Momfluencers may be popular but are they having a negative impact on new mums?
We can’t scroll through Instagram without being greeted by an influencer. We follow them for advice, for beauty tips, and to gawk at their beautifully decorated homes that we could only dream of affording.
They’re a huge part of the online world and a new form of celebrity, but a recent study has found they’re having a bad impact on new mums.
According to the study, which was published in the Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, parenting influencers portray an ideal version of motherhood.
The team at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln spoke to 464 new mums for the project.
They explained that momfluencers negatively impacted new mums by glamourising motherhood.
They also found that new mums were at a higher risk of doubting their own parenting skills because they’re internalising what they see on social media.
Lead researcher Ciera Kirkpatrick stated that comparing ourselves to influencers is natural. However, some people are more prone to this, especially new mums.
“If we know how these posts are affecting mothers and that they are more detrimental to certain moms, then that helps us, from a strategic health communications or health professional standpoint,” she explained.
However, the idealisation of motherhood can cause self-doubt and insecurity in mums being exposed to this type of content.
“In some ways, there might be things that idealization is making worse for new moms. I have lots of examples of postpartum moms showing off their ‘must-haves’ — a $1,000 bassinet or a $300 bottle washer, these really expensive things — and that likely creates pressure on moms.
“Or the ‘typical day’ videos that show a postpartum mom meal planning or cleaning their house every night. That just feeds into the pressure,” she added.
How do you feel about momfluencers? Is their content realistic enough or do you feel insecure when you scroll through your feed and see their posts?
Let us know what you think over on Instagram.
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