NEW research reveals the biggest challenges faced by new parents and the list of superpowers they wished they had.
Over half of parents (55%) said the ability to stop time would be top of their list, followed by magic powers to get babies to fall asleep instantly (35%).
The ability to know everything would be okay (35%) and mind-control to banish negative thoughts (34%) also ranked highly amongst new mums.
The research, which was carried out by OnePoll on behalf of My Expert Midwife – a midwife founded brand for mums-to-be, new mums and babies – looked at the biggest challenges, the most unrealistic expectations and what ‘superpower’ they have discovered or wished they had since having a baby.
When it came to challenges, worryingly, mum-guilt still dominated the headlines with 52% admitting they feel guilty about spending any time for themselves and feeling pressure to adhere to society’s expectations.
28% of new parents admitted to feeling uncertain about what to do, whilst 25% said they didn’t have enough support in the early months.
Lesley Gilchrist, Founder of My Expert Midwife said: “New parents are put under so much pressure to get it right at a time when they should be reveling in their new baby or babies and being ‘allowed’ to become parents. Much of what parents get advised is just so far from the reality, or well-intentioned but misguided and it’s vital to remember that every baby is different and every parent is different.
“Those first 6 weeks can be termed the wonder weeks when you are going from being in awe and wonder to wonder what on earth you are doing in the blink of an eye. But it is also a time when mums and parents discover superpowers they didn’t even know existed - something we should recognise and celebrate.”
With common myths such as wake windows and sleep regressions so widely believed, it’s no wonder a lack of sleep is becoming a real issue. In fact, 28% of parents admitted to scrolling through social media to get help.
Gilchrist added: “Our research found that social media and online research were key sources for new parents but with a host of misguided information out there, parents are under undue pressure and riddled with guilt and unnecessary stress.”
To celebrate the launch of its new baby range, My Expert Midwife is on a mission to address the inaccurate information out there, set the record straight and celebrate the real superpowers of parents. To find out more visit www.myexpertmidwife.com
