More Unmarried, Cohabiting Couples Having Babies Together: OK or Put a Ring On It?

by SodaHead Living Posted 2012/04/12 18:29:05

Related Topics: Lifestyle, Cohabiting Couples, Marriage, Relationships, Tradition, Unmarried, Living Together, babies, Kids, College, Family, Baby, Government, Older, News, Carriage, 20s, Bad, Survey

Read More

453 votes
Read all 401 opinions
Lightning Report View Results and Demographics + View Demographics

Loading Demographics... Click an icon to see demographic results Display unknown and private
	OK	259 votes	57%
	Put a ring on it first!	194 votes	43%

First came love, then came ... shacking up ... then came a baby in the baby carriage. The number of U.S. women age 15-44 giving birth for the first time while living with a partner to whom they are not married has risen from 12 percent of first births in 2002 to 22 percent of first births between 2006 and 2010, a new government report says, according to WebMD.

Want some more interesting stats from the survey? The average age for a woman to give birth to her first child is 23; for men, it's 25. Also, half of women's first births took place in their 20s; two-thirds of first births were fathered by men in their 20s.

And what about women who were married and women who were college-educated? They were more likely to have a first birth at age 30 or older, compared with women who were not married or who were less educated. So, do you think it's OK for cohabiting couples to start reproducing? Or should he put a ring on it first?

+20

Add a comment above

katy.isodo 2012/04/12 18:48:18

OK

+18
I think there are just as many married couples living unhealthy lives.. simply having 'legal binding documents' doesn't create a more healthy environment for a child. Plenty of non married people make great parents.
>> See Replies

More polls by SodaHead Living

Flowers to Jian Qi 2012/04/13 13:31:40

i have a child, i know what you mean. Parents need to start teaching their kids that picking on others is wrong. I'm dealing with that at her school right now and it infuriates me, but luckily it's not about her being from a divorced family yet. Any parent who is talking about another kids family needs to be slapped in the face in my opinion, seriously. People need to stop being so nosy and gossipy and respect others. no WONDER kids have no respect for each other in school

reply
sketchbone to Flowers 2012/04/17 02:12:41

Statistics schamtistics. Marriage is still the best option. Show your committment to the kid by showing your committment to the kids other DNA half.

reply
Flowers to sketchbone 2012/04/17 11:27:47

You have no basis for such a comment. Sorry but, every situation is different and my child knows I'm committed to her regardless of whether I'm married or not. A piece of paper does nothing to raise a child

reply
Shelby C. to sketchbone 2012/04/13 05:24:41
jackie 2012/04/13 03:55:14

Put a ring on it first!

Lol a ring and weddinginvolves a lot of saving up and time and commitment and etc. Marriage can also come with houses. Having a baby? Well that takes... Sex. any Joe Smo Can have sex with a woman.

reply
JohnT 2012/04/13 03:55:06

OK

I don't have to live other peoples moral dilemmas, but for me it is not about the couple I am concerned with the little human being they are bringing into the world who will have to endure taunting and questions because mom and dad don't care for legalities. It is up to them but having been married for almost a half a century I know it is work but I also know that if something happens to my wife or me we have the legal capability of making death decisions for one another. If your going to live together you better get a power of attorney put together your going to need it you don't have control over ten minutes from now.

reply
kitkat42 2012/04/13 03:46:44

OK

+4
A ring isn't going to make things any different. Marriage is overrated. Sorry, that's just my opinion.

reply
emface 2012/04/13 03:32:25

OK

+3
I have seen more divorces and unhappy marriages than I would EVER want to because of a baby. Just because you made a mistake of getting knocked up doesn't mean you need to make the second mistake of getting hitched... though some couples work out just fine. :)

reply
die Küss der Tod 2012/04/13 03:16:37

OK

+3
It's their decision, not mine. Marriages don't necessarily make happy families.

reply
Dave The Canuck 2012/04/13 02:47:21

OK

+1
It's none of anyone's business whether they're married or not.

reply
Kiki,Pixie,Worm 2012/04/13 02:42:25

Put a ring on it first!

+2
Why I believe this is mostly because of my religion. The other is I just hate to see a baby born and then the mom or dad just straight up leaves!

reply
Medulla Oblongata 2012/04/13 02:30:38

OK

Since when can men give birth? ;)

reply
Waiting in the Wings 2012/04/13 02:29:22

Put a ring on it first!

+2
To each his or her own and I don't judge, but if a man is serious about wanting to start a family with me he needs to marry me first. I'd like to create a strong family unit first.

reply
AnnaMadrigal 2012/04/13 02:29:00

OK

+4
This is another ridiculous issue made worse by being wrapped up in religion. Of course it's okay for two responsible people not married to have kids if they choose. The issue should be geared more to whether the two people(or more in some cases) are able to be responsible parents, not that two people are able to get married.

reply
JayLynx to AnnaMad... 2012/04/13 04:34:26

+2
You are absolutely right! Wedding ring is no guarantee of happiness, or a certificate of responsibility.

reply
the fuze 2012/04/13 02:17:36

Put a ring on it first!

