Millennial issues: Should I have a baby by myself?

Having a baby without a partner. Photo / Getty

Mothers-in-law, colleagues and insensitive family friends are often guilty of asking a question many millennial women are sick to death of hearing: "When are you going to have a baby?"

This week on Girls On Top podcast, Brodie Kane, Caitlin Marett and Gracie Taylor discuss babies and the possibility of having one by yourself - without a partner.

Brodie kicked things off by acknowledging Jacinda Ardern and the arrival of her daughter, Neve.

Mother and baby taking a photo. Photo / Getty

"I think we are moving into a whole different territory with our amazing Prime Minister having a baby and still being able to be a boss lady and a career woman. The tides are turning with how and when we are having babies and the traditional kinds of rules are a bit more flexible, so to speak.

"I had a fascinating conversation with Jo Kane - aka Mum - a couple of weeks back. She said, 'Oh look, do you want kids?' And I said, 'Yeah, of course I do but I am not ready at all yet.'"

Brodie says her mum asked if she'd given herself "a timeline".

"And I was like, 'No.'"

Unsure where all this was going, Brodie's mum told her: "The reason I ask is because I have seen so many circumstances where women have got to a particular time in their life and they want a baby but they don't have a partner and they still make that decision to have the baby which I think is amazing."

Her mum went on to say, "…I want to let you know I'm here to support you if you get to a decision where you want to just have a baby."

"And I have never ever thought of it that way," says Brodie.

"I think that it's quite fascinating because there are a lot of women who are out there who aren't with someone but they want to be a mum. And bless her, she was like, 'If you wanted to do that, I would 100 per cent support you and I would help you with the kid so you can go back to work' and all that kind of stuff."

Brodie told her co-hosts: "I have never thought about having a baby without having a partner before."

Caitlin responded: "I have heard of people doing it but I don't know anyone who has personally, and I have never thought of doing it myself. I think solo parents are amazing and they can do it just as well as parents that are together. It's not odd; I think this is just a new thing."

"I do know a couple of people who have said, 'I am ready to have a baby' and they have gone and had a baby and it's quite cool. And I thought, that's actually a really interesting way of looking at it because if you want to have a kid, why is waiting for a partner stopping you?" Brodie asks.

Highlighting one option for becoming a parent on your own, Gracie added: "There are also some great adoption services here in New Zealand as well."

Listen to the full chat on the podcast below. Brodie, Caitlin and Gracie also discuss two more topics including how to spot a f*ck boy and suffering social media anxiety.