American Babys new ethnographic study centers on the second time mom.

Of the 4.1 million births per year, 40% are first births and 32% are second births.  Most marketers in the category focus on the first-time mom, neglecting the powerful buying strength of the second time mom segment

American Baby commissioned WIT Consulting to conduct this qualitative research study to explore how the birth of a second child impacts a woman and her buying behavior.  WIT conducted telephone interviews with 18 second-time moms in the Northeast, Midwest, and Southeast, and arranged in-home visits with 10 of the 18 moms.  All women were aged 26-39 and were either pregnant and the mother of a toddler, or had just given birth to a second child. 

Key findings include:

• Women are having a second child on average 3 years after the first.
• These women are fundamentally different than they were at the time of the birth of the first child.
• As the mother of a toddler and an infant, she is both a veteran and a novice.
• She has high information and product needs and is a powerful source of
  word-of-mouth marketing.

This presentation explores the veteran/novice duality, examining the ways in which having a second child influences moms attitudes and values, the products and services she buys, and the information she seeks and dispenses.