Social media ‘making new mums anxious’

THE transition to motherhood is meant to be one of the most natural things, but modern-day mums are typically finding the first few weeks with a newborn to be anxiety-riddled, particularly with pressures to breastfeed.

Midwives Australia spokeswoman Liz Wilkes said she had seen a marked increase over the past five years in the number of first-time mums with abnormally high anxiety levels, brought on by the unrealistic portrayal of motherhood on social media.

Ms Wilkes said the most anxiety-inducing aspects of early motherhood during the first six weeks were establishing breastfeeding and settling a crying baby.

“I have been a midwife for 22 years and over the past five years we’ve seen women growing in their anxiety in mothering and it’s getting much, much worse,” she said.

“Women are under a lot more pressure to do things in a particular way rather than in just their own way.”

Ms Wilkes said new-mum anxiety seemed to peak around the two to four-week mark.

“Instead (social media) breeds a certain type of pressure of always having to get it right that is not particularly helpful.”

Ms Wilkes said social media gave new mothers an unrealistic impression that motherhood was not only stress-free but new mums were also able to maintain a tidy house and high-flying career.

She said often when she visited new mothers in their homes for routine post-natal check-ups, the mothers had their cleaners clean the house beforehand.

“I say to them: ‘My goodness! Don’t you think I’m used to seeing baby paperwork piled up on a table and dishes in the sink?’.”

Ms Wilkes said the reality of motherhood was less glossy. “I don’t think we’re very well prepared (for motherhood) because we don’t see what the true reality of mothering is like, with sleep deprivation and trying to get breastfeeding happening and all the other aspects right,” she said.