Parents want to be able to enjoy the time spent with their kids
Two-thirds of stay-at-home mums employ childcare in order to recharge and enable better quality time with their children.
One in ten of these mums are forking out up to 20 per cent of family income to pay for the extra help.
The new study also reveals that one in five are so exhausted by the pressures of parenting that they only enjoy half the time they spend with their toddlers.
The findings emerge from a study of 2,200 mums with pre-school age children by TV channel Cartoonito as it launches a Facebook community for parents. It highlights the all-consuming and often demanding role of parenting young children.
The research found that whilst some parents may be staying at home, they are far from indulging themselves, as 70 per cent say that they use their child-free time to do housework and family shopping; a third simply catch up on sleep.
Family psychologoist and parenting expert Dr Pat Spungin encourages all mums to get some help. She explains:
"Mums certainly shouldn't feel bad about enlisting some support so they can take some time out for themselves. Everyone jokes about the 'terrible twos' but for many mums, the pre-school years can be incredibly stressful - especially if you are a stay at home mum without the relative respite of a job to go to. Toddlers are mini whirlwinds with boundless energy researves and a million quesitons on a good day, and terrific tantrums on bad days.
"Motherhood is a full-time job. Past generations would have had extended family to call on to share the load, but these days many mums live miles apart from their extended families and so they have to rely on professionals if they want a break."
Over two-thirds of all mums wish for just an hor or two child-free time a week and 43 per cent said they would emply more childcare if they could afford it.
Amongst the mums who didn't use any childcare whatsoever, 22 per cent said that guilt was the reason.
Dr Spungin adds: "While it is true that babies and toddlers are most comfortable with their parents, limited contact with other caring adults and other children to play with allows mums to have a little time to themselves."