WHOLE PACKAGE: Julie-Ann Wynne made sure to check everything off her to-do list before having twins Lachlan and Dakota, 18 months.
A CAREER, a steady income, a husband and then, maybe, a child – the check-list of the modern woman is looking very different to the days of old.
A recent study has revealed the pressures of modern life are moving motherhood further and further down the list of priorities, as women want to be financially secure and in a long-term, loving relationship before having a child.
Local mum Julie-Ann Wynne, who gave birth to twins Lachlan and Dakota 18 months ago, said she wanted the whole package before starting her family.
“I’ve always wanted to have kids but I knew from talking to other people and my family how expensive they were,” she said.
“I wanted to be financially stable.
“It’s still a shock when it happens, especially with two, but we were ready.”
The study revealed that while seven out of 10 women want to have children, just four per cent see having a baby as their top priority.
Mrs Wynne said while she knew a lot of couples who had kids before getting married, she was more old-fashioned.
“I definitely wanted to be married,” she said.
“It was a big thing for both of us, do things in the right order as they say – it’s a bit more security.”
Establishing a career was also ticked off by Mrs Wynne before the twins arrived, and she has no plans to give it up now she’s a mum.
“I’m actually doing my certificate (in early childhood) now, so I’m studying, working and being a mum at the same time,” she said.
“I wanted to be settled in my job and know I had a good job to go back to.
“I thought I would want to be a stay-at-home mum but it’s good to have something else. It gives you a bit of a break.”
While Mrs Wynne had the career, finances and husband all sorted by the time she was 25, the study revealed completing the check list often meant women were having children a lot later, despite the potential health risks associated with giving birth when older.