More than half of new parents experience loneliness despite two thirds having a 'village' around them for support.
A study of 4,339 parents, including 500 from the UK, with children aged three and under found 53 per cent have felt lonely during the first 1,000 days after welcoming a child.
This may be because they only have an average of three sources of support – far lower than the eight recommended by paediatricians in a separate survey.
These sources, which make up their village, are most likely to include immediate or extended family (70 per cent), themselves or their partner (72 per cent), and friends (51 per cent).
It also emerged 66 per cent feel their village is weaker than it was 20 years ago.
The findings come from The Pampers Baby Report: The Village Barometer [https://www.pampers.co.uk/safety-and-commitment/baby-report], based on Europe-wide research and informed by further statistical review by UNICEF’s Office of Research Innocenti and insights from Natasha Kirkham, professor of developmental psychology.
At the heart of the report is the Village Barometer, which surveyed 4,339 parents and 425 paediatricians across nine countries to create a new measure of how supported parents feel by the people, services, and systems around them.
It looks across five areas of early parenthood to reveal where families feel well supported, where pressures are greatest, and where their wider ‘village’ could make the biggest difference.
Professor Natasha Kirkham said: “The first 1,000 days are an important foundation for child health and development, but the message should not add pressure to parents.
“Babies do not need perfect conditions, they need a healthy, nurturing and responsive environment around them.”
It also revealed sleep disruption may be an additional contributor to parents feeling isolated, with those in the UK losing an average of five-and-a-half hours of sleep every week after having a child.
Modern parenting is also shaped by a constant flow of information, with 42 per cent of parents polled across Europe feeling overwhelmed by parenting advice.
This is a concern echoed by healthcare professionals, as 95 per cent of paediatricians think access to too many sources of advice can overwhelm parents.
But 41 per cent believe modern life is not designed with babies in mind, underlining the role of workplaces, services, and everyday environments in shaping how supported families feel.
The report also highlighted the importance of play, which is widely recognised as essential for early childhood development, as an area where many parents feel under pressure.
While 90 per cent of UK parents felt play is very or extremely important for their baby’s development, 70 per cent of all European parents have experienced some form of pressure, guilt, or judgement around playtime.
In the UK specifically, 47 per cent feel confident supporting their baby's development through play – compared to 64 per cent of all parents across Europe.
Nearly half (45 per cent) of all polled reported not having enough time, whereas 38 per cent cited tiredness, stress, or a lack of mental space.
Federica Pompei, senior vice president and general manager, Pampers, said: “The first 1,000 days of a baby’s life are one of the most joyful, emotional and transformative periods for any family, but every beautiful milestone can also bring a thousand new questions.
“As a mother, I know how much it matters to know that you are not navigating those moments alone.”