Baby blues for new parents

Conflicting advice and peer pressure leaves new parents spending the first year feeling confused and isolated, according to a new study.

Two thirds (66%) of new parents worry they are not looking after their baby properly - and more than four in five (82%) say conflicting advice from family, books and websites only makes life harder.

Aviva's UK Life business, who recently launched free life insurance for new parents, commissioned the ‘0 to 12 months study' to investigate the impact of the first year after birth on the lives of new parents. The study found that the pressures and strains of this busy time can often lead to couples forgetting to take out life insurance, leaving their young families potentially unprotected.

The study reveals a lack of confidence among new mums, with over half (56%) worrying they don't appear as confident as other parents, while others (45%) worry their partners don't think they are coping.

New parents also wilt under the watchful eyes of their mothers-in-law, with six in ten (60%) struggling when she corrects their mistakes.

An average of just six hours sleep per night adds to the exhaustion of an endless cycle of baby tasks in the first year that sees new parents:

change 2,007 nappies
feed the baby 1,789 times
and do 280 loads of washing

Just 14% manage to spend quality time with their partner each day and the strain takes it toll with the average couple arguing an average six times per month. All those nappies and washing machine loads also have an impact on intimate relations, with nearly a third (29%) of parents having sex less than once a month in the first year and two thirds (62%) falling asleep at least once during the day due to exhaustion.

Seven in ten (70%) new mums feel isolated being home alone, with over half (51%) thinking any visitors are only there to see the baby. In fact, 57% worry that their partner and friends now find them boring.

For six in ten new parents, however it's financial fears and a reduced household income that make the first year so hard.

Louise Colley, head of protection products for Aviva, said: "The arrival of a new baby signals a complete change in lifestyle and, while the first year of a new baby's life is one of the most special, it's also one of the toughest times for parents.

"Friends and family are well-meaning with their advice, but it seems that sometimes this adds to the pressure and leaves new mums and dads suffering a crisis of confidence."

To support new families, Aviva is offering free life cover of £10,000 to new parents in the UK who register before their baby is six months old, to run until the child's first birthday. Although the offer is a fraction of the cover a family needs, it recognises that new parents do not always consider, or have the time to purchase, family protection when they have a young baby.

Louise Colley adds: "I'm delighted that we're able to take away one concern new parents may have by offering the reassurance of free life cover. Anyone, like me, who is a parent knows only too well that the first 12 months can be really tough, as well as incredibly rewarding. We're going the extra mile with this free cover because we believe it's absolutely essential that new parents consider how they best protect their new family."

The Aviva UK ‘0 to 12 months' study also reveals that:

Four in five (81%) new parents say holding their baby for the first time was the best moment of the first year

Two in five (41%) buy parenting guide books

Almost a quarter (23%) bought the latest baby gadgets - and then never used them

Over half (53%) did not manage a night out with friends in the first year