The NCT and Pampers have undertaken a study into the first 1000 days of parenting, to offer insight into modern parenting roles, and sleep struggles.
The first 1000 days of parenting takes you from pregnancy, all the way up to your child’s 2nd birthday. Especially with the first child I feel like you are still adjusting, and there is so much to learn about parenthood during those 1000 days.
There are always new milestones, new stages and new things to worry about – of course along with new joys and new experiences, seeing your child master so many new things and really develop their personality throughout those 1000 days. It’s amazing just how many firsts you and your child experience together during that time! I look back on our first 1000 days so fondly – it really is a magical time, despite the challenges.
The Pampers and NCT research followed more than 1,000 parents, and has uncovered multiple new insights about the many rewards and challenges of being a parent.
A key finding from the research revealed that while night waking and disturbed sleep are considered an inevitability during the first year, the majority of parents surveyed anticipated better sleep during the second year. However for around a third of parents (30%) sleep problems persisted throughout the first 1,000 days.
With my first child, he had settled into sleeping well by around a year but then when he learned to walk that was soon followed by learning how to climb out of his cot and once again we went through a phase of sleepless nights as he would climb out and run around, thinking it was a great joke!
Additionally, the findings shed light on modern parenting roles. Over two thirds of dads (67%) reported equally sharing the responsibility for caring for their baby at night. However, mums did not necessarily agree with this assessment – with less than half (45%) responding that they shared equal responsibility with their partners. In fact, the research suggests that mums still take on the majority of the responsibilities of childcare. Despite 80% of the women in this study having returned to full or part-time employment more than half said they continued to do all or most of the caring activities.
Dr Abigail Easter, Research Manager at NCT says,
“This research has told us about the ups and downs of new parenthood, and how important it is that both mums and dads find the support they need as they care for a young baby. Balancing the responsibilities of parenting, work and finances was a key theme to emerge from the research, and affects different families in different ways. Good communication and looking after their own relationship is really important for new parents as they settle into changing roles. This research is just one part of a robust study which will inform NCT’s education, support and campaigning.”
Paolo Haeusermann, Brand Manager for Pampers, Northern Europe says
“While the early years of parenthood are filled with many milestone moments, they are also filled with new challenges that parents need to navigate. We were proud to support our long term partner, NCT, on this research which will further contribute to our understanding of new parents and babies, further enabling us to support them better as they make their way through their first 1,000 days together.”
In combination with the release of the research, Pampers is sharing its newborn journey of firsts film on YouTube celebrating the many special first time moments that parents and babies experience throughout the journey of parenthood.
Take a minute to watch the video – it is lovely, and I’m sure it will bring back memories of your first days, weeks and months as a parent like it did for me.
Post commissioned by Pampers
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.
Sleep is such a big thing, isn’t it? I think new parents stress about it so much when we should actually remind ourselves that it’s as much a learning process as everything else, e.g. crawling, walking etc.
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