# More than half of new parents feel lonely despite ‘village’ of support

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/more-than-half-of-new-parents-feel-lonely-despite-village-of-support/
- Published: 2026-11-04T16:38:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-04T17:41:11+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Express (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2263232/new-parents-lonely-village-support
- Topics: World

## Key points

- 53% of parents reported loneliness in the first 1,000 days.
- Parents averaged three support sources, against eight recommended.
- Sleep loss and information overload may add to the strain.

## Summary

A Europe-wide study found that 53% of parents felt lonely during the first 1,000 days after having a child, even though two thirds said they had a support network. The findings highlight that having people around does not necessarily mean parents feel adequately supported, at a time that can be demanding for both families and babies.

The survey covered 4,339 parents, including 500 in the UK, and 425 paediatricians across nine countries. Parents reported an average of three sources of support, compared with eight recommended by paediatricians in a separate survey; common sources included partners or themselves (72%), family (70%) and friends (51%). UK parents said they lost an average of five and a half hours of sleep a week, while 42% of European parents felt overwhelmed by parenting advice.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.