Philips Avent has launched ‘A Mum Is Born’, a new campaign aimed at strengthening the support network around new mothers, after research found that over half of mums believe motherhood is harder today than ever before. The campaign launched on 18th August 2026 and includes a specially commissioned mural at Westfield White City in London.
Modern mums are carrying more
The research, commissioned by Philips Avent, found that 55% of mums aged 25 to 44 believe motherhood is tougher now than it used to be. Six in ten mums who described their experience as difficult said they rarely get time to themselves, and 42% pointed to the loss of a traditional support network, often called “the village”, as the reason.
The study also found that 95% of mums feel they carry most of the mental load at home, and over a quarter said shame stops them asking for help. Four in ten said embarrassment holds them back from admitting they’re struggling.
Small moments make a big difference
The good news from the research is that support really does help. Among mums who described motherhood as easy, nearly two-fifths had family nearby who helped regularly, and a quarter credited a large support system. Remarkably, 85% of all mums said that small moments of acknowledgement would make a real difference to how they feel day-to-day.
Mums said the most helpful things a village could do include offering to watch the baby so mum can rest, checking in regularly rather than just in the early weeks, and offering specific help instead of a vague “let me know if you need anything”.
A mural to mobilise the village
To bring the research to life, Philips Avent partnered with artist and mother Kelly Anna to create a mural celebrating the moment a mother is born. Members of the public were invited to help complete the artwork and share their own reflections on how their village has supported them.
Kelly Anna said the piece was designed as a call to action rather than just an image, adding that everyone who contributed to the mural was making a promise to show up for new mums.
Marci El-Deiry, Business Leader for Mother and Child Care at Philips, said the campaign is about recognising that a mother is born alongside her baby, and that after 40 years supporting families, Philips Avent has learned mothers don’t need perfection, they need their village.
The public can join in by sharing a pledge on social media using #ShareTheCare.
What’s coming next
Philips Avent has also confirmed a postpartum mode is coming soon to its Pregnancy+ app, adding a daily wellbeing check-in for mums alongside baby care tools and weekly guidance through the postpartum period.
