Findings from a joint survey from parenting site Netmums and the Department of Health’s Start4Life campaign have lifted the lid on the growing trends around how mums-to-be are sharing their pregnancies online.
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Where once posting a picture of a scan was considered unusual, now nearly 90 per cent of mothers have seen an image from a friend’s scan, and trends for even more creative ways of sharing a pregnancy are growing.
The survey found that a third have seen a shared professional pregnancy photo shoot, while 28 per cent have seen a picture of a body-painted bump and a fifth have viewed a photo of a positive pregnancy test.
Start4Life ambassador, Dr Dawn Harper, GP and television presenter, said: “Many think of Facebook as a place to share pictures of bumps and tales of cravings, so it’s encouraging to see that many mothers think it would be better used to discuss matters such as health, and are keen to offer support to other mothers.
“However to do the best job at this, it’s important we’re well informed, and Start4Life is a brilliant one stop shop that can answer all the questions on pregnancy you, or your Facebook friends, may have.”
A great deal of support is also available amongst mothers; almost half of those surveyed (44 per cent) think it’s nice for their pregnant friends to share information, and many see Facebook as a place to share advice and seek help. More than three quarters of women are keen to be of help online, responding to friends’ enquiries if they think they can help with a question or concern about pregnancy.
However, whilst the trend for sharing pregnancy information is growing fast, 44 per cent of respondents said they felt that people are beginning to over-share. Nearly seven in ten felt that on Facebook, mothers-to-be were more likely to try to show a ‘perfect’ pregnancy than a realistic one - with 45 per cent going as far to say that the site increases the sense you’re a failure if you don’t have a ‘perfect’ pregnancy.
Many also believe Facebook can be a force for good when it comes to support around important issues - a huge 81 per cent think it would be a positive thing if mums were to talk more about their health, as three in five (62 per cent) said that they felt friends were more likely to talk about trivial aspects of their pregnancy, rather than important matters such as their health.
Siobhan Freegard, Netmums founder said: “The internet is often a source of support and advice for mums and mums-to-be, but the relationship many have with Facebook can be complex.
"Whilst lots of mums enjoy sharing information and offering advice, new trends and the desire to show the best possible image to the world can mean that many mums feel the site piles on the pressure.
“It’s never good to worry too much about what people think, and so instead we encourage mums to make the most out of the support available from other mums online and initiatives such as Start4Life.”
In response, Start4Life is this month urging mums-to-be to share information about their health and the steps they’re taking to give their babies the best possible start in life, both online and offline.
Start4Life, the little sister brand to Change4Life, has launched a free booklet for all pregnant mums to help them keep healthy throughout pregnancy and beyond by moving more, eating healthily, giving up smoking and avoiding alcohol.
Health Minister, Dr Dan Poulter, said: "Staying healthy in pregnancy is vital to give babies the best possible start in life. We want to do everything we can to reach out to pregnant women and help them live the healthiest lifestyles they can.
"These new materials from Start4Life simplify the information out there and provide clear advice on the importance of a healthy pregnancy. The sheer volume of information available to pregnant women - on Facebook and elsewhere - can make it hard to find the best advice. Start4Life will help them to take simple steps to stay healthy for themselves and their baby.”
The new Start4Life booklets are available to all pregnant women through their GPs and midwives and contain space for mothers-to-be to enter personal details including their midwife’s name and number, their baby’s first scan and questions for future appointments. In addition, there are also healthy recipes and tips, myth busters and exercise suggestions. The information is also available online on the Start4Life website.
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