Moms Cherish the Kicks, Not the Labor

Moms Cherish the Kicks, Not the Labor
As 1.6 Million New Moms Celebrate Their First Mother's Day, Babies 'R' Us Poll
Findings Reveal Most Memorable Moments of Pregnancy 


WAYNE, N.J., May 6  /PRNewswire/ -- The most memorable moment of pregnancy for
mothers is not what you might expect, according to the second annual Babies "R"
Us "All About Mom" opinion poll, which examines the expectations, plans and
concerns of new and expectant mothers.  Among the first-time moms who
participated in this year's survey, 37% reported that feeling the baby
move/kick for the first time was the most memorable moment for them, 21% said
it was experiencing the sonogram/ultrasound, while only 2% stated it was the
birth itself.  The results were similar for "experienced" moms (those with more
than one child), with 23% saying it was feeling the baby kick/move, 22% stating
it was experiencing the sonogram/ultrasound, and again, only 2% reporting it
was giving birth.

Boy or Girl?

Another interesting finding is the number of moms who knew the baby's gender
before the baby was born.  A whopping 89% of experienced moms and 81% of
first-time moms found out whether they were having a boy or girl in advance. 
What topped the list of most popular baby names this year?  For boys, John and
Ethan tied for first place, while Elizabeth and Madison were the number one and
two most popular names for girls.

Juggling Work & Family

According to this year's survey, moms are returning to work sooner than they
did last year.  Of those planning to return to work, 35% say they'll be
juggling work and family just two months after giving birth.  Another 32% say
they'll be back at work after three months.  Only 5% of the mothers planning to
go back to work said they'd take six months before returning.

The poll also showed that moms returning to work after their pregnancy turn to
a variety of resources for childcare.  The top choice for childcare is one's
own mother or mother-in-law (36%), followed by a day care facility separate
from work (32%) one's husband or significant other (30%), and other relative
(17%).

"For busy women today, the happy news of a baby on the way requires both quick
learning and intensive planning so the baby's arrival can be as enjoyable and
easy as possible on the new mom," said Sue Montecallo, Vice President
Marketing, Babies "R" Us.  "While having a baby is one of the most wonderful
times in a mother's life, it can also be rather overwhelming.  Our poll
findings reveal how today's moms are equipping themselves with the resources
and knowledge they need to prepare for the challenges and joys of motherhood,
including taking childbirth classes, accessing the Internet, planning the
baby's nursery, and making work-related and childcare decisions."

Surprising Worries

What keeps pregnant women up at night?  Among a list of top concerns among
first-time and experienced moms, the health of the child ranked number one
(87%), followed by being a good parent (77%), money for their child's education
(61%), weight loss after pregnancy (57%) and finding daycare after returning to
work (53%).  Believe it or not, getting enough sleep was not one of the major
concerns among the sample.

Moms' preferred resources for baby information tend to vary by age.  For
mothers under 25 years old, mothers and other female relatives are the most
important pregnancy information source (78%), while the Internet grows in
importance with older moms.  Eighty three percent of mothers over the age of 35
cite the Internet as their preferred information source on pregnancy.

Dads Always Surprise

While fathers are typically quite thoughtful on Mother's Day -- letting the new
mom enjoy breakfast in bed or some other personal indulgence -- the poll
indicates that dads may still help less with diapers and bathing than the
modern mom anticipates.  While they're expecting, 95% of moms-in-waiting
predict that the child's father will definitely change diapers.  Seven percent
fewer recently delivered mothers, or 88%, say that dads actually deal with
dirty diapers once the task is a reality.  Surprise!!  Similarly, 86% of
pregnant women assume the baby's father will help with bathing baby; that
number drops by 24% to 62% who report they are getting help in the bathing
department once their newborn has arrived.

On the bright side, 34% of the new mothers report that fathers are pitching in
to care for the older children once the baby is born; that's a full 10% more
than the 24% of expectant mothers who predict this will occur. One strong
possibility:  men are more comfortable caring for children as they grow older,
with tasks like diaper changing and bathing still the domain of the mother.

Another interesting "surprise" is how many women are caught off guard by the
news that they are pregnant.  Almost half (47%) of experienced mothers report
that their pregnancy was not planned.  Among first-timers, the surprise factor
is lower, but still 37% say that their first pregnancy was not a planned one.

The Sample

Opinions and preferences were expressed by a sample of 1,000 new moms and
moms-to-be when it comes to pregnancy, the baby shower, buying decisions,
education, the birthing process, baby naming and raising the baby. All 1,000
participants in the poll, which was conducted by InsightExpress, are
participants in the Babies "R" Us Baby Registry and 71% are first time moms.
The majority of expectant mothers were in their last trimester and recently
delivered moms had their babies within six months of being surveyed.  Of those
surveyed, the majority is between the ages of 25 and 34, attended some or up to
4 years of college.  The participants live in different parts of the United
States and span a range of household incomes; many work and more than 90%
percent are married or living with their significant other.  The results of the
opinion poll were weighted to give equal influence to both groups of moms and
expectant moms.  For more information about the Babies "R" Us  "All About Mom"
Opinion Poll, please contact Erin Schiffman at [phone].

About Babies "R" Us

Babies "R" Us is the nation's premier baby products retailer and specialty
store chain and a leader in the juvenile industry.  Since opening its first
store in Westbury, NY in early 1996, the company has grown to 200 locations
nationwide.  The stores feature a wide selection of products for newborns and
infants, including: cribs and furniture, car seats, strollers, formula,
diapers, health and beauty aids, bedding, clothing for preemies through size 48
months, toys, and plenty of gift ideas.  The Babies "R" Us Baby Registry
reaches more expectant parents than any other retailer in the country. 

DATASOURCE: Babies "R" Us



CONTACT:  Erin Schiffman of Ketchum, [phone],

, for Babies "R" Us; or Pamela Faatz of Babies "R"

Us, [phone],  

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