Why statues are wearing 'forced smiles' for Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week
If you're a mum, you likely know the feeling of forcing a smile through exhaustion, anxiety and overwhelm. In fact, 58% of mothers say they don't think anyone realises how lonely they are, so they simply smile and carry on.
Plus, a huge 43% of new mums have never told anyone how they really feel, according to research by Tommee Tippee and women's social network Peanut. The survey of 2,000 mums found most fear being a burden or believe they should just 'get on with it', stopping them from opening up about their mental health. Yet, 75% of them experience difficulties including loneliness during the first three months postpartum.
The stats have been published during Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, with 'forced smiles' being added to eight statues of women around London to raise awareness about the impact. The yellow smiles were added to statues including the Bronze Woman, Emmeline Pankhurst, Millicent Fawcett, and Mother and Baby.
The campaign was launched to break the stigma of how hard motherhood is, with the research finding 69% of women reporting a loss of self, 63% experiencing a collapse in confidence, and 54% finding this time particularly isolating.
'Mothers are forcing smiles outwardly and then suffering alone across the UK,' says Michelle Kennedy, CEO of Peanut. 'Motherhood is the ultimate "Instagram vs reality" moment – and mothers feel they should be so happy to have a healthy baby that their feelings should be put on the back burner.
'This forced happiness is also making the situation far worse, as many don't realise that others are masking their true feelings too. We hope that this campaign will highlight to mums everywhere that they are not alone, they don't have to just "keep calm and carry on smiling", and that help is out there.'
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08-05-2025
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Why statues are wearing 'forced smiles' for Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week
If you're a mum, you likely know the feeling of forcing a smile through exhaustion, anxiety and overwhelm. In fact, 58% of mothers say they don't think anyone realises how lonely they are, so they simply smile and carry on. Plus, a huge 43% of new mums have never told anyone how they really feel, according to research by Tommee Tippee and women's social network Peanut. The survey of 2,000 mums found most fear being a burden or believe they should just 'get on with it', stopping them from opening up about their mental health. Yet, 75% of them experience difficulties including loneliness during the first three months postpartum. The stats have been published during Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, with 'forced smiles' being added to eight statues of women around London to raise awareness about the impact. The yellow smiles were added to statues including the Bronze Woman, Emmeline Pankhurst, Millicent Fawcett, and Mother and Baby. The campaign was launched to break the stigma of how hard motherhood is, with the research finding 69% of women reporting a loss of self, 63% experiencing a collapse in confidence, and 54% finding this time particularly isolating. 'Mothers are forcing smiles outwardly and then suffering alone across the UK,' says Michelle Kennedy, CEO of Peanut. 'Motherhood is the ultimate "Instagram vs reality" moment – and mothers feel they should be so happy to have a healthy baby that their feelings should be put on the back burner. 'This forced happiness is also making the situation far worse, as many don't realise that others are masking their true feelings too. We hope that this campaign will highlight to mums everywhere that they are not alone, they don't have to just "keep calm and carry on smiling", and that help is out there.' You Might Also Like 13 Buys To Help You Feel Great From £5 16 Speedo Swimsuits that Won't Flash Your Bum When Getting Swim-fit 11 Best Gym Trainers for Different Types of Workouts
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Metro man's friends step in to help after his dog needs surgery
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4 Specific Signs You May Be Experiencing Parental Burnout
Most mums (81%) have experienced burnout, according to a new survey. The Peanut app and Tommee Tippee asked 2,000 mothers in the UK about some of the biggest challenges they face, and identified parenting guilt, loss of identity and finding time for themselves as the top three. Issues that cropped up included struggling to find time for themselves, the cost of raising children, balancing work and home life, and feeling overwhelmed by all the information out there on how to be a good parent. So it's really no wonder many mothers are feeling frayed and burnt out. One of the parents involved in the study, Peggy, said: 'It's hard finding time for myself and not letting my identity be swallowed by just being a mother. I find I burn out quickly and experience periods of depression if I don't have a good balance.' Parental burnout is defined as a prolonged response to chronic and overwhelming parental stress. Financial insecurity, lack of support and social isolation have all been found to be risk factors for it. Single parents, parents of SEND children, and immigrant parents are also more at risk because of the extra pressures they face. We all know burnout is a state of physical and emotional exhaustion – often caused by our jobs. Some common signs, according to Mental Health UK, include feeling constantly tired, helpless/trapped and detached, as well as having a negative outlook, experiencing self-doubt, procrastinating a lot and feeling overwhelmed. Dr Emma Svanberg, author of Parenting For Humans, previously told HuffPost UK there are overlaps between burnout and parental burnout as they share that same sense of overwhelm and exhaustion. But there are also some more specific signs of parental burnout to watch out for, such as: Exhaustion in your parental role. 'It's that kind of tiredness where it doesn't really matter how much you sleep, you still wake up in the morning feeling really bone-tired,' says Dr Svanberg. Noticing your parenting has changed and is different to how you would normally parent. Feeling fed up with your parental role. 'You feel that you're not very good at your 'job' – so you feel like you're not being the parent that you want to be anymore,' adds the psychologist. Emotional distancing from your children. You might emotionally withdraw from your kids because you can't physically withdraw from them. If you feel like you might be burnt out, Dr Svanberg shared some tips for helping yourself: Seek support from friends, family members and neighbours to 'bring in a village'. Prioritise deep rest – this might look like a hot bath with the lights off, lying in a dark room, or going for a nice massage if that's something you can afford. It might also look like turning off your phone, reducing your caffeine intake and making sure you're eating well. Lighten your load – if you've got a to-do list as long as your arm, it's time to offload jobs onto your partner or children and only prioritise jobs that are essential. Reset the nervous system. According to Healthline, breathing exercises, weighted blankets, hot baths, warm hugs, eating healthy fats (think avocado and nuts), lifting weights and taking a break (when possible) can all help with this. If it's affecting day-to-day life, reach out to your GP, midwife or health visitor about how you're feeling. If you can afford to pay privately for therapy, that can also help. Parents Are Still Struggling With Burnout, Three Years On From Lockdown Experts Want You To Avoid TikTok's Hustle Culture So You Don't Burn Out Suffering From Burnout At Work? 'Quiet Fridays' Could Be The Answer Someone Calculated How Much You'd Be Paid For All The Unpaid Labour You Do As A Parent
