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12:00 AM 26th October 2024
family

New Parents In Y&H Say ‘Extra Hour’ Is A Myth – 75% Won’t Feel The Benefit When The Clocks Go Back

 
As the clocks change this October, many people welcome the extra hour. But for new parents in the Yorkshire and the Humber region, it’s a different story. With babies still waking up as normal and feeding routines continuing throughout the day (and night), time remains in short supply – no matter what the clock says.

A recent survey of new parents by Lansinoh reveals:
Over two-thirds (69%) of parents in Yorkshire and the Humber spend up to 6 hours a day feeding their baby during the first month.
Three-quarters (75%) of Yorkshire and the Humber parents say they won’t enjoy the extra hour when the clocks go back, rising to 79% of Leeds parents.
Two-thirds (66%) of Sheffield parents would choose to sleep if they had an extra hour to themselves.


For many people, the clocks going back means an extra hour in bed – but for new parents across Yorkshire and the Humber, that’s not the case. A new survey from breast feeding experts, Lansinoh, reveals that three-quarters of new parents in the region won’t enjoy that extra hour at all. Why? Because over half (51%) say their children will wake up at the same time as they usually do, rising to 56% of Sheffield parents.

The reason for this is a newborn baby’s circadian rhythm or sleep-wake cycle is not fully developed at birth. In adults, the circadian rhythm is regulated by an internal body clock, influenced by light and darkness, and typically follows a 24-hour cycle. Since newborns lack this regulation, they have irregular sleep-wake patterns during the first few months of life – and have tiny tummies which need feeding little and often – explaining why many babies are unaffected by the clocks changing.

So while their babies are settling into a sleep routine, the idea of an “extra hour” for new parents is more of a myth than reality.

How new parents would really spend the extra hour

If you’re a parent of a newborn, life revolves around feeding, changing, and squeezing in whatever rest or sleep you can. When asked what they’d do with an actual extra hour, two-thirds of Sheffield parents and half of Leeds parents said they’d choose sleep over anything else. This is understandable – when dealing with night feeds and nappy changes, sleep is often the first thing to go.

For others, that bonus hour would be filled with self-care and relaxation. Almost half (46%) of Leeds parents said they’d spend it looking after themselves, whether that’s a hot bath, a quick workout, or simply putting their feet up. 1 in 10 Sheffield parents would choose to go out for a meal.

But while parenthood may feel exhausting and all-consuming in the early months, this phase is temporary, and new parents should aim to prioritise their own needs (like sleeping, eating, and relaxing) when they can. With time, as babies grow and settle into a more regular circadian rhythm, their feeding demands will ease, making it easier for parents to balance their baby’s needs with their own.

Lansinoh wearable breast pump
Lansinoh wearable breast pump
New parents are surprised at the amount of time spent feeding their baby

One of the biggest surprises of parenthood isn’t just the sleepless nights – it’s the sheer amount of feeding time mixed in with nappy changing, burping, putting to sleep, and cluster feeding. In the first month, a baby feeds between 8 and 12 times per 24-hour period as their tummies are so small, and over two-thirds (69%) of parents in Yorkshire and the Humber spend up to 6 hours a day on their baby’s feeding routine. A baby feeds anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes at a time, and cluster feeding can take a few hours. Whether breast or formula fed, babies cluster feed when they are having a growth spurt, and they need feeding little and often during this time. Despite 15% of parents still spending 5-6 hours on their baby’s feeding routine after six months, for the majority of children, the amount of feeding time reduces once they start eating solid food after the six-month milestone.

It’s no wonder that almost half of Sheffield (47%) parents feel they’re spending more time looking after their baby than they ever imagined. While feeding and caring for their baby can be a special bonding experience for new parents, it also comes as a surprise to many – with almost half (49%) of new parents in Leeds admitting they felt unprepared for just how much their baby needs them round the clock.

Sasha Singh, Senior Global Healthcare Marketing Manager for Lansinoh explains, “We know how overwhelming those early months can be for new parents, especially with the amount of time they must devote to feeding. At Lansinoh, we want to give mums more flexibility. Our new cordless, hands-free Wearable Breast Pump is designed to help them make the most of their time, making it possible to express on the go and reclaim some time for themselves. We’re here to support parents through those demanding first weeks and months so they can focus on what matters most to them and their baby.”

As the clocks go back this autumn and parents across Yorkshire and the Humber brace themselves for yet another night of disrupted sleep, it’s clear that for new parents, the extra hour may not mean what it does for everyone else. But for those precious moments – whether it’s grabbing an extra nap or catching an episode of their favourite show – Lansinoh is here to help make life easier.



The Wearable Breast Pump is available from https://lansinoh.co.uk/

Single Wearable Pump is £79.99 & the Double Wearable Pump is £149.99