IVIL Ivillage (MM)

Survey Finds That While Motherhood Has Its Challenges, It Is Truly 'A Labor of Love' NEW YORK, Aug. 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In an age where motherhood is described as a "perfect madness," where housewives are desperate, and the spotlight has been on what some have called "the unglamorous reality of bringing up baby," iVillage.com, the number one women's community online, and Martex, a brand of WestPoint International Inc., partnered to find out what women today feel about doing what is arguably the most important job -- being a mom. Today both companies announced the results of a collaborative research project, "Motherhood: A Labor of Love," that provides glaring inconsistencies between the reality of life as moms know it versus the recent exaggerated chaos, or simplicity, of motherhood in the media. Full results of the research project can be viewed at http://www.ivillage.com/laboroflove. Key findings revealed in the survey include: * 94% of respondents feel that being a mom makes them extremely happy. * The vast majority, 90%, feel that they are doing a good job at being a mother, despite more than one-third (39%) reporting not having a role model. * More than 8 in 10 (84%) felt that being a mom is not given the respect it deserves even though 89% completely agreed that being a mother is the most important thing they'll ever do. * 67% said that they personally make 80% or more of household purchases and bear the brunt of responsibility for household chores, along with the majority of responsibility for raising their children. Kellie Gould, Editor-in-Chief of iVillage said, "Thousands of women shared their deepest insights and revelations about what being a mom means to them. The results of our survey show that far from being miserable, moms today are deeply satisfied and extremely happy. While moms often find themselves pulled in many directions, they also take pleasure in their role and responsibilities. Mothers don't necessarily want to have everything and to do it all -- they mostly want what's best for their children - and thrive on that goal." Moms Are Extremely Happy Despite being in an age of the emergence of the "alpha mom" and attention on the turmoil of motherhood as reflected in the book Perfect Madness and the television show Desperate Housewives, the Martex/iVillage study found that an overwhelming majority of moms (94%) agree that being a mom makes them extremely happy. The vast majority (90%) also agree that they're doing a good job -regardless of whether they used or didn't use child care, were employed full-time or were homemakers, or were single or married. Gould added, "It's this feeling of a job well done, this personal recognition of being a good mother regardless of certain circumstances, that captures the essence of our findings." Labors of Love When asked the extent to which moms agree or disagree with what being a mom encompasses, 94% agreed completely that it's "a big responsibility," followed by 89% saying that it is "the most important thing they'll ever do," and 74% acknowledging that being a mom is "hard work." Despite recent portrayals of motherhood being defined by widespread feelings of guilt, anxiety, resentment and regret, most moms said that the awesome responsibility comes with awesome rewards. In fact, more moms felt that being a mom was more fun (93%) than stressful (85%). "The findings in our research do not support the stresses of motherhood as a widespread cause for concern that's reaching epidemic proportions," said Gould. "For the majority of moms, only slight changes would be required to see an improvement in their lives." The survey revealed that, given the opportunity to relive their adult life, two-thirds of moms (68%) would change only a few things, and nearly 1 in 5 (17%) wouldn't change a thing. It's all about R-E-S-P-E-C-T Despite this happiness and joy, one of the key findings in the research is that moms feel the need for more respect. Moms were asked about the extent to which they feel respected by others, and only 35% responded that moms are highly respected. In fact, more than 8 in 10 moms (84%) would say that being a mom is not given the respect it deserves. In the study, two-thirds of moms (67%) make 80% or more household purchases for things like groceries, clothes, housewares, etc. But this majority share of responsibility was shown to extend well beyond household purchases. Moms are also responsible for the majority of household chores, along with the majority of responsibility for raising their children. Approximately 73% of moms admit that household chores/responsibilities fall mostly, if not completely, on their shoulders. Only around 1 in 5 (23%) claim that these chores are shared equally. Regarding child-raising, a full two-thirds (67%) of moms claim that they are given more, if not most or all, of this responsibility. About the Survey The online data collection process for this study began in December 2004. Eligible respondents were female U.S. residents, aged 18 to 64 who had at least one child up to age 17 currently living in their household. No incentive was offered for participation. 1,568 moms completed the 37-question survey which was a mix of closed and open-end questions that sought to gauge survey respondents' perceptions on key issues relating to motherhood. About iVillage Inc. iVillage is "the Internet for women" and consists of several online and offline media-based properties that seek to enrich the lives of women, teenage girls and parents through the offering of unique content, community applications, tools and interactive features. iVillage Inc. (NASDAQ:IVIL) was established in 1995 and is headquartered in New York City. For more information about iVillage, visit http://www.ivillage.com/. About Martex Martex is a brand of WestPoint International Inc., the nation's premier home fashions consumer products company, with a wide range of bed linens, towels, blankets, comforters and accessories marketed under the well-known brand names, GRAND PATRICIAN, PATRICIAN, MARTEX, ATELIER MARTEX, BABY MARTEX, UTICA, STEVENS, LADY PEPPERELL, SEDUCTION, VELLUX and CHATHAM -- all registered trademarks owned by WestPoint International Inc. and its subsidiaries -- and under licensed brands including, CHARISMA, RALPH LAUREN HOME, DISNEY HOME and GLYNDA TURLEY. For more, visit http://www.martex.com/. DATASOURCE: iVillage CONTACT: Carl Fischer of iVillage Inc., +1-212-600-6502, ; or Jay Austin of Ogan-Dallal Associates Inc., +1-212-840-0888 ext. 19, , for Martex Web site: http://www.ivillage.com/ http://www.ivillage.com/laboroflove http://www.martex.com/

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