UK mothers feel overwhelmed by responsibilities, research reveals.
A survey of over 800 mothers across Europe has found that seven out of ten UK mothers feel overloaded with childcare and household tasks. This is a higher proportion than the European average, with many feeling unable to cope with the demands of motherhood. In fact, almost half of UK mothers experience mental health issues such as anxiety or depression.
The research, conducted by Make Mothers Matter, also revealed that British mothers are still expected to do most of the household and childcare work alone. This can exacerbate feelings of isolation and stress. Furthermore, a significant proportion of UK mothers believe that motherhood has had a negative impact on their career, with one in three saying it has affected their work-life balance.
The report's findings have been met with criticism from experts who say that the lack of support for new mothers is having a devastating impact on mental health. Prof Alain Gregoire, a perinatal psychiatrist, said that many mothers are "suffering in silence" and that there needs to be more training for healthcare professionals to detect maternal mental health problems.
Easy access to talking therapies could provide an important lifeline for struggling mothers, but experts warn that there is still a stigma surrounding seeking help. Make Mothers Matter's findings highlight the need for policymakers and healthcare providers to take action to support new mothers and address the root causes of the problem.
The UK government has responded to the report, saying that it is committed to providing more support for new mothers. However, critics argue that this is not enough, and that more needs to be done to address the systemic issues that are driving mothers to feel overwhelmed and isolated.
As one charity chief executive put it, pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood are "periods of heightened vulnerability", but significant gaps remain in the care and services offered to women and new parents. Without better support, many mothers will continue to struggle with the pressures of motherhood, leading to devastating consequences for their mental health and well-being.
A survey of over 800 mothers across Europe has found that seven out of ten UK mothers feel overloaded with childcare and household tasks. This is a higher proportion than the European average, with many feeling unable to cope with the demands of motherhood. In fact, almost half of UK mothers experience mental health issues such as anxiety or depression.
The research, conducted by Make Mothers Matter, also revealed that British mothers are still expected to do most of the household and childcare work alone. This can exacerbate feelings of isolation and stress. Furthermore, a significant proportion of UK mothers believe that motherhood has had a negative impact on their career, with one in three saying it has affected their work-life balance.
The report's findings have been met with criticism from experts who say that the lack of support for new mothers is having a devastating impact on mental health. Prof Alain Gregoire, a perinatal psychiatrist, said that many mothers are "suffering in silence" and that there needs to be more training for healthcare professionals to detect maternal mental health problems.
Easy access to talking therapies could provide an important lifeline for struggling mothers, but experts warn that there is still a stigma surrounding seeking help. Make Mothers Matter's findings highlight the need for policymakers and healthcare providers to take action to support new mothers and address the root causes of the problem.
The UK government has responded to the report, saying that it is committed to providing more support for new mothers. However, critics argue that this is not enough, and that more needs to be done to address the systemic issues that are driving mothers to feel overwhelmed and isolated.
As one charity chief executive put it, pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood are "periods of heightened vulnerability", but significant gaps remain in the care and services offered to women and new parents. Without better support, many mothers will continue to struggle with the pressures of motherhood, leading to devastating consequences for their mental health and well-being.
... 7 out of 10 feel overwhelmed by childcare & household tasks? That's crazy! They're already shouldering way too much responsibility alone, and it's no wonder they're struggling with mental health issues like anxiety & depression 
. The fact that almost half are experiencing this is just heartbreaking.
... easy access to talking therapies would make a huge difference! But even if they do provide more support, we need to get rid of the stigma around seeking help 
. Can't we just normalize going to therapy and asking for help when you need it? It's not like moms are being lazy or anything... they're just trying to balance work & family life 
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. We need systemic changes, not just Band-Aid solutions 
They're already juggling work, household chores, and taking care of the little ones, but now they're also dealing with mental health issues? That's a lot to handle. I'm not surprised that most of them are feeling overwhelmed and isolated. It's time for us to step up and support our mums instead of just expecting them to be okay. 
We need more affordable childcare options, flexible work arrangements, and access to good talking therapies. The UK government can start by providing more resources and services for new mothers, not just promising more (as they did in this report). Let's get real about the challenges mums face and work together to make things better for them. 
its like they r expected 2 do it all alone & stil have time 4 ur own life but nope thats just not happenin 
easy access 2 talking therapies would b a game changer 4 them but lol u can already tell its a stigma thing n not enough ppl will seek help 
They're already juggling a million things, now they gotta do most of the household work alone? It's like, why can't dads be more involved? 
And what's up with this stigma around talking therapies? We need to get rid of that ASAP! 
. And mental health? Forget about it! I've seen friends struggle with anxiety & depression after having kids and there's just not enough support out there. We need more than just empty promises from the gov - we need real change 
And yeah, easy access to talking therapies would be a lifesaver, but if people still feel ashamed about seeking help, that's just not fair. We need to create a culture where mums can open up without fear of judgment. And I'm all for the gov't saying it's committed to supporting new mums, but like, what specific actions are they gonna take? It can't just be a PR statement, we need actual change. 
. It's like, we've been conditioned to think that moms are superhumans who can handle everything on their own 
. I feel like if I'm being honest, sometimes I just wanna say "enough" and ask for help 
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. Like, they're already sleep-deprived and stressed out, and then we expect them to cook dinner and clean the house too? 
It's not fair, right? We need to support these women and make sure they have access to mental health services that can help them cope with all the pressure. And let's be real, having a baby is already tough enough without feeling like you're going to lose your job or your career because of it 
. The UK government needs to step up their game and provide more support for new moms, not just empty promises 
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. Can't we just have a basic level of support here? Like a universal childcare program or something? I mean, it's not that hard to see how this can lead to mental health issues...
. Like, if I had to talk to someone about my own mental health struggles (which I have), I'd want some reassurance that I'm not judged or anything 
. It's time for us to break down these barriers and support new mums in a way that's more than just band-aids 
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- that's way higher than Europe average! 
The report also shows that almost half of UK moms experience mental health issues... Anxiety, depression, it's a real thing for many 
. We need to break the stigma around seeking help and provide more support for new parents 
. We need more than just empty promises from policymakers... we need systemic change!