New figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows Australians are having fewer children and doing so later in life.
In 2014, Australia's total birth rate was 1.88 babies per woman, a rate that had not been that low since 2004, the average birth rate was 1.78 children per woman.
That year, former treasurer Peter Costello encouraged Australians to have, "One for your husband, one for your wife and one for the country".
The number of births did start going up after that famous declaration with the most recent peak at around 2008, when on average women had two children.
The number spiked in 2012 to 2013, before beginning to decline again.
Epworth Healthcare obstetrics director Dr Len Kliman said from about 2004 onwards, "there was a surge of women in their 30s heading towards childbirth".
"I think those women have now had their children and it’s almost like a self-correction now," he said.
The latest ABS figures showed women in their 30s are still the most likely to become parents.
Dr Kliman said the average age of the patients at his hospital is about 34. He added that some used IVF.
"There is still this tendency for women to have their first child at a much older age in this generation," Dr Kliman said.
"I think the message is coming across now that perhaps that's not a great idea," he said.
