Moms in Asia 2020

Japanese moms are 2X as likely compared to all other Asian moms to value the convenience of online shopping. They believe convenience creates the greatest value during motherhood. Except for convenience, Japanese moms also believe online shopping offers abundant options and is easy to buy in bulk. Only 10% said they shop online for good prices.

When asked what do Asian moms want to raise their kids to be, the majority say responsible (70%), intelligent (39%), and independent(39%). 91% of the Filipino moms think a great deal of their kids being responsible. 76% of the Japanese moms want their kids to be compassionate. Meanwhile, Chinese mothers wish for their kids to be generous and courageous, going a different direction than most of the survey respondents.

Moms under 35 years old tend to claim more physical challenges such as sleep-deprivation, giving birth itself and breastfeeding, while older mothers (35+) reflect more on mental stress such as career/family balance, co-parent relationship, and managing expectations from family, friends, and society. Overall, the top challenge faced by Asian moms is a concern for the child’s wellbeing.

Moms who value the brand names of products they buy for their babies are 56% more likely to use baby tech or famtech products, compared to non-brand-conscious moms. Famtech moms are also 44% to earn a salary higher than the national average. Cutting-edge famtech products certainly meet the eye of these moms who have the means to leverage tech products that make motherhood.

The most popular source of parenting knowledge for women who became moms after 30 (80%) is parenting websites and articles, while younger first-time moms rely more on family’s advice. The influence of friends is also significant: moms who had their first kid before 30 are 75% more likely to turn to their friends for motherhood tips.

Malaysian moms seem to be early adopters for family tech products like smart breastfeeding devices and smart cribs. Almost 1 in 2 Malaysian moms follow famtech brands on social media, and 39% of them are already using smart breastfeeding devices. Although famtech is still new to many parents, the benefits are prominent to give mothers more freedom and self-care in motherhood.

In the survey, Singaporean moms are the most likely to have a full-time job (54%) among the other Asian moms. They are also the most likely to struggle between career and personal life (42%). Raising children while working full-time can be a tough motherhood experience. The fast-growing number of working Asian moms deserve more attention and care from society and brands.

The worry and fear for their babies’ health drive moms to eagerly find childcare information. While 63% of the Asian moms read “pediatric health” topics online, only 42% count on healthcare professionals’ opinions. The majority (70%) of the surveyed moms browse parenting websites and articles. Taiwanese moms rely the most heavily on parenting websites and articles(91%), compared to 69% of all other Asian moms.

In the survey, we asked the mothers what they would do with one extra hour, without motherly-duties. Naturally, the exhausted moms (54%) want to catch some Zs more than anything. Spending quality time with their partners without having to care for the children is the second most popular (40%) choice. Noticeably, 24% of the mothers prefer to treat themselves to a beauty session at a salon/spa.

Half of the Indian mothers surveyed said their partners are the ones calling the shots on household purchases. In all the other Asian areas surveyed, mothers themselves have the say. This might be the most distinct discovery we learned from this study. Other than the mothers and their partners, most of the respondents said that their in-laws also took a significant part in buying household products.