A NEW mother in York has spoken out about the growing problems of isolation as traditional support from family and friends declines.

A new report from leading parenting charity, the NCT, has revealed that mums are increasingly isolated due to the breakdown of traditional family support networks and the impact of public spending cuts as support services are reduced.

A OnePoll survey commissioned by the charity has shown that one in three mothers in the region said they didn’t know any other new parents in their local area when they had their first baby.

NCT Parent Support Co-ordinator for York, Karin Fothergill, said many of the mums who took part in the research didn’t know where to go and who to meet up with in their local area in the first months after giving birth. “This is incredibly worrying at such a crucial time in people’s lives,” she said.

She said the NCT’s Bumps & Babies network, local groups open to all and organised by parents, offered a lifeline, providing opportunities to socialise, share concerns and learn from each other.

Izzy Psyanczyn, 28, of Huntington, who attended a Bumps & Babies group in York with her son Freddie, said when she became pregnant, she did not know many other mums and not a soul locally.

She said: “Bumps & Babies was brilliant for me. The room was full of friendly faces and cups of tea! I received help and support from the group during a difficult time when I was having problems breastfeeding.”