iMost couples wish to have children, but when is the best time to have the first child and when is postponement justified? The answers vary from couple to couple and involve many factors including conflicting goals of the parents, housing, career paths, income, parental leave policies and child care arrangements. Nonetheless, the biological clock never stops ticking, and assisted reproductive technology cannot guarantee a successful outcome.

This book offers a holistic overview of the process of postponement and its background in modern Western societies both at the personal and societal levels. It includes contributions from reproductive, evolutionary biological and neurological sciences as well as from the fields of demography, economics, sociology and psychology. It argues that governments could support couples by a cafeteria-like set of arrangements from which one can compose a package according to personal preferences that can facilitate to a break in the rising age of first motherhood.

Résumé
Most people value to have children still highly. But what is the optimal moment to have the first? The decision on having children or not and if yes on the timing of the first is one of the most difficult ones to make, also because it more or less coincides with various other heavy decisions on shaping the life course (like on union formation, labour market career, housing accommodation, etc.). People realise that having children will fundamentally change their life and in order to fit this unknown and irreversible adventure perfectly into their life course postponement of the first birth is an easy way out as long as doubts continue and partners try to make up their mind. Modern methods of birth control are of course a very effective help in that period. What is the best moment to have the first child? And to what moment is postponement justified? There are no easy answers to these questions. Best solutions vary per person as they depend on personal circumstances and considerations (the partner may have conflicting ideas; housing accommodation; job; income; free time activities). Existing parental leave and child care arrangements are weighted as well. Unfortunately the biological clock ticks further. And, also unfortunately, assisted reproductive technology (IVF etc.) is unable to guarantee a successful outcome. Several couples end up without children involuntarily and that may lead to sorrow and grief. This interdisciplinary book overviews the process of postponement and its backgrounds in modern Western societies holistically, both at the personal and the societal level. Contributions come from reproductive, evolutionary biological and neurological sciences, as well as from demography, economy, sociology and psychology. It holds not only at women but also at men becoming first time fathers. The discussion boils down to a new policy approach for motherhood and emancipation on how to shape work and family life? It is argued that a public window where one cancompose a 'cafeteria'-like set of supportive arrangements according to personal preferences could lead to a break in the rising age at first motherhood.

Contenu

Preface.- Introduction.- Chapter 1: Is women's emancipation still compatible with motherhood on Western societies? Egbgert R. te Velde.- Chapter 2: Males and females: the big little difference: Jan A.R.A.M. van Hooff.- Chapter 3: Sexual differentiation of the human brain and male/female behaviour: Dick F. Swaab.- Chapter 4: On the societal impact of mdern contraception: Dirk J. van de Kaa.- Chapter 5: The demography of the age at first birth: the close relationship between having children and postponement: Gijs Beets.- Chapter 6: The economic rationality of late parenthood: Joop Schippers.- Chapter 7: The complexity of parenthood in modern societies: Anneke van Doorne-Huiskes & Ingrid Doorten.- Chapter 8: The importance of children and families in welfare states: G¢sta Esping-Andersen.- Chapter 9: The post-career mom: reproductive technology and the promise of reproductive choice: Elisabeth Beck-Gernsheim.- Chapter 10: On delayed fatherhood: the social and subjective 'logics' at work in men's lives (a UK study): Karen Henwood.- Fiona Shirani & Joanne Kellett.- Chapter 11: Women's lifestyle preferences in the 21st century: Catherine Hakim.- Chapter 12: The future of motherhood: conclusions and discussion.- Annex. List of authors.