Survey Asks, What’s the Most Stressful Number of Kids?

Tuesday, May 7th, 2013

A survey of more than 7,000 mothers conducted by TodayMoms.com asked what the most stressful number of kids is in a family, and the verdict was–three kids.  More from Today.com:

Mothers of three children stress more than moms of one or two, while mothers of four or more children actually report lower stress levels, according to an exclusive TODAYMoms.com survey of more than 7,000 U.S. mothers released Monday. Call it the Duggar effect: Once you get a certain critical mass of kids, life seems to get a bit easier.

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the most stressed, the average mom in our survey puts herself at 8.5. What’s stressing moms out? Plenty, from money worries to balancing the demands of work and home to feeling like her husband is sometimes just another big kid demanding attention. But the big secret of mom stress is that a lot of it comes from within: 75 percent of mothers said they stress more about the pressure they put on themselves to be “perfect” than they do the pressure or judgment they get from other moms.

“You always hear about the mommy wars, but I feel like we’re judging ourselves more harshly than anyone else,” says Jill Smokler, 35, “Scary Mommy” blogger and author of “Motherhood Comes Naturally (And Other Vicious Lies).” And she should know from stress: She has three kids, and totally agrees that it’s the most stressful number.

“Going from one to two was an easy, breezy transition,” says Smokler, a Baltimore mom whose children are 5, 7 and 9. “Two to three, everything was turned upside down. I do not feel like I have it together. You only have two hands! Just crossing the street and not being able to physically hold all their hands I find tremendously stressful.”

More stress nuggets from the online survey of 7,164 U.S. mothers, conducted the week of April 17 by TODAY.com and Insight Express:

• 46 percent of moms say their husbands/partners cause them more stress than their kids do.
• 72 percent of moms stress about how stressed they are.
• Biggest cause of stress: 60 percent say it’s lack of time to do everything that needs to get done.
• 60 percent of moms say raising girls is more stressful than raising boys.
• Nine out of 10 moms stress about staying fit and attractive.

Dr. Janet Taylor, a psychiatrist in New York and TODAY contributor, said mom stress is a problem she sees daily in her practice.

“Moms are acutely aware of the fact they do not have the time to take care of their own needs,” Taylor said. Forget reading a book, exercising or fun hobbies: Some moms barely have time to shower.

“Before you’re a mom, you take that for granted,” Taylor said. “When you are a mom you just don’t have the time.”

Image: 3 kids, via Shutterstock

Jenna Bush Hager Gives Birth to Baby Girl

Monday, April 15th, 2013

Jenna Bush Hager, one of former President George W. Bush’s twin daughters, has given birth to a daughter of her own, named Margaret Laura ‘‘Mila’” Hager, as The Associated Press reports:

The former president says the baby was named for her grandmothers.

He says he and former first lady Laura Bush met their ‘‘beautiful granddaughter today,’’ adding, ‘‘Jenna and Mila are healthy. And our family is elated.’’

This is a big month for the family. The George W. Bush Presidential Center will be dedicated April 25 on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

Nearly 1/3 of Moms ‘Hate Their Bodies,’ Survey Finds

Thursday, February 14th, 2013

A survey of more than 3,000 mothers conducted by The Today Show has revealed that 31 percent of moms use the word “hate” in describing their body image.  The survey was conducted online, and is not a scientific finding, but it is an interesting window into how mothers see themselves and their bodies.  More from Today.com:

Almost two-thirds of women say they worry their partner doesn’t like their body, according to our online, unscientific poll. Two-thirds of moms also say images of Hollywood moms looking super-fit after having a baby make them feel worse about themselves.

“We live in a culture of judgment, and a culture that really expects women to be perfect and have perfect bodies no matter what else you have going on in your life,” says Michelle Noehren, creator of the CT Working Moms blog and the mom of a toddler who bared her not-so-perfect tummy in a moms’ photoshoot that went viral last year. As the heaviest member of the group, she got grateful responses from many women – but she also bore the brunt of nasty criticism.

Some days, she’s her own worst critic.

“I think to myself, ‘I still can’t fit into any of the clothes that I had before pregnancy’,” she said. “Sometimes I just wish I could put those pants on and wear them to work and feel comfortable again. My husband tells me I’m beautiful all the time, but sometimes I worry that I’m not as attractive to him as I used to be.”

Image: Woman looking in mirror, via Shutterstock