+3
Call me "old-fashioned" but it's what I believe.

reply
Prime Time Lime 2012/04/13 02:17:05

OK

Marriage,to me,is for the birds.It is not worth the effort.

reply
Ken 2012/04/13 02:07:09

Put a ring on it first!

+4
This is a good reason for the destruction of our morals.

reply
smilinbobs 2012/04/13 01:50:24

OK

+5
There are benefits to not being married. We get a much larger tax break by both claiming head of household and splitting the children. A marriage certificate is nothing more than a piece of paper. Commitment is in your heart not that piece of paper. The relationship will succeed or fail not because of that paper but because you both are committed to making things work. My love and I are raising a happy family, we are happy (not a fight in over 5 years), no cheating, and no marriage

reply
JayLynx to smilinbobs 2012/04/13 04:35:56

+1
Great!

reply
Flowers to smilinbobs 2012/04/13 05:15:38

+1
Well said!

reply
Jian Qi to smilinbobs 2012/04/13 07:38:09

though do you want to know you " spouse" can sleep with anyone including you in the same day and will not make a difference if you had a kid or not? Legally!?not saying it includes u, from your comment you seems that ur found ur person ^0^ in which i congrat u.and may u live in happiness.i'm just saying, (question how does kid guardianship work? do the kids both have you and your spouse names? and what happens at the boarder or on planes?)

reply
smilinbobs to Jian Qi 2012/04/13 19:48:11

You have missed the point of what I have said. We have a commitment to eachother which prevents us from doing things that would hurt the other person. We are just missing the piece of paper called a marriage certificate.

reply
gvc to smilinbobs 2012/04/13 07:42:11

+1
No fights in five years? 0.o

reply
smilinbobs to gvc 2012/04/13 19:51:15

It's a true statement.

reply
gvc to smilinbobs 2012/04/13 20:38:55

+1
Hmmm sounds like your relationship lacks passion.

reply
smilinbobs to gvc 2012/04/14 01:06:11

We have plenty of passion, We love each other very deeply. We enjoy the time we spend together each day. We have a three year old together and we both have children from previous marriages. Mine are older and no longer living at home but they visit every week. Our home is the one that people come to, to get away from the stress and troubles in their lives. It's drama and deceit we are lacking in our relationship, two things we can live without.

reply
gvc to smilinbobs 2012/04/14 01:14:50

+1
I applaud anyone who keeps the drama and deceit out of their life!!!
It just seems odd that people who are so close would never disagree.
But then, maybe you do not see disagreements as "fighting" ....you need to write a book!! (That is NOT sarcasm. )

reply
smilinbobs to gvc 2012/04/14 01:58:25

We don't always agree but if we have a different opinion about something we try to find a place in the middle where we can both agree. A dating site would never have matched us. She was Baptist, a smoker, shy,and 15years younger than I with small children. I was Agnostic, a nonsmoker, a chatty Cathy, much older man with children grown and out of the house. We still found a happy place with all of the differences. Thanks GVC

reply
rand 2012/04/13 01:47:04

OK

...as long as they're not asking the rest of society to pay for the upbringing of the children, it's their morality, not mine. I'm happily married for almost 30 years and have two grown, gainfully employed children. I think women that fail to get a commitment from their "man" before having a child are unwise.

reply
KaylaE 2012/04/13 01:36:31

OK

+1
Some people don't want to ever get married and if that is the case then that's their right and as long as they are taking care of the kids they are having then I think it's okay

reply
Whatsername 2012/04/13 01:30:21

Put a ring on it first!

+1
figure out if you even want to stay with this person before you have a kid with them

reply
tweet_tweet 2012/04/13 01:18:56

OK

not my business

reply
Andrea 2012/04/13 01:08:32

Put a ring on it first!

+5
If you cannot make a marital commitment how can you make a parental one?

reply
chyna 2012/04/13 01:04:16

OK

+1
i think it's fine as long as they take good care and responsibility of the baby. :P

reply
sweetserinity13 2012/04/13 00:59:19

OK

+1
My husband and I like to think we are living a good life and will raise our child right. But not all couples need to be married first, though I believe that its right to be. It all depends on what is right for you.

reply
animelover123 2012/04/13 00:59:09

OK

+1
So long as both parents are in for it 100%

reply
Bob 2012/04/13 00:48:03

Put a ring on it first!

+1
More God in family and marriage.

reply
America... to Bob 2012/04/13 00:57:41

+6
lol

reply
Chocola... to America... 2012/04/13 01:29:16

lol is right

reply