Facebook Trends And New Parents
Between changing diapers and middle-of-the-night feedings, 44 percent of new, first time mothers are spending more time on Facebook after the birth of their babies than they were before.
For fathers, 31 percent said their Facebook use increased.
The study, published by Family Relations, analyzed responses from 300 new mothers and fathers to questions regarding how they interacted with the social network nine months after the birth of their first child.
Given all of the stress that new parents can be under, researchers were surprised to find that added levels of stress increased Facebook usage rather than decreased it. Mothers who visited their Facebook accounts more than once a day reported higher levels of stress.
Researchers also noted that new mothers can feel isolated if they are far away from family and friends, or if they have taken time off from work and Facebook helps them escape from the stress and keep in touch with people they miss.
Researchers said that the latest findings offer some clues as to how Facebook or social networking use may affect the adjustment to parenthood. Social media can offer structure for new mothers, help them connect with other first time parents and swap advice and find support.
The findings show that despite parental responsibility, most new parents value their time on Facebook enough to make sure it isn’t neglected during the early years of parenthood.
