The Business of Babies: From Conception to Kindergarten
*By Jill Wagner and Jacqueline Corba*
The cost of parenthood can surge long before birth, as more families rely on new and expensive fertility treatments.
It's no secret that parenthood changes by generation, but as modern tech develops, so do the complications of raising children.
A group of working parents and entrepreneurs joined Cheddar this week to discuss the trials and triumphs of parenthood in 2018.
"Millennial parents are different," The Bump's deputy editor Lauren Kay told Cheddar.
"We are seeing that they've grown up with technology, so the way they are using technology to both get pregnant and introduce a baby into the family is totally different than ever before," she added.
The average cost of IVF per cycle is $12,000 for those without insurance, and few companies offer coverage.
"The costs are completely crazy," said Stephanie Cartin, a co-founder of Socialfly who is undergoing IVF treatment.
"I'm still midway through the process, and it has just been really a struggle," Cartin said. "My motivation was really to share my story to help others, so they don't feel alone going through this journey and experience."
For new moms, going back to work also presents a serious cost, albeit emotional and financial.
No law in the U.S. guarantees paid maternity leave. For most Americans, federal law stipulates that jobs will be secure for 12 weeks, but companies aren't required to pay new moms during that time.
Lauren Brody, author of the "The Fifth Trimester: The Working Mom's Guide to Style, Sanity, and Big Success After Baby," said on Cheddar that according to her research, 76 percent of women feel they returned to work prematurely. She said that most research indicates six months of paid leave is best for both mom and baby.
"If you can get moms to six months, it protects the baby's physical health, the mom's physical health, you're more likely to get your baby vaccinated on time. The science is so convincing, yet we're not there yet," Brody said.
But women are finding networks of support ー and earning paychecks ー on social media and many look to celebrities for inspiration.
"There are lots and lots of different ways to be a mother and share a point of view," said Well Rounded's chief content officer Jessica Pallay. "Some of the biggest mom-fluencers make their living this way and make a really good living doing so."
Celebrities and athletes ranging from Serena Williams, Chrissy Teigen, and Kim Kardashian have all been open about their experiences as new moms on social media.
This month, Williams posted on her [Instagram account](https://www.instagram.com/p/BmJ3KMzFRZw/?taken-by=serenawilliams): "It's totally normal to feel like I'm not doing enough for my baby."
At JPMorgan Chase's Family Night Tuesday, Williams [discussed the support](https://www.chase.com/news/082118-serena-on-motherhood-and-the-episodic-career) from fans and well-wishers.
"I felt like, wow, okay, so this happens more than what people talk about," she said. "I feel like sometimes when I do share, everyone out there helps me out by giving me really cool advice."
But posting on social media doesn't always yield positive results.
"It's a double-edged sword. It can lift a woman up when she's feeling lonely at 3 a.m. but it can also make her feel insecure. So I always tell moms if it doesn't make you feel good, stop following," Pallay said.
And it's not just motherhood that's changed. Dads are getting a lot more involved in parenthood: in 2016, fathers reported spending an average of eight hours a week on childcare, about triple the time spent back in 1965, according to the Pew Research Center. Evan Kaufman, who produces Fatherly's video series "Dude to Dad", told Cheddar that more companies are changing their marketing strategies to attract fathers.
In a baby's first year alone, parents spend an average of $12,000 on their child, and the baby industry is worth an estimated $60 billion, according to The Bump.
For full interview [click here] (https://cms.cheddar.com/videos/VmlkZW8tMjI0OTQ=).
After premiering at the 2022 Sundance Festival, Showtime is slated to drop the four-part docuseries "We Need to Talk About Bill Cosby" this Sunday. Director W. Kamau Bell joined Cheddar to discuss the sensitive project and about coming to grips with the reality of who Bill Cosby is following the numerous allegations of sexual assault. Bell said the biggest takeaway from the project is that survivors are not only looking for the 84-year-old comedian to be held accountable, they also want to prevent future assaults. "Maybe the key thing to learn is how do we create a society that is more supportive and accepting particularly women in this case who are survivors of sexual assault," Bell said.
Tax season is now underway, and it's going to be a bit different than in years past. For starters, the deadline is April 18, instead of the typical April 15th, and many Americans will need to account for advance child tax credit payments, the return of the recovery rebate credit, and a special break for charitable contributions, among other things. Brent Weiss, Co-Founder and certified financial planner at Facet Wealth, tells us what we need to know about filing our taxes this year, and when we can expect to receive our returns.
College enrollment has been on a steady decline for years, and the pandemic hasn't helped. Since the start of the pandemic, there has been a 6.6% — more than 1 million students — drop in undergraduate enrollment, according to a recent report. Douglas Belkin, higher education reporter at the Wall Street Journal, joined Cheddar to discuss the long-term implications of students sitting out of college, and what institutions can do about it.
As the midterm election looms, things aren't looking too promising for President Joe Biden. One year into his term as president, Biden is facing one of the lowest approval ratings of any modern-day president, threatening his party's control of the House in 2022. Brian Bennett, Senior White House Correspondent for TIME, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
A full one year into his term as President of The United States, President Biden addressed the nation on Wednesday, facing questions on everything from inflation to chip shortages and covid-19. As Biden enters his second year in office, he is facing one of the lowest approval ratings of any modern-day president. Kate Davidson, Reporter, POLITICO joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
San Diego has just implemented a new law that could set the stage for how the country deals with food waste. This new law hopes to make a dent in that. Businesses and groceries stores out in San Diego will need to put a plan in place to *donate edible food rather than toss it straight to the trash. Food Rescue Manager at Feeding San Diego, Kate Garret
The streaming giant Netflix posted its latest earnings from its fourth quarter after the close on Thursday. The company's stock plummeted shortly after the company warned that its rate of subscription additions are slowing down. Senior Reporter at MarketWatch Jon Swartz, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Earlier this month, New York City experienced one of the deadliest fires it has seen in decades. 17 people lost their lives in the Fordham section of the Bronx. This was due to a faulty space heater which reportedly began on the lower floor of the 120 unit building. Thanks to the F. D. N. Y. And heroic neighbors, many were able to get out in time. Unfortunately, the toxic smoke surged upwards through a safety door. Now, many advocates say negligence by policymakers and landlords has led to the deaths in black and brown communities from fires that honestly could have been preventable. Legislative Director of Citizen Action of New York, Rebecca Garrard, and the Chair of Journalism and New Media Studies at St. Joseph's College Theodore Hamm, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
