Another big shift I expected before Spencer was born, and have come to accept, is the new time pressures each day. The survey says I am not alone. New parents increasingly find themselves wanting more time to exercise (42 per cent vs. 21 per cent for baby boomers), to spend more time with their partner (46 per cent vs.26 per cent), sleep (70 per cent vs. 60 per cent) and socialise with friends (25 per cent vs. 11 per cent).
Today’s parents believe their first offspring is a lot more disruptive to their lives than baby boomers did. Modern mothers say they're less able to enjoy leisure and social activities, and new fathers attribute this complaint to a loss of rest and relaxation. I do my best to balance this by giving my wife alone time while I take the baby away, and she still allows me time to visit the pub.
Next up, the "S" word! Nope, not talking about dirty nappies (otherwise known as "code browns" in my home). I'm talking about sleep. Researchers found that despite all the extra support available for Gen Y parents, sleep deprivation is just as prevalent as it was for our grandparents.
On average, mothers manage 4.8-5.5 hours of shut eye per night – an unattractive 2-4 hours less than the recommended sleep range. Comparatively, fathers receive between 5.4-5.9 hours per night.
Finally, the biggest worry Fisher-Price found is the one thing often too hard to discuss. Cash! The impact on family finances has presented the greatest level of concern for first-time parents across all generations. While the Federal Government gives us pretty generous parental leave support, it's not the same as a full time income to support a family.
With financial pressures in mind, only 58 per cent of new mothers from Gen Y take a full year off work. While taking more time off than previous generations, almost one quarter of new mums admitted to doing some paid work during maternity leave.
So if any of these figures were relatable to you as a new parent, it means you're not alone. I have not received any freebies from Fisher-Price to use their research, just the knowledge that my experience as a new dad, with the daily exhaustion, financial pressures and "code browns", is just the way it's meant to be.