Seven ways new parents can avoid being overwhelmed by online advice
The internet will give you unlimited advice and information, much of it conflicting and only some of it accurate. These seven rules will help you navigate the web and tell good advice from bad
There is one skill that is essential for newparents today. I wish I could wrap it up in pink and blue paper and give it at every baby shower. It isn’t how to bathe a baby or encourage healthy sleep habits. This is far more important. I’m talking about being sceptical and science-savvy about what you read on the internet.
Why is this so important? Consider these scenarios:
Newly pregnant, you attend a prenatal yoga class. You feel like a mother goddess, but the conversation afterwards makes you anxious. The talk turns to birth plans. Someone mentions epidurals and pitocin, and another recommends a placental encapsulation specialist. There’s talk of fetal monitoring and delayed cord clamping. You hurry home to start Googling. It’s a good thing babies take nine months to gestate because you have a lot of research to do.
Before you know it, your baby is here. Nothing went exactly as planned, but he’s perfect. You, on the other hand, have only slept for two of the past 48 hours, and you’re on the edge of tears. You’re breastfeeding, but things are off to a slow start. A doctor tells you if your baby loses more weight, you may need to supplement with a bottle. She leaves the room, and you pull out your phone. You’re surrounded by medical professionals, but there’s someone else you’d like to consult. Hello, Google?
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Fast-forward four months. You and your partner feel like you’re hitting your stride. Your baby is sleeping most of the night. But suddenly he’s waking up every hour, and you’re both turning into zombies. One of your friends says you’ve hit four-month sleep regression and it’s time to sleep train. Another advises you to sleep with your baby. You want another opinion – or 20 – so you ask Google: “Should I sleep train my baby?”