Tired new mums turn to chick lit after giving birth
Women stop reading serious literature and turn to chick lit after the arrival of their children, according to new research.
The study by the Bookseller magazine and Netmums.com found 40pc of women who read hefty tomes before having children stop doing so after becoming a parent.
Around 30pc buy celebrity autobiographies by the likes of Victoria Beckham and Jordan after becoming mothers.
Just under two-thirds of mums (60pc) admit that they now read a lot less than they did before having children.
More than half (51pc) prefer to indulge in chick lit or "anything that doesn't take much effort'' and only 8.5pc choose non-fiction.
The research, which polled 6,000 women, found that 73pc of mothers do manage to read to their children every day.
But they prefer to watch TV rather than read a book.
Most (80pc) say they do not have enough time to read and more than half (55pc) say they would rather sleep in bed than stay up with a book.
Netmums co-founder Siobhan Freegard said: "Reading is a great way for mums to give their brains a boost, and it's important for children to see their parents reading if they're going to go on to become book-lovers themselves.''
- Sherna Noah
