[hackingthenews]

You are correct of course.

The 3 children per woman limit is still the smallest number that accommodates for the 2.1 average required for replacement level. To achieve equilibrium and avoid rapid growth the limit must be set to 3 and then hope that the average will be drawn down enough by the women who can't/won't have children for various reasons.

Not advocating for this policy, and I am not considering how well it works in practice and the morality. This is just a reductionist model.