Feds consider giving $5,000 checks to new moms to increase birth rates

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The White House is considering ways to encourage more Americans to have more children. One of the reported ideas involves paying brand new mothers a “baby bonus” of $5,000.

“I think it’s really strange to pay a woman $5,000 to have a baby. Erica Blackwell, mother of two said. “I mean, what is that going to pay for?”

Since the 2008 recession, the fertility rate in the US has been trending down with a record low in 2023. The latest data from the CDC shows 3.6 million babies born in 2024 that’s a near 3% decrease from 2019.

“I’m coming from Africa, Mozambique. So for us having kids out there, it’s normal because people, they can have tons of kids. We have a village to take care of our kids. We have our parents, our grandparents, and we have the full community,” Sumate Macarrao, Father of Two said.

Experts say women are waiting to have kids or not having them at all because of economics and reproductive health care. Some people say they would like to see federal officials take a closer look at addressing the root of the problem.

“Maybe better health care? Better leave for moms. I mean, six weeks is not enough time. I mean, if you look overseas, they get a year. So, I mean, better daycare,” Samantha Macarrao, Mother of Two said.

The latest data from the CDC shows women in their 30s are having babies at the highest rates. Some moms say it’s great to wait.

“People should have babies when they want to have babies and if I don’t know, I just don’t think [a 5,000 check] is a good idea,” Erica Blackwell said.

The White House has not made an official plan for increasing the birth rates. Right now, these are all just proposals. It would take an Act of Congress to give out baby bonus checks.