New parents find parenting more stressful than anticipated – and GPs can help reduce parental anxiety

Parents reported high levels of anxiety, feelings of guilt and loneliness, a new survey from the Infant & Toddler Forum (ITF) has found. However, GPs can play a vital role in supporting new parents through the first year. The survey, which looked at responses of 1,000 parents with children under three years of age, found that parents generally find parenting more pressured than they had anticipated. In addition, more than 60% said they felt more anxious, judged, guilty and lonely (53%) than expected. Supporting data from 120 healthcare professionals, comprising GPs, pharmacists, and health visitors, clarified the scale of parental