Giving birth to a new baby might appear to be the happiest moment in a woman’s life. A new survey reveals, however, this is not the case. According to the Motherhood Survey, sponsored by Mother & Baby Magazine along with Tesco, the first year of motherhood is actually the loneliest time in a woman’s life.
The survey brought to light a much different picture of the modern mother than one would have imagined. The results reveal that mothers feel lonely and isolated from the rest of their peers. Part of this isolation is based on where women live, as 64% live several miles away from their own mothers. Of the women surveyed, 87% of them also regret the loss of their pre-baby social lives while others report lacking a nearby support network of family or friends.
The geographical distance from family and friends has forced mothers to have to create an entirely new social network, yet only 10% of mothers talk to their neighbors and only a mere 4% get together socially. More than half of the mothers feel lonely, another 33% “feel tearful″, and 20% feel they have no one to talk to. More than half of mothers in the survey say their self-esteem has plummeted since giving birth.
Tesco is a UK-based international grocery retailer and as a result of the survey, they are launching “The Mother and Baby Local Campaign″ which offers fellow mothers an opportunity to meet with one another in Tesco cafes throughout the country to have coffee and chat. Mother & Baby Magazine is partnering with Tesco on this initiative and acknowledges that leaving work and having a baby requires a large emotional adjustment for modern women.
Having “the baby blues″ after giving birth is very common, but new mothers are often reluctant to disclose their true feelings. It is important to discuss any questions or concerns with your physician, as chronic sadness could be a sign of postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is rather common and is not a sign of weakness; it is simply a part of giving birth. With prompt treatment, you can manage your symptoms. Café mom offers a new mother discussion forum that allow members to connect with other moms throughout the United States.
Tags: motherhood
