Why moms say the sleepless nights are worth it

Nine in 10 moms said being a mother is both the hardest and the most rewarding thing they’ve ever done, according to new research.

The survey of 2,000 moms with a child between the ages of 1–6 found 93% of respondents agreed with this sentiment — recognizing the joy and the challenges that come with being a mother.

To help as they navigate motherhood, respondents were asked what advice they’d like to give themselves, if they could go back to when their baby was born.

“Be brave,” “be patient” and “the kids need a happy mom, not a perfect one” are all things moms wish they could go back in time to tell themselves. Other helpful tips included a reminder “that your baby loves you unconditionally and you are doing great” — and “it is going to be okay, and the lack of sleep will be worth it.”

Another shared, “Give yourself grace — perfection isn’t the goal. Ask for help, sleep when you can and know this chaos is love in its purest form.”

Commissioned by Sunsweet Growers Inc. (https://www.sunsweet.com) and conducted by Talker Research ahead of Mother’s Day, the survey found this advice may come in handy, as nine in 10 moms agreed — no one can ever be 100% prepared to be a parent.

When asked what surprised them about being a parent, about a third weren’t expecting the feeling of isolation that can come from being a new mom (35%) — or how hard it was to keep up healthy habits for themselves (33%).

Part of why it might be hard to maintain healthy habits is because of how different mealtime looks with a little one at home: About a third of respondents’ diet is made up of food originally for their kid.

Moms surveyed said about 16% of their diet consists of leftovers from their child (the sandwich crusts left on their plates, other foods they don’t want to eat, etc.) — while 17% is made up of snacks they purchased for their child.

After having a child, it’s not only their own healthy habits that respondents are worried about: 91% said they want to set their child up for healthy habits at a young age.

Parents are encouraging these healthy habits by giving their little ones different kinds of foods to try (61%), encouraging them to play outside (58%) and trying to instill a love of learning in them (58%).

That’s in addition to teaching them about different emotions (55%), ensuring they have a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and veggies (54%) and limiting the amount of sugar and treats they have (50%).

“Starting healthy habits at a young age creates a routine that when your body feels good, everything else feels good, too,” said Sunsweet’s CJ McClellan, Vice President of Marketing, North America. “We hear often that eating well — for example, including veggies and fruits like prunes and prune juice in diets — began at childhood, and we appreciate seeing this lesson instilled in the next generation too.”

To encourage healthy eating habits, moms surveyed are giving their kids different healthy options and letting them have a choice (57%), ensuring their favorite healthy snacks are always on hand (47%) and making healthy options “fun” (43%).

Moms are likely modeling these healthy habits, too. The survey found 63% of moms surveyed often enjoy the same snack as their child, perhaps to ensure they instill healthy habits from the beginning.

When they select snacks for their children, moms are looking for certain qualities: it has key nutrients (fiber, potassium, vitamin K) (21%), is easy to prepare (18%) and has “clean labels” (no artificial sweeteners, colors, etc.) (17%). Another thing moms look for is foods that will help their child’s digestive health (79%).

This is also true for juice. The vast majority of kids drink juice, and when picking juice for their children, some of the factors moms look for include 100% juice options (78%), no artificial flavors (38%) and other functional benefits (such as digestive health) (17%).

“Research shows that both kids and adults don’t consume enough fiber, yet only 21% of moms are looking for these nutrients in their snacks,” said McClellan. “Prunes and prune juice are perfect for moms and families who are looking for sweet and tasty options that offer so many benefits.”