A new study by MyVouchCodes has revealed that two fifths of British women in relationships feel 'pressured' by others to have their first child; with mother-in-laws being cited as the top culprits.
Mother-in-laws may pressure women to have kids
As part of ongoing research into Britons' family plans, MyVoucherCodes wanted to find out more about how women already in a relationship feel about the idea of having their first child in the near future.
www.MyVoucherCodes.co.uk polled 1,328 women aged 25 and over in relationships across the UK, and initially asked ‘Are you planning on having a child anytime soon?’. All of the respondents had been in a relationship for at least one year and had no children.
A quarter of the respondents answered yes whilst 35 per cent admitted to feeling ‘unsure’ about having a child soon. The remaining 39 per cent of respondents gave a definite 'no' answer.
All of the women taking part were then asked whether or not they felt at all 'pressured' by others to have a baby, to which two fifths said yes.
All of those who admitted to feeling pressured by others were then asked to state why and who in particular they thought was pressuring them the most to have a child. They were shown a list of possible responses and were able to choose multiple answers.
According to the research, the top five most common culprits pressuring respondents into having their first child were as follows:
1. Mother-in-law (or partner's mother) - 51%
2. Mother - 43%
3. Partner - 41%
4. Sister - 32%
5. Best friend - 27%
In addition, respondents who felt pressured by others were asked if any other factors made them feel pressured into having their first child. 'Getting older’ was cited by 15 per cent, whilst another 24 per cent explained that they felt a certain amount of pressure, as they were the only one in their friendship group who didn’t have children yet.
Furthermore, just under a fifth of the respondents who admitted to feeling pressured by either friends or family into having their first child also admitted that others will probably manage to ‘influence’ their final decision.
Mark Pearson, Chairman of MyVoucherCodes.co.uk, said: “Finding the right balance between work and family life can take time and it’s down to every individual to decide whether they’re ready to have a child or not. It is a huge decision, probably the biggest of anyone's life, and no one should base their decisions on pleasing others; even if it is their mother in law!
"It wasn't surprising to see mother in laws as the top 'pressure' culprits, but I think Grandchildren are usually top of the wish list when parents see their own children's adult relationships getting serious. However, no one should ever let pressure from others get to them. When the right time comes, you’ll know it.”