Exploring mothers’ use of social media for parenting and health information in Bangladesh: Patterns and practices

Abstract

This study explored the patterns of social media use among urban mothers of children aged 0-5 years in Bangladesh for obtaining parenting and health related information and examined how they applied this information in their daily parenting practices. A qualitative approach is used, involving five in-depth interviews and one focus group discussion with urban mothers in Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar, analysed thematically. The findings show that Facebook and YouTube are the primary platforms mothers use to seek information across a range of topics, including pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal care, maternal health, minor child health issues, feeding, child learning activities and behaviour management. Beyond information, these platforms also offer practical guidance and social and emotional support. Participants expressed concerns about social media information credibility and evaluated it by reading comments, cross-checking other platforms, relying on personal judgement and consulting doctors for serious health concerns. They apply social media information to feeding, vaccination related decisions, behaviour regulation and child learning activities. Some mothers reported modifying traditional parenting and childcare practices based on social media information. Some of them experienced resistance from family members and people around them when implementing certain parenting practices learned through social media. Based on these findings, digital literacy initiatives are recommended to help mothers critically evaluate online health and parenting information. Early childhood development programs should also include other family members such as grandparents and in-laws, to reduce resistance to evidence based practices. This study concludes that social media plays an important role in urban mothers’ parenting and health related information seeking practices and that the application of this information is shaped by both access to information and family and social contexts.