Exploring the influence of social media ‘Mumfluencers’ on postpartum body image

Participants

Participants included 208 women 0–208 weeks postpartum (M = 78.27, SD = 53.40), aged 21–42 years (M = 33.61, SD = 4.59). Most were Australian (88%), partnered (93%), university educated (70%), employed (63%) and had more than one child (52%) making the data relatively homogenous. Participants were excluded if they were pregnant at the time of the study, had not given birth within the past 4 years, or were below 18 years of age. Participants were recruited through snowball sampling, via email or social media invitation through Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn. No financial compensation was provided.

Materials

Procedure

Ethics approval (Ethics #ML01999) was obtained from Bond University Human Research Ethics Committee. Participants opened the survey using the provided link and were presented with an information sheet. Participants indicated their consent to proceed by checking a box at the bottom of the first page and were directed to complete the demographic questions, pre-validated scales and open-ended questions. A debrief statement was presented to conclude the questionnaire and thank participants, with contact information for Parentline Australia should participants experience any distress following the study.

Reflexive thematic analysis

The current study is grounded in a phenomenological qualitative research methodology. Phenomenological practice allows researchers to describe the significance of individual perspectives within the broader context of human experience (Braun and Clarke, 2019; van Manen, 2017). When evaluating the responses, an interpretational hermeneutic approach was chosen. This method was deemed most suitable because body image is a constructivist concept, influenced by both individual perceptions and external sociocultural factors. Hermeneutic phenomenology emphasises the importance of recognising and addressing the researcher’s inherent biases to ensure an objective and comprehensive analysis (Hamid, 2020). To address this, the primary researcher completed reflexive journalling throughout the research process, allowing documentation and examination of prejudices.

The two open-ended survey items were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s (2019) method of reflexive thematic analysis. In stage one data was reviewed in NVIVO, and preliminary notes were taken. In stage two, entries were read by line and organised into nodes. Ninety-six nodes were established. These nodes were combined into nine codes to begin the theme formation process. In stage 3, the researchers reviewed the codes, and three overarching themes were established. Stage 4 focussed on refining and validating the themes using Patton’s (2015) heuristic criterion, which ensured both internal homogeneity (consistency within themes) and external heterogeneity (distinctiveness between themes). Items and codes within each theme were compared for consistency, and the lead researcher (GG) sought external validation from the co-author (ML) to enhance credibility. The themes were assessed against the overall dataset and each other, with outlying data reevaluated for potential integration. This approach ensured that the themes accurately represented the key ideas while maintaining distinctiveness. In stage 5, the themes were assigned formal titles based on Byrne’s (2022) recommendations, which suggested that titles should be ‘concise, informative, and memorable’. A final review was conducted of the analyses and theme titles. Lastly, themes were organised and transcribed into the manuscript, considering the broader context of body image and postpartum literature.

Theme 1: Protecting body image and mental health through authentic discourse

This theme explores how Mumfluencers can be perceived as positive role models. Some Mumfluencers demonstrate realistic representations of postpartum bodies and promote body positivity these influencers tend to model self-acceptance behaviours, encouraging postpartum women to embrace the natural changes in their bodies cultivating positive body image.

Participants most frequently reported perceiving encouragement from Mumfluencers when they posted content related to nutrition and exercise. By demonstrating healthy practices in their posts, Mumfluencers reminded participants of the importance of proper nutrition and physical activity, ‘[Mumfluencers are a] good influence. . . it gives me the motivation I need to eat better and exercise more frequently’. (Participant 37). This illustrates how Mumfluencers can incentivise postpartum women to pursue healthy lifestyles, thereby promoting their overall health and well-being. Participant 73 describes how viewing Mumfluencer content made her feel capable of achieving her goals, ‘By watching their process I feel positive that I can get there too, and everyone’s journey is just different’. As Raggatt et al. (2018) reflect, aspirational fitness and health content can cultivate a sense of accountability and community among viewers, allowing individuals to connect with others that share similar health goals. This emphasises the positive role of Mumfluencers in promoting realistic health journeys which is influential in shaping supportive environments for postpartum women, empowering them to prioritise their health and wellbeing.

Another common observation was that some Mumfluencers de-emphasise the importance of appearance, encouraging followers to prioritise means of fulfilment beyond their body. Participant 114 spoke about the benefits of such content, ‘I follow content about encouraging connection and seizing the fleeting moments, it actually has a good effect of making me forget about silly things like how my body looks’. Participant 114’s response illustrates the benefits of separating life satisfaction and self-esteem from an appearance-based value system. This aligns with the concept of decentring, a practice that encourages viewing thoughts as temporary events, rather than reflections of self-worth (Mandavia et al., 2015). By emphasising means of fulfilment beyond appearance, Mumfluencers helped participants shift their cognitions away from appearance-related ideals towards more meaningful experiences. Mandavia et al. (2015) suggest engaging in decentring strategies can help reduce both the perceived validity of negative body image perceptions and associated distress (Table 1).

Participants noted that Mumfluencers encouraged them to view their postpartum body in terms of its capabilities and functionality. Participant 161 describes how Mumfluencer content helped her to recognise her body’s power, ‘[mumfluencer content] reminds me of my strength. Of the potential of my body that I may not be accessing’. These constructive comparisons helped mothers recognise the positive attributes of their bodies, such as their strength, health and movement capabilities. Focussing on body functionality can improve body satisfaction and appreciation (Lee et al., 2025b). This effect has been observed in women diagnosed with eating disorders (Engel et al., 2023), alongside settings where women were exposed to functional versus non-functional body content via social media (Mulgrew and Courtney, 2022). Mumfluencers sharing functional body content helped shift viewers away from appearance-focussed sentiments that often-reinforced harmful standards related to the thin ideal. As one participant states, ‘. . .my body grew a magnificent human and has been through a radical change . . . I find following those who have aligned values helps me have clarity and focus’ (Participant 170). This highlights the participant’s appreciation for her body’s capabilities. Mumfluencers helped participants cultivate a more multidimensional view of themselves by encouraging them to perceive their bodies as having value beyond aesthetics.

Participants reported that exposure to non-idealised bodies validated their postpartum experiences: ‘[Mumfluencers] who have stretch marks and have gained weight definitely make me feel more normal about my experience in my body after having a child’ (Participant 132). This demonstrates how Mumfluencers’ authenticity can reduce feelings of isolation among postpartum women. Exposure to realistic body types can maintain self-esteem and body image leading to improved body satisfaction (Davies et al., 2020). Participants suggested that by sharing realistic images and discussing insecurities, Mumfluencers can normalise postpartum bodies, thereby helping women accept ‘flaws’ in their own bodies ‘. . .there are some gems to follow who are great voices for normality’ (Participant 173). Participants admired Mumfluencers for their authenticity, particularly in a social media landscape often dominated by idealised content. By demonstrating authenticity, Mumfluencers were seen to resonate with their audience, helping facilitate supportive spaces where postpartum women feel understood and validated. social support and media influences are critical determinants of postpartum body image, with stronger support systems linked to improved body satisfaction (Lee et al., 2025a).

Participants noted that Mumfluencers enhanced well-being and body image by advocating for body positivity, ‘I engage with body positive mums and don’t like to follow people who encourage bad eating habits or negative body talk’ (Participant 103). This highlights the participant’s preference for content promoting healthy relationships