olds to have a baby “before it’s too late.” Experts describe the trend as a catastrophe for civilization. Incentives range from medals in Russia to a €1,000 birth bonus in Italy. In the US, Donald Trump has promised to be the “fertilisation president” by expanding IVF access. But Lucy Jones, journalist and author of *Matresence* and *Losing Eden*, argues policymakers should first ask mothers what they need. The priority, she says, is policy that addresses women’s real concerns—not just more babies.