London Mums are missing from their own story: Research reveals 6 in 10 are rarely or never in photos with their baby
Ahead of Mother’s Day on Sunday 15 March, new research commissioned by CEWE, Europe’s leading photo printing company, has uncovered a striking gap at the heart of new family photo albums: mum is missing.
Shockingly, the survey revealed that while nearly 9 in 10 new mums are the primary family photographer – more than half (58%) are almost never in the frame. An overwhelming 88% of new mums say they are always or often the one behind the camera – compared to just 11% who say their partner is the primary family photographer. The result is a family photo album full of special moments, that don’t include mum.
The most common reason mums in London give for their absence from the frame is a practical one, with almost half (45%) stating it’s simply too hard to include both themselves and their baby in a shot, so they focus on their baby.
However, the emotional toll runs deeper. Some (44%) say they don’t include themselves because they are unhappy with how they look – a reflection of the pressure many new mothers face post-partum. A further 34% say they simply forget to include themselves, and 31% say their partner doesn’t think to take photos of them.
The consequences of not being included in family pictures are felt deeply. Two thirds of mothers surveyed (66%) say it makes them sad to not have more pictures from this special time in their child’s life, and nearly a quarter (23%) say they feel frustrated that their partner doesn’t remember to include them.
Petra Felgen, managing director of CEWE UK, comments: “This Mother’s Day, CEWE is encouraging families to act on these findings with a simple but meaningful gesture, and make sure that mum is included in those treasured family photos.
“Our research shows that mums are genuinely sad to be missing from this chapter of their family’s story, and we want to change that. We encourage families to capture a photo of mum and their children together and turn it into a keepsake she’ll cherish for life.”
CEWE offers a range of personalised printed photo products, such as its CEWE PHOTOBOOK which was named a Which? Best Buy for 2025.
