NEW mothers are being warned not to risk their mental health by comparing themselves to ‘cruel’ and ‘unrealistic’ images on social media.
A recent report found that most images on Instagram depicted new mothers in swimwear, exercise clothes or even in their underwear and a third of the photographs were in provocative poses.
Only 5% of photographs on Instagram showed any evidence of stretch marks, cellulite, caesarean scars or even a soft stomach after giving birth, according to the research by Megan Gow at the University of Sydney.
Mind Jersey executive director Dr Patricia Tumelty said that ‘we must challenge the narrative’ presented on social media because there is a danger that new mothers end up ‘shaming themselves based on something that’s not real – it’s just cruel’.
The report’s findings suggested that Instagram presented an unrealistic image of new mothers which risked undermining their mental health when their confidence might be at its lowest.
Dr Tumelty added: ‘People do compare themselves to others, it’s part of our DNA, but it’s the most important time in your life to be kind to yourself after giving birth and think about what is most important to you right now.
‘It’s not helpful for new mothers to compare themselves to unrealistic images on social media, it poses a real risk when women might already be feeling at a low ebb because they’re often so tired with a new baby. The lucky ones will be able to laugh about it, but it depends on your personality, your family and who you mix with how it affects you.’
Dr Tumelty said the key to protecting yourself against the images on social media was to ‘keep talking to other women and if they’re fortunate enough they’ll have a friend who has had a similar experience’.
She added that group work at Mind Jersey was so successful for new mums because ‘there’s nothing stronger than a group of women’.
She added that new mothers were welcome to contact the peer support group at Mind Jersey by emailing: S.Brockbank@mindjersey.org.
