What to Expect When You're Expecting?

DALLAS, May 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- With Mother's Day just around the corner and Hollywood turning its attention to the joys and surprises of expectant moms, a new survey of moms conducted by Baby Magic* reveals that, even in an age of non-stop information sharing, the reality of motherhood is very different than the expectation.    

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The survey asked moms to compare and contrast their pre-birth preparations with their post-birth life.  The overwhelming majority (93%) attempted to arm themselves with information through at least one of these three sources:

• Getting personal - Family, friends and other one-on-one connections (90%)
• By the book - Authors and other advice experts (82%)
• Going online - Blogs, social media and web sites (61%)

But when does information gathering become information overload?  Here the results get more interesting.  Almost two in five (37%) found the amount of advice to be overwhelming, while one-third (33%) found themselves confused or scared prior to having their baby.  And all of the online advice, mom-to-mom conversations, and well-researched books can only go so far in preparing new moms for what lies ahead.

Great Expectations Meet the Reality of Motherhood
Regardless of how prepared moms were for motherhood, more than half (51%) still found themselves in surprising situations they hadn't anticipated. Despite their best efforts to envision what motherhood entails, nearly four in five (79%) found post-baby life to be more chaotic than expected.  And 51% admitted that being a mom is more work than they ever imagined.

Unexpected curveballs and situations provided the biggest surprises (and embarrassments!).  The moms surveyed had no shortage of examples, including:

• Water, water everywhere – all over the bathroom floor  (57%)
• A poop explosion covering baby's clothes (42%)
• "Unidentified" diaper smells  (34%)
• It's bathtime – get mom a raincoat!  (37%)
• Baby spit up – on someone other than mom!  (30%)
• More food "on" baby than "in" baby (30%)
• Baby "passed wind" in a crowded public space (20%)
• Baby went to the bathroom -- on someone!  (16%)

The Appeal of the Familiar Amidst the Chaos  
Amidst all of the unexpected, how did moms find comfort?  One way was the lure of familiar baby products.  Over 70% said that they seek out recognizable brand names or those that have been recommended by family and friends. 

"With so much information coming at new moms from every direction, sometimes a simple, time-tested solution is the reassurance she needs.  Baby Magic has been dedicated to providing innovative products for over 61 years, and we're proud to be an important part of mom's daily routine," said Peter Song, Executive Vice President at Baby Magic. 

Would Mom Change A Thing?
Despite the gap between post-baby expectations and reality, as well as  all of the ups and downs that come with parenthood, when it comes to their babies new moms wouldn't change a thing.  Nearly four in five still found magic in the everyday moments with their baby (79%) and would not trade their experiences for anything in the world (79%).  In addition, 54% thought that their baby's first laugh or steps were their most memorable moments.

And Thank Heavens For Dad
Mom is not afraid to ask for assistance, especially from her spouse. The survey showed that while moms appreciate their one-on-one time with their babies, dads often lend a hand in lightening the load.  Among those fathers who play an active role in their baby's life, three in five assisted in diaper changing (60%), while nearly half took on meal (49%), bath (49%), and bed (47%) time duties.

Baby Magic's products range in price from $3.99 to $6.99 and are available nationally at Toys "R" Us, Babies "R" Us and other retailers that can be found at www.BabyMagic.com.

About Baby Magic
Baby Magic is a part of Naterra International, Inc. Since 1922, Naterra International, Inc. has been making exceptional quality beauty and skin care products that emphasize the true beauty of life. Naterra International, Inc. is a leading United States manufacturer and marketer of beauty, baby care and personal care products. Naterra works alongside its sister manufacturing company to produce several nationally recognized retail brands.

*About the Survey
An online survey of 506 mothers with children ages three and under was conducted by Kelton on behalf of Baby Magic between April 16th and 23rd, 2012. In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 4.4 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.

Current  
Simone McDermid
[email protected]
212.445.8456

SOURCE Baby Magic