NEWS COPY
Modern mums are shocking older generations with their willingness to ‘overshare’ according to new research.
The study shows young mums are five times more likely to discuss intimate parenting issues than their own mothers were.
Almost a quarter of today’s mums are happy to discuss the best sex position to conceive – compared to just one per cent of grans.
And while talking about their post-baby bodies is the norm for six in 10 mums, only 21 per cent of grans would have done the same.
Two thirds of mothers over the age of 55 admit that they have never discussed personal parenting problems with anyone, compared to just 12 per cent of modern mums.
The findings emerged in a report issued by ChannelMum.com in conjunction with the Lorraine show.
It shows young mums of today are much keener to have large family than their own mothers were – two children is still seen as the ideal family size for over half of grans, but 28 per cent of modern mums want three children.
Young mums are also far more likely to share the experience of giving birth.
Just two per cent of grans had their partner plus another friend or relative with them when they gave birth – in contrast a third of modern mums have a ‘crowdbirth’ with one or more friends and relatives supporting them, in addition to their partner.
However, while eight in 10 grans support fathers being present in the delivery room – 92 per cent are agreed this is no place for male friends and relatives.
But one area where grans and modern mums agree is the best time to start a family. Both grans and modern mums believe 25 to 29 is the ideal time to begin, with the generations again agreeing 30 to 34 is the best time to have completed giving birth.
Surprisingly, three times as many grans (seven per cent) thought it was acceptable to have your final child aged 40 to 44, compared to modern mums (two per cent)
The results, which will be discussed on ITV’s Lorraine today [Thursday 23rd March] also found the role of modern dads has changed radically.
Almost half of young dads are ‘very hands on’ raising their kids, 50 per cent more than the 29 per cent of granddads who helped out heavily with their families.
And the number of mums left to do ‘most of the childcare’ has halved from 32 per of grans to just 15 per cent of young mums.
Modern mums are more aware of raising their children to respect other cultures, the survey found.
Just 14 per cent of grans tried to find out more about other cultures while they were young mums with 25 per cent preferring to ‘do it my way’. But over half of modern mums actively look into other cultures ways of parenting and only 13 per cent stick to their own methods.
One area where trendy grans are catching up is watching Live Labour Vlogs. The growing web phenomenon, which sees mums live streaming their labours and births, are watched by one in five modern mums, alongside 12 per cent of grans.
But while a third of modern mums would consider Vlogging their own labour, fewer than one per cent of grans would have done the same.
Cathy Ranson, editor of ChannelMum.com said: “Like mother doesn’t necessarily mean like daughter. The survey shows modern mothers are being far more open, honest and sharing more about the ups and downs of parenting than their own mums were. But being honest can only bring the generations together, so we can all learn lessons from the past to take to the future.”
ENDS
