What New Moms Need to Know About Social Media

As a first time mom and now a mom of two under two, social media for new moms are a blessing and a curse. Are you a new mom or expecting momma? Before you click out PLEASE just take a look at the FAQ where I list a lot of great social media accounts that every new mother should know about.

Motherhood comes with a lot of joy and a lot of hidden hardships. You can find a lot of women going through similar situations in life while browsing social media. There is so much information that can be helpful to brand new moms on all things motherhood and early baby life. With all of this information comes a lot of things that new moms need to know about social media. Don’t believe everything you see, check credentials, log off to protect your mental health, and try NOT to worry about your child’s milestones.

I promise you, you’re doing a great job. This is what all new moms need to hear.

Absurd amount of info on social media

There is way too much info surrounding motherhood. From facebook to instagram, expecting moms are bombarded by social media accounts giving advice. If you’re an expecting mom or have recently had your first child, I highly suggest the following.

  • Because there is an absurd amount of info available for parents, you have to realize that not all of it applies to you!
  • When you find that you are becoming more and more worried with the information presented to you, LOG OFF

On instagram, you can probably find video after video on all things breastfeeding. In each of these videos you’ll see ‘try this’ and ‘not that’. Social media can be an overwhelming tool for new moms.

Conflicting information from people in their field vs not in their field

There are a lot of issues with momma run social media accounts. There are a lot of people who say whatever they want and aren’t in that field. Some examples of this:

  • Safe sleep
  • Sleep sacks that are weighted (NEVER USE A WEIGHTED BLANKET – No REAL healthcare providers will recommend this and as a pharmacist, I’m saying DO NOT USE THIS because it can increase the risk of SIDS)
  • Baby led weaning vs no
  • Breastfeeding benefits vs ‘fed is best’
  • Not treating fevers even when they spike extremely high (all from natural mommas that have zero medical background but they want to tell you to not use this medicine)
  • OR the natural moms that have no medical background telling you HOW to treat (they do not know how to read clinical studies and cannot apply it clinically because they have never been in the medical field and don’t know HOW TO APPLY IT)
  • Chiropractors that do adjustments to tiny babies VS more reputable physical therapists that can help with colic
  • THE LIST GOES ON

Always check the credentials of the person spewing medical advice, sleep advice, colic advice, breastfeeding advice, etc. A naturopath is not going to have the same knowledge as a pediatrician (DO/MD). A pharmacist is going to have actual knowledge on over the counter medications and what side effects are in certain medications if you decide to go that route. A dietician is going to understand the nutrition needs of a baby or child better than a nutritionist.

*If you ever need medical advice, ask your provider and if they are unable to help you then ask them for a referral or resources. Do not consult social media.*

Tips for moms can pile up so high that you feel overwhelmed

Make sure you: feed the baby but actually the baby needs to feed itself in the highchair, sleep when the baby sleeps, wake up before your kids to make time for yourself, and a many other tips.

It is simply overwhelming when presented with information on how to properly take care of your baby. New moms are targeted as a vulnerable group as well and might be pushed more to go above and beyond.

Social Media can make you feel like you aren’t doing enough

Why is your house a mess? Why is your sink full of dishes and the babies toys all over the place? Why aren’t you back to your pre-pregnancy weight? Social media will give amazing tips one moment and then you read the comments and it becomes so crushing as a parent. Expecting moms might have a perception of everything that needs to be done, but once they are in the thick of it, the new mom feels like she’s not doing nearly enough. It happens more than we think.

Pregnant woman getting advice on giving birth through social media

Can prepare you for a lot of issues

I didn’t know all the ins and outs of giving birth. I had no idea that there were so many complications, side effects, symptoms, and more that came along with birthing a baby. There are a lot of useful tips on what to bring with you to the hospital or the best baby shoes for early walkers. There are great product recommendations by physical therapists for proper development of your baby.

You can also find a lot of information on breastfeeding and how to transition to pumping. On social media you can also learn about the potential cons of breastfeeding like infections and blebs. There is also great advice for those new moms that have had a c-section and how to do scar massages.

Truly, there are great resources and accounts online and I would absolutely share those with new moms.

Social media for new moms can bring community

Like minded women and mommas are easy to find online. Facebook is a great space for community for parents that are expecting or those that need advice. Even a home cooking group on Facebook will have random life questions by mothers. You can find people going through similar situations and the advice might make you feel not so alone.

Can validate your feelings while also putting down your partner

This is a big one that I see frequently on social media. It’s funny to be relatable and talk about how your partner acts. For example, the slow sloth like movement when the baby is screaming bloody murder in the middle of the night or taking 5 minutes to put on one show. However, these little jabs can build up to the point that we are viewing ourself as doing more work than our partner. We can easily go down the rabbit hole and think that our partners will never get us and it can creep into your relationship. Be weary of ‘funny’ relationship content.

A mother and daughter

Make motherhood look unrealistic

Ain’t no one waking up with a beautiful manicured look, refreshed, and ready to take on the day in their beautiful 5 million dollar mansion with the cleanest house you have ever seen. A lot of motherhood is not what you see on social media. There are a decent amount of content creators that come across as the ‘perfect’ woman or mother. The comments on those are wild compared to the mother with a normal unorganized house with old cabinets.

Men expect too much and older women (who used actual illegal drugs – legal back then) will harp on women who don’t keep a tidy house. Oh no, a child lives in the house and it’s obvious that a child lives in the house? The dishes piled up so that the mother (or parent) could enjoy her child and spend time with them? Tsk tsk, your job is to have a million arms like an octopus and multi task and NEVER ONCE complain.

I promise you, making muffins takes longer than 10 minutes and actually leaves a mess. Realize what is curated to be fake and what is actually reality. Social media is a tricky one with that.

A baby bottle

Bottle vs breastfeeding

There’s a big ‘battle’ about what is best. Regardless of what you believe, these comments can be extremely toxic, completely not factual based, and very discouraging. The women that comment will usually feel that their decision was better. I had no idea that moms really cared so much about this until I got into it. Everyone has opinions, so take those comments and videos as such.

To learn straight from a mom that has breastfed, pumped, and done formula, check out my top tips for breastfeeding and transitioning to pumping.

SAHM vs working mom vs single moms

Another huge ‘battle’ that I had no idea existed before stumbling upon it on mama social media. The expecting mom might want to go back to work, only to realize that they want to be home taking care of their child. There might be new moms that have no choice but to work and are feeling guilty for missing out on their kids milestones. We are all moms and want to both be with our children and also appreciate breaks from them as well. Each has its own challenges.

Questions on all things social media for new moms and expecting mothers

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