Motherhood is a shock in many ways. People can tell you about being up all night, breastfeeding, and the constant housework that a baby brings into your life, but it is not real until you actually experience it. Besides the physical demands of being a mother, having a newborn does something else to you, it can make you feel a little isolated socially.
Enter social media, a 24 hour a day friend. When mothers are up all night feeding, when they are the only ones awake at 3 am, it is the perfect time to log into Facebook. After all, your friends on the other side of the world will be awake. On one hand, social media is a godsend for mothers. It is something to keep you company on those nights when you can't get back to sleep.
The problem is when this social media leaning becomes a full-on addiction. There are a ridiculous amount of hormones running through your veins at this stage. Emotional, tired, and hormonal. Put these together with someone saying something mean on Twitter and we have a potential volcano. It is normal to be sensitive at this time of motherhood, your mental health is being tested in many ways. Many women are already judging themselves quite harshly, let alone having to worry about how other people think you SHOULD be mothering.
Social media is a blessing and a curse. It is a source of entertainment and yet it disturbs sleep. It is a vital source of information and yet brings a whole bundle of worries. It offers caring support and yet can also bring judgment. The internet can offer the peace of meditation apps and wise quotations and yet can leave mothers feeling disturbed and worried. This double-edged sword is still pretty new and society is still working out what is and is not OK. One thing is for sure, social media is a good support system for mums, but it should never replace REAL social interaction. People need face to face chats, real hugs, and real laughs, real sleep. Let's not allow the computers to ever replace that.
