Stress Haunts Most New Parents First Year After Childbirth

Being in charge of a new born leaves many new mothers and fathers feeling stressed, isolated and confused, a new study has found.

The research, conducted by researchers from insurance company Aviva, found that parents face an average of 2,007 nappy changes, 1,789 feeds, 280 loads of washing and a lack of sleep in the first 12 months looking after their offspring.

And if that workload was not enough, they also have to cope with peer pressure and conflicting advice on childcare, the study showed, reports the Scotsman.

Some 66 per cent of new parents worried they were not looking after their baby properly and 82 per cent said conflicting advice from family members, books and websites made the problem worse.

The study of the first year of a baby's life also showed that new mothers suffered from a lack of confidence, with 56 per cent of those quizzed worried that they did not appear as confident as other parents.

A further 45 per cent feared their partners did not think they were coping.

And the looming spectre of the mother-in-law added more pressure, with 60 percent of new parents struggling when they were corrected by them.

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The stress of this workload took a toll on new parents' relationships, with many couples typically experiencing more arguments and less sex than before their baby was born.

And 70 per cent of new mothers felt isolated at home, with around half believing people were only visiting them to see the new baby, the study found.

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Source-ANI
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