Hypnobirthing, gender reveal parties, and “bump” photoshoots are among the fastest-rising pregnancy trends – but wetting the newborn’s head is becoming a thing of the past, research has found. A poll of 2,000 parents found that elaborate social media pregnancy reveals, baby showers, and “babymoons” have also seen a huge rise in popularity since 2020.
But in a sign of more modern times, just one in 10 new fathers still indulge in wetting the baby’s head – a tradition where dads head to the pub to toast the birth.
NHS antenatal classes have also dropped in popularity – although private sessions, like the National Childbirth Trust, have seen a 128 percent increase.
A spokesman for Vitabiotics Pregnacare, which commissioned the research, said: “Some trends come and go in life, and the same seems to be true for pregnancy.
“Social media and celebrity trends mean there are things which are now becoming a staple part of pregnancy, that weren’t in the past.
“Whatever the latest trends, the most important thing is to do what’s right for you, never feel pressured by social media, and enjoy every moment you can.”
The study found the number of parents filming the reaction of friends and family as they reveal their pregnancy news has risen by a huge 600 percent since the start of 2020.
And the number of mums turning to hypnobirthing has risen by 500 percent – from just two percent of those who had their baby pre-2020, to 12 percent who have given birth more recently.
Parties to reveal either the baby’s gender or name have also risen by 500 percent, while announcing the pregnancy with an elaborate social media post has gone from just three percent to 15 percent of parents – an increase of 400 percent.
Other trends that have seen a rise in popularity since the turn of the decade include bump painting (up 300 percent), 4D scans (up 225 percent), and setting up a social media account for the baby (also up 300 percent).
It also emerged that while 52 percent of parents-to-be took part in such things to help them feel prepared for the birth, one in three wanted to ensure they made plenty of memories (34 percent) – and 16 percent just wanted to make the pregnancy as fun as possible.
However, 76 percent of those polled, via OnePoll, acknowledged that some trends are now a little on the extreme side, as things like gender reveal parties and pregnancy announcements become more extravagant.
And the same percentage feel traditional pregnancy activities have changed since they had their first child, as 16 percent are now influenced by celebrities or social media.
The spokesman for Vitabiotics Pregnacare added: “A lot has changed around pregnancy in recent years – but the importance of good nutrition is one thing that remains a constant.
“It’s also interesting to see the percentage of women taking pregnancy supplements has increased in line with many of the other trends.”
