Becoming parents is a wonderful experience, but the truth is that nobody prepared us for it. When we meet our baby for the first time, a new stage begins in our lives that has nothing to do with the previous one, and which is probably also very different from what we had imagined.
According to a survey conducted by the British company Aveeno Baby to 1,500 fathers and mothers in the United Kingdom, half of respondents admit that having a child is a "hard work", and a third of them consider it much more when we stay at home taking care of them. But despite the difficulties and unfulfilled expectations that motherhood sometimes brings, the birth of a baby means for many the discovery of unconditional love.
What do recent parents think about raising a baby?
When a baby is born, a mother and a father are also born. Our life changes after having a child, so do our priorities, needs and concerns.
Our instinct and our son will be the best guides, but that does not mean that at certain times we can feel overwhelmed, distressed or full of doubts. And is that any decision we make about the upbringing, education and care of our child can become a challenge.
The British company Aveeno Baby decided to conduct a national survey to find out how UK fathers and mothers perceived their life, before and after having a child. The results are very curious, and some even fun, and they come to show that being a mom / dad is sometimes complicated, but that is more than compensated with all the wonderful things that children bring us.
In Babies and more When you tell yourself that you will not have any more children because it is exhausting and as time goes by you forget and want to have another one!We share some of the results obtained in this survey:
Between the things most longed for by mothers and recent fathers It is possible to go to the bathroom alone (38%), use both hands to eat (33% confessed that they only eat with one, because the other need it to care for their baby), have more time alone with the couple ( 28%), finish a cup of tea (22%), or enjoy a glass of wine (13%).
In regards to "ailments" of parenting, 17% say they suffer continuous back pain and 39% admit to feeling always tired.
The respondents were also asked what perception did they have of motherhood and fatherhood before having a baby, and if this had been fulfilled after the birth of his first child. For many, the maternity / paternity they are living is very different from what they had imagined, and issues such as breastfeeding or daily tasks such as leaving home with the baby, have been great challenges.
Thus, 25% of mothers admitted that they always they thought breastfeeding would be easier from what was really turning them out.
And 43% of fathers and mothers confessed that leaving home with a baby overflows them, and they never thought it could become so complicated.
British parents surveyed say they feel worried about their baby's development (27%), their eating habits (22%) and their sleeping patterns (9%); although we really believe that these are the universal concerns of all recent fathers and mothers anywhere in the world.
42% of the fathers and mothers surveyed said that after birth their baby knew, for the first time, unconditional love. And for half of the respondents, starting a family is the perfect experience.The importance of a tribe
Other aspects that have been discussed in the survey refer to the needs of families when raising their children. In this sense, 45% of British mothers admit to resorting frequently to the advice and support of their own mother, and do not feel able to raise their baby without their help.
There is no doubt that the presence of a tribe to rely on is essential to raise a baby and find support in the most difficult times. However, even with the existence of a help network, 55% of respondents admit that parenting is a "hard work", and for 20% it is "really difficult".
In Babies and more Why is it easier to be a mom if you have a tribeAnd in these times of social networks, where we tend to share everything with the rest of the world, the trust of recent parents is sometimes diminished, and almost a quarter of respondents admit to having felt pressured at some time by the image of "perfect father or mother" that networks sometimes offer.
Raising children at home is more tired
A final point discussed in the survey puts again the focus on the mothers or fathers (who are also there) who decide to stay at home to raise their children, giving up the possibility of working outside.
In this regard, 31% of respondents admit that they never imagined that staying at home taking care of children could be much harder than going to work. And unfortunately, there are still many people who still believe that mothers and fathers who quit working outside do nothing, or have no reason to be tired.
In Babies and more The message of a mother for those who think that moms who stay at home "don't work"In any case, either at home full-time or by combining the upbringing and education of children with work outside the home, the truth is that life changes after the birth of a baby, and almost all parents agree that Although parenting is sometimes a difficult path, a child's love is worth everything.
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