Victorian birth rates lowest in Australia

Victorian women are having fewer children than mothers in the rest of the country.

New figures reveal a woman in the state has on average 1.6 babies in her lifetime.

It's a contrast to the Northern territory, which is the most fertile state with a birth rate of 1.93.

Demographers say couples are no longer aspiring to have five or six children - a trend seen in previous generations.

The rising cost of housing, along with career opportunities, are some of the reasons families are now smaller.

"Victoria has more people in Melbourne than in the regions. Other states have bigger regional populations. City populations tend to have fewer kids," said demographer Bernard Salt.

He said mothers in Melbourne's west are making up for women elsewhere - with a "nappy valley" emerging through Point Cook, Werribee and Melton.

"The nappy valley has shifted, it used to be Cranbourne, Pakenham and Berwick. It's still popular, but there is a new nappy valley and it's on the Geelong Road." Mr Salt says.

Midwives at the Mercy Hospital in Werribee are seeing the boom first-hand - delivering around ten babies every day.

"Looking at some numbers, 2010 we delivered around 2,000 babies. 2018 we almost doubled that with 3,900 babies," said Jacqui Van Dam, of the Mercy Hospital.