Discover simple ways to recharge while caring for your little ones—and join us in shaping future research on family well-being.
Participate In Our Research!
This study is part of the 3-year project funded by the UKRI Economic and Social Research Council. The study is designed to understand how parents like you stay grounded and maintain well-being before and after your baby arrives.
We offer £30 Amazon voucher for your participation. If you’d like to be part of this journey, fill out this form to express your interest!
You can scroll down below to learn more about our recent findings.
What is 3R?
1
Reframe
Many parents with partner who has returned to work often find themselves spending a significant amount of time alone with their baby, much of it at home. With Reframe, we provide supportive resources designed to help make that time more meaningful and restful, offering a space to explore what feels right for you.
2
Reclaim
With Reclaim, we offer flexible toolkits that include ideas for self-care, rest, and time management, along with reflective exercises to help you discover what fits best with your own needs and routines—no rigid guidelines, just tools to support your journey.
3
Reconnect
It’s often said that it takes a village to raise a child. With Reconnect, we provide gentle guidance and resources to help parents strengthen their support networks—whether that’s through family, friends, or community groups—offering space to explore connections that work best for you.
Our Research
Since 2022, we have interviewed 22 mothers and collected everyday data from 47 more, all of whom had children younger than 3 years old. Some participants even brought in babies just a few weeks old. With their invaluable contributions, our research has provided deep insights into this transitional period, highlighting both its complexities and challenges.
Below, you will find a summary of our findings from previous studies, where we focused on the experiences and perspectives of those who identify as mothers. As we move forward, we are expanding our focus to recognise that the well-being of the entire family—parents, partners, and caregivers—is essential to thriving during this time.
Key Take-Aways
01
Becoming a mother brings unexpected shifts in solitude—first-time moms often feel busier, lonelier, and find themselves trading hobbies and time with friends for maintenance tasks.
02
One of the less studied challenges that motherhood brings: diminishing ‘me-time,’ fewer choices in how to spend it, and the struggle to justify taking a break for yourself. The balance can feel tough to maintain.
03
Mothers spend the majority of their day caring for their babies, with just 6% of that time spent truly alone. Rest and relaxation only make up 10% of their day.
04
Having more personal time is just as important to mothers' emotional well-being as spending quality time with family and friends. It boosts daily moods and offers opportunities for rest and relaxation.