Feel Like A Failure As A Mom: Study Shows Most Parents Feel This Way During First Year

Moms.com

Most Parents Feel Like Failures During Baby’s First Year, Survey Reveals

By Joanna Mazewski

Published Apr 28, 2019

A new survey that suggests many moms and dads feel as though they are having a hard time keeping up with parenting during the first few months.

Credit: iStock / Halfpoint

A lot of parents say they feel as though they are failing their children during the first year of their life. A new survey that suggests many moms and dads feel as though they are having a hard time keeping up with parenting during the first few months in their new roles. In fact, a little over half of parents believe that they could be doing a better job.

The WaterWipes' This is Parenthood campaign is aimed to help encourage more honest conversations about parenthood. In their most recent survey they found that about 55 percent of parents felt like “failures” during their first year of parenthood, with the majority of them being moms. About 60 percent of mothers feel as though they are not doing enough for their kids, compared to about 45 percent of fathers who feel the same way.

The survey asked about 13,000 parents from all corners of the globe how they felt about parenting and if they thought they were satisfied with the work they were doing in their roles. In the United States, about 60 percent of parents feel as though they are letting their babies down. Millennial parents seem to feel the most guilty compared to other demographics. A study conducted back in 2018 found that millennial parents are most likely to suffer from postpartum depression than older first-time moms.

One of the reasons why many parents feel as though they are failures is because they battle constant exhaustion. Also, social media does make many parents feel as though they can’t keep up with the perfectly-curated online world that other parents post - which all too often - is far from what reality looks like.

For those parents who feel as though they are never doing enough for their child, there’s hope. Many health professionals suggest taking a step back before taking a step forward in their role as a parent. For those who often feel overwhelmed, try asking for additional help, whether it’s from a partner, a grandparent, family member, a friend or an additional caregiver. Also, parents tend to think more about their child’s need than their own. Take a little time out for “me time,” and periodically do wellness checks on both your mental and physical health.

Plus, no matter how moms and dads rate themselves on the parenting scale, one thing is for certain: their children (and especially babies) will always give them a Grade A, no matter what they do or how they feel about their role.