Survey of 500 Parents: 'Nighttime Milk Preparation' is the Biggest Burden; Nearly 80% Express Interest in Automatic Milk Makers

SUUTA Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Yosuke Imafuku), which operates a rental platform, in collaboration with BetterDays Inc. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Mio Okawa), a developer and seller of baby care products such as the "milkmagic" automatic milk maker, has conducted a "Survey on Childcare and Milk Preparation" among 500 parents across Japan who are currently nursing or have finished nursing, and is now releasing the results.

While measures to combat the declining birthrate are a national priority, what burdens do parents actually face in their daily lives? This survey provides a multifaceted analysis of the overall burden of childcare, specific difficulties related to preparing baby formula, the impact of nighttime care on sleep and next-day performance, and attitudes toward returning to work.

The survey highlights a negative cycle deeply rooted in the daily lives of parents: "Nighttime milk preparation → Significant reduction in sleep → Decreased performance in work and housework the next day."

Survey Results Summary

1. The biggest burden in childcare is "lack of personal time/sleep deprivation" (74.6%). Among specific childcare tasks, "milk preparation" ranks high.
2. The "most difficult" aspect of milk preparation is "nighttime preparation" (24.8%), surpassing the frequent task of "cleaning and sterilization."
3. 51.2% of parents report a sleep reduction of two or more hours per day. 78.2% stated it affects their work or housework the following day.
4. Those who struggle with milk preparation are 25.3 percentage points more likely to lose two or more hours of sleep compared to those who do not.
5. 79.2% of respondents believe the "milkmagic" automatic milk maker would "make things easier," with that figure rising to 85% among those on maternity or childcare leave.

1. Childcare Burdens: "No Time and Sleep Deprivation" Stand Out

When asked about their burdens in childcare (multiple answers allowed), "lack of personal time/sleep deprivation" was the overwhelming top choice at 74.6% (373 people). This was followed by "single-parenting/high burden" (50.8%) and "balancing work, housework, and childcare" (47.2%), highlighting that parental burdens are concentrated on the depletion of time and physical energy.

This survey categorized general life challenges (time, psychological, and financial burdens) separately from the specific, repetitive childcare tasks. Focusing on specific tasks, "responding to night crying" (40.6%), "putting the baby to sleep" (34.8%), and "soothing a fussy baby" (31.2%) were followed by "milk preparation" at 26.6% (133 people), ranking 4th.

This figure means that approximately one in four respondents recognizes milk preparation as a daily burden. As the subsequent analysis shows, this burden is closely linked to reduced nighttime sleep and has been confirmed to impact performance the following day.