Experts fear Americans arent having enough babies tomeet the replacement rate but these women are bucking the trend

America’s fertility rate is collapsing.But some young women are ready to do their part to avoid a baby bust.The average American woman currently in her peak fertility years (ages 15–49) will have 1.7 children in her lifetime, well below the replacement rate of 2.1.

And more Zoomers and Millennials are choosing to forgo kids, citing the financial cost, climate change and career, among other reasons, according to polling.It’s a trend that has demographers concerned about the economic and societal repercussions of a shrinking and aging population — a crisis currently crippling Japan and South Korea.For Ashley Hartig, the decision to be a young and prolific mom meant resisting “girl boss” messaging.“I didn’t feel the need to focus on a career.I just had the babies and figured it all out as I went,” Hartig, 29, told The Post.She and her husband, Derek, an entrepreneur in the transportation industry, live in Sarasota, Florida, with their 8-year-old son, 5-year-old daughter and 15-month-old son — and they’re planning a possible fourth in the next year to give their youngest a sibling near his age.“I’ve found a lot more joy because of my children,” she said.

“I literally romanticize everything that happens every single day because everything feels so special when you’re sharing it with your own kids.”But starting a family so early with her husband, Derek, wasn’t easy.They struggled for a couple years with multiple career changes and lack of home ownership.

She says a lot of other young women are attracted to the stay-at-home lifestyle — and often reach out to her on social media to say so — but it’s so often out of reach in today’s economy.“I think the biggest barrier is definitely financial,” Hartig said.“A lot of people want to be stay-at-home moms, and that’s almost impossible if your husband doesn’t have a super secure, high-paying job.”A 2024 Pew survey found that, among those under 50 who say they’re unlike...