Mums break the taboo in new survey -
Revealing pregnancy isn't all it's cracked up to be
1 IN 5 PREGNANT WOMEN FEEL THEY'RE NOT EMOTIONALLY READY TO HAVE A BABY, reveals a new survey of 1000 pregnant mums-to-be by Johnson's Baby and Tommy's, the baby charity.
The survey captures the candid emotional highs and lows of pregnancy in the 21st century and marks the charity's first Pregnancy Health Month, which runs through September. The campaign is designed to answer questions about pregnancy health, so that women have the peace of mind that they are doing all they can to keep their baby as healthy as possible. Tommy's is a leading charity which funds research into the causes of miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth. Key survey statistics from the charity show a number of clear concerns amongst pregnant mums-to-be:
DOWN TO EARTH WITH A BUMP - EXPECTATIONS V REALITY
During pregnancy,
 2 out of 3 women felt more exhausted than expected (67%)
3 out of 5 women felt more emotional (e.g. crying more than they
thought they would - 58%)
Over half the women felt more in need of reassurance (56%)
1 in 4 women felt confused by all the conflicting advice they
read (29%)
Dr Linda Papadopolous, spokesperson for Tommy's, the baby charity, said:
"These are alarming statistics as they show just how little pregnant women are being supported through their pregnancy - and how this is
detrimentally affecting them, both mentally and physically. Pregnant women must be reassured that their emotional feelings and stress are
commonplace. They're not alone in feeling like this and there are plenty of support services available to them - like the Pregnancy
Information Line that Tommy's runs - where trained midwives are on-hand to answer any pregnancy-related questions".
TOP THREE CHALLENGES:
"Physical changes i.e. putting on weight, exhaustion, feeling unwell"
"Feeling anxious about what kind of parent I will make"
"People telling me what I should/shouldn't be doing during my
pregnancy"
WHOSE PREGNANCY IS IT ANYWAY?
2 out of 5 of the pregnant women who took part in the survey, noted how everyone seems to have an opinion/advice about lifestyle changes they should be making (44%).
This was coupled with a third of the pregnant women stating that they'd received personal comments that upset then during pregnancy - such as:
AGE
"At your age!" (directed at older mothers)
"You're too young and should have got rid of it"
"I was told I had ruined my life"
INSENSITIVITY
"When people open their mouths without thinking, for example, talking about negative experiences like a loss of pregnancy, unwanted pregnancy, babies born with defects"
"I was told horror stories about the birth and how difficult life with a newborn can be"
"People find it entirely acceptable to pass comment about my body shape whilst I am pregnant - the size of my hips, the weight I'm
carrying, the size and position of my bump. They would never dream of being so direct and rude if I weren't pregnant"
"'You'll be OK because you are so fit and you'll lose the weight straight away'. It made me feel like there is so much pressure on me to lose the weight and I can't ask for help because I'm expected to cope well"
WORKPLACE
One woman said that comments from HR at work upset her. They said "that I couldn't add my holiday entitlement on to the beginning of my maternity leave, because 'What would I do if the baby died during delivery'. I cried at the insensitivity of it"
"At work I've just been told to get on with things and that I'm only pregnant! I have felt the need to continue lifting heavy boxes due to
lack of support">"When I told my manager during a meeting about the coming year, he said, 'Oh well, you could still lose it yet. It's early days'."
FAMILY MEMBERS
"Comments from family members putting me down and telling me that I am stupid"
"My mum said 'I hope you aren't going to leave the baby crying when you have a lie-in at the weekend'. She was absolutely serious. I think
she totally believed that we were going to just ignore the baby. My best friend, mum and sister all told me on separate occasions that I
wouldn't be able to cope with a baby"
"My mother-in-law called me a teletubby in front of people. She also said it would be funny to see me struggle to lose the weight I'd
gained"
"My husband keeps making fat jokes and talking about how fat I'm going to be after the birth"
Model, Penny Lancaster, who is spearheading Pregnancy Health Month, said, "Pregnancy has to be one of the most exciting, spiritual and at
times anxious, experiences of my life. At a time when women can sometimes feel vulnerable, it is so important for them to know that help is available when they need it. I think it's great that Tommy's provides this service and makes it so accessible."
PREGNANCY PRESSURE:
Half the women felt more under pressure to be perfect (47%)
1 1 in 4 women feeling extra pressure because their partner doesn't really understand what they're going through (27%), and because they don't have enough money to buy all the right equipment (28%)
2 1 in 5 women also blame celebrities and the media for applying extra pressure of them during pregnancy. They pinpoint:
Celebrities who bloom during pregnancy and look fantastic (21.3%)
1 Stories in newspapers about mums not eating the right things or not knowing what's best for their baby (21.5%)
1 in 10 women also feel that they have pressure on them during their pregnancy from friends that feel they've "lost" them socially
A PROBLEM SHARED...
Pressure on women during pregnancy comes from all sources and the research shows how much women crave information from people who
understand.
Dr Linda Papadopolous says, "It's evident that the mounting pressure on women to remain perfect throughout pregnancy and motherhood is huge. This problem needs to be addressed - women mustn't be left feeling so isolated. They need support and good clear pregnancy health advice".
This is an area where Tommy's can help directly, with their dedicated team of midwives who are available on 0870 777 30 60 to answer any
pregnancy questions. Tommy's will also be bringing pregnancy health nformation to the high street throughout Pregnancy Health Month. The
charity will be providing free pregnancy health guides in over 300 Boots and 88 Tesco stores up and down the country. In addition, midwives will be on hand in selected stores to answer any pregnancy health questions.
The survey was carried out on 1100 pregnant women in August 2006.
Tommy's, the baby charity
Tommy's exists to save babies' lives because right now in the UK, 1 in 4 women loses a baby during pregnancy or birth. We fund research into and provide information on the causes and prevention of miscarriage, premature birth and stillbirth. By 2030, we want to halve the number of babies who die during pregnancy. |
Why Eye Tests For Children Are Important
