Why Google is BAD for new mums. And what you should do instead

The average person may not know that Google uses a complex algorithm to determine the rankings of websites in the search results. Most people definitely wouldn’t know that one of the key components in the search engine algorithm these days is good quality content.

The drive for continuous content means that businesses all over the world are publishing more and more. Blog posts, news articles, how-to articles, videos and much, much more. It is quite hard to come up with new content all of the time. Many businesses outsource their content creation – to people working in India, to teams of copywriters, to anyone that will give them new content!

What does this have to do with new mums?

Take a worried new mum, a crying baby, and add Google. All of a sudden there are a million and one articles advising the new mum to do this, or take that, or eat these foods. Many of them will conflict each other. Most of them will be harmless. Some of them may contain dangerous or outdated recommendations.

The world of parenting a newborn has changed dramatically in recent history. There was a period where children should be seen and not heard, where leaving babies to cry in their own room was the norm, and formula feeding was advertised as the healthy alternative to breastmilk. These days breastfeeding is well known to be the healthiest way to feed your baby, and responsive, gentle parenting styles are becoming more popular and are supported by current research. Spanking seems to be on its way out and the idea of play based learning is gaining in popularity.

However the internet contains both old and new parenting advice and information. Some of it is written by specialists and experts in their field, but the vast majority is mostly opinion, or rehashed news. If you Google one of the most controversial topics, baby sleep, you may find articles convincing you that your baby should sleep through by whatever age you type in. Many more articles will tell you how to let your baby cry it out, even though most lactation consultants and experts will advise against this. When I was a first time mum I was convinced my baby should be sleeping through by week 3. And then by 6 weeks, and then by 3 months, etc. In fact, my firstborn didn’t start sleeping through the night until he was 3 years old. Apparently it is quite common for some kids to continue waking until age 4 or 5 even. People are expecting answers to problems that Google can't possibly help with. 

What to do instead of Googling? 

Educate yourself by talking to people who know what they’re talking about. If you have a question about your baby and breastfeeding, please call the ABA helpline (1800 686 268), or contact a registered lactation consultant. 

If you’re worried about your child’s health, please call the Australia wide health hotline and talk to a registered nurse (1800 022 222). Alternatively, please see your GP. If you don’t agree with your GP, please see another GP. 

If you MUST Google it, please make sure you’re only reading articles from reputable sources (always check the credentials of the author first!) You can also check out our Milk and Love Village for podcasts with up to date experts on pregnancy, birth and baby. 

Bio: Corryn is a work at home Mum who loves finding gorgeous breastfeeding clothes for her customers (and herself!). When she's not pilfering stock from her online business, Corryn is drinking coffee, playing trains and writing blogs (but not all at the same time). You can follow her blogs by subscribing to the Milk and Love email newsletters :)