My parents raised 6 kids on one salary. My husband and I can't afford one baby on 2.

The author and her husband can't afford to have a child. Courtesy of the author My husband works as a physical therapist and has $100,000 in student loans. I teach college courses through part-time jobs without maternity leave or benefits. Our monthly expenses leave little room for the costs of having a child. I always assumed I would have a big family , whether I wanted to or not. My mother was one of 12, my father was one of seven, and I was the oldest of six. I grew up stepping between bodies at crowded holiday gatherings and playing gigantic games of capture the flag with my aunts, uncles, and cousins. It was fun growing up with a lot of playmates, but more importantly, childbearing was framed as an essential part of our conservative Catholic identity. Motherhood was a sacrificial duty that would ensure my place in Heaven.