Phew:

The fact that we still have as many births in the UK as we do is
extraordinary. Some cynics would say it’s the triumph of biology over
culture – we are programmed to reproduce regardless. I prefer a more
romantic notion: that it’s a form of popular rebellion by which the
prevailing anti-natalist mores of a manipulative consumer capitalism
are trumped by the innate understanding of millions of women (and men)
of what really constitutes love and fulfilment – dependence,
commitment, the pleasure of guiding enthusiasm and, above all, the
privilege of nurturing innocence.

That’s huge conclusion to base on minimal evidence.

This anxiety is the backdrop to the 90,000 baby gap – the number of additional babies that women would like to have had –

As before, desired fertility has always been higher than actual fertility. Yes, even when those who didn’t die in childbirth were pushing out 8 or the little darlin’s. The change in desired fertility is easily explained with some basic economics (not something that The Mad Mahdi has been known to appreciate).

1) The aim is, in a Darwinian sense, to have grandchildren and on to the nth degree. More children survive now, vastly more than in previous centuries. So one can have fewer children and still have a decent chance of having that continuing down the generations family.

2) Women do now have more choices. So the costs of pumping out the babbies as opposed to doing other things in life has risen.

Not all that tough to explain. More here.