‘No babies for me’ - Young teacher slams door on motherhood

At just 27, high school teacher Mikayla has made a decision she says is final. Any man who dares to suggest that she bears a child will be shown the door.

"I don't want a child, and there is nothing a man can do to convince me otherwise," she told THE WEEKEND STAR unapologetically.

Mikayla says her refusal to become a mother has nothing to do with fear, immaturity, bad relationships or timing. It is simply a choice -- one she insists belongs to her alone.

Her hard stance comes as Jamaica's birth rate continues to slide, igniting national concern. According to the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN), the country's total fertility rate fell to 1.9 births per woman in 2021, well below the 2.1 replacement level needed to sustain the population. The decline has triggered debate over workforce survival, economic stability, and the future of Jamaican families.

But Mikayla says none of that is her burden to carry.

"No, I don't conform to societal norms and morals; my body, my choice," she said bluntly. "Plus, I don't want any ties to any man. They are embarrassing enough without adding a child to the equation," she told THE WEEKEND STAR.

She believes many women share her views but are afraid to say so publicly.

"We are in an era where most young women like myself share this view," she said.

"We are not our parents and grandparents. Haven't you seen the birth rate stats? And this is not just locally, this is international," she said.

In 2024, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton urged financially able women of child-bearing age to consider having children, stating, "If you can afford it... why not have?"

Mikayla was unimpressed.

"He's urging people to have children with no incentives. Some hospitals don't even have beds," she said. "Other countries subsidise housing loans for couples who commit to having children. What is Tufton offering us? Birth pain and more suffering? I will pass."

Though currently single, she says motherhood is a deal-breaker in her dating life.

"I won't take someone serious who wants children. In the past, I have dated men who either have children or want kids, but my stance has always been the same. Now that I'm getting older and out of the dating scene for the moment, when I start dating again it will strictly be men who share the same views as me," she said.

Mikayla believes women might be more open to childbirth if the state acknowledged the true cost.

"Pregnancy and childbirth come with real physical, emotional and economic risks," she said. "Prenatal, birth and postnatal care should be fully covered -- including mental health. Postpartum is no joke. Women also need extended paid leave with real job protection."

Another woman, 26-year-old Nyokia, says she hasn't ruled out motherhood -- but reality keeps slamming the brakes.

"My partner wants a child, but while he is financially secure, I am not. It's not about when he is ready it's when I am, because men change, especially after childbirth," she told THE WEEKEND STAR.

Nyokia believes incentives could shift the conversation.

"Having a child is expensive, so why not put financial aid in place? It gets worse when mothers have to return to work without properly bonding with their child or being mentally ready to re-enter the workplace. Maternity leave needs to be extended," she said.

Meanwhile, a 28-year-old woman says medical concerns, including fibroids, have left her undecided. She is open to having children, but health complications make it risky, she said, while calling for targeted incentives to parents.

"Child support should only be given to women with more than one child, because one child is not so hard to manage. The Government can't give everyone support, so it should go to those who need it, like low-income families," she said.

She also pointed to what she described as a broader social challenge.

"No man nuh deh a Jamaica for you to feel comfortable a breed for, because dem change every day, and women are now the breadwinners. That's a problem. But maybe, as I say, incentives can help," she told THE WEEKEND STAR.