Latest Drag on Economy: Fewer Babies

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-21/americans-having-fewer-babies-crimping-consumer-spending.html

The low birth rate and reduced immigration resulted in the smallest gain in population since World War II, which may hurt spending on everything from Huggies diapers to pregnancy kits, child care and education.

The population increased by 0.92 percent, or 2.8 million people, to 311.6 million from the end of the decennial population count on April 1, 2010, to July 1, 2011, the slowest rate over a similar period since the mid-1940s, the Census Bureau said.

“Many couples are postponing or forgoing marriage until the financial foundations of their relationship improve,” said sociologist Bradford Wilcox, director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. “Given high rates of unemployment and underemployment for young adults, this pattern of postponing the wedding among many young adults is likely to continue until the United States sees a robust recovery kick in.”