Are you a stressed new parent?

Q: HOW MANY PARENTS DOES IT TAKE TO CHANGE A NAPPY?

A: FEWER THAN IT TAKES TO CHANGE A LIGHTBULB

New report reveals over half of new parents are more confident changing a light bulb than their first nappy!

New research from The Essential Parent Company highlights the lack of support, low confidence and anxiety experienced by new parents. A staggering 8 out of 10 new parents surveyed felt they didn’t have the practical skills to care for their newborn.

Professor Winston with his granddaughter

“So focused are expectant parents on the birth event, the practical abilities and responsibility of looking after a baby can come as a huge shock,” says Dr Rebecca Chicot, Child Development and Parenting PhD from Cambridge University and founder of The Essential Parent Company. “It is impossible to describe how becoming a parent changes your life.”

The new research coincides with the launch of The Essential Baby Care Guide that deals with the big issues faced by parents in raising a new child – sleep, feeding, care and development and first aid.

Developed with ‘Child of Our Time’ creator Professor Lord Robert Winston and a host of leading childcare experts, the new Guide is intended to ease the stress and anxiety of new parents through the first 12 months.

“As society has evolved, we have lost some of our instinctive ability to be parents,” said Professor Lord Winston. “Only a generation ago, new parents would have gained experience through contact and support from their family.

Now we live further from our families, working women have less contact and experience with new born children within their own families and peer networks.”

The top four areas new parents felt least prepared ranked as follows:

1. Dealing with sleep issues
2. Managing a crying baby
3. First aid and emergency intervention
4. Feeding

The research revealed:

• Over half of new parents are more confident changing a light bulb than their first nappy

• 1 in 3 new parents are unable to read signs of critical ill health in their baby

• 1 in 3 have never seen a family member or close friend breastfeeding

• 1 in 5 new parents live over 50 miles away from family

The Essential Baby Care Guide is available from John Lewis stores nationwide and online from www.essentialparent.com and Amazon priced £35 for the full guide of 4 x DVDs or £10 each when sold separately.