Katharina Buczek
Some things about parenthood will never change. Even as cultural norms shift and societal advancements are made, mothers and fathers around the globe will continue to share one thing in common: the love they hold for their children.
However, over the past few decades, the experience of becoming a mom has shifted within the United States.
So, Pew Research Center conducted a study analyzing trends in motherhood and sentiments among moms.
The analysis relied on government data drawn from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ American Time Use Survey, and the Census Bureau.
The findings revealed that an increasing number of women are attending college, delaying motherhood, and remaining in the workforce following the birth of their children. Yet, moms are still taking on more caregiving responsibilities than fathers.
Trends In U.S. Motherhood
Nowadays, women are having their firstborn at an older age. This trend has steadily increased over the last decade, with the average woman giving birth for the first time at 27.3 years old in 2021. Back in 2011, the average mother was 25.6 years old when having their first child.
Despite this trend existing across ethnic and racial groups, however, there were some differences.
On average, White and Asian mothers are on the older side– welcoming their first child at 28.1 and 31.2 years old, respectively. Black and Hispanic moms are, on average, 25.5 years old during their first birth; meanwhile, first-time mothers who are American Indian or Alaska Native are the youngest, with an average age of 23.9.
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