New mothers feel lonely and isolated, survey finds

Parenting charity the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) warned that support for new mothers is lacking because of public spending cuts and the breakdown of traditional support networks.

An NCT commissioned survey of 1,000 mothers, whose eldest children are under five years old, found that new mothers are often not able to draw on support from family and friends. Almost a third of those surveyed said they were living more than 40 miles away from their close family when they had their first baby, and a quarter didn't know any other parents in their local area.

The NCT has also aired concerns that the closure of local services such as Sure Start children's centres will make it even harder for mothers to find local support and friendship.

The survey also found that new mothers are increasingly going online to seek support, with nearly one in five admitting to visiting social networking sites or parenting forums for advice and information on a daily basis. But more than two-thirds said they believe it is important to meet up with other parents face to face, with 75 per cent citing it as an opportunity to make new friends and 73 per cent saying it gives their baby the chance to meet other children.

The NCT has now announced plans to expand its Bumps and Babies network of local groups that are organised by parents for parents for socialising.

NCT director of corporate communications Sally Horrox said, 'New mums often feel isolated and lonely after the birth of their first child, and despite the support available online, there is no real substitute for face-to-face interaction with other parents who live near you.

'Many of the mums who took part in this research didn't know where to go and who to meet up with in their local area in the first months after giving birth. This is incredibly worrying at such a crucial time in people's lives.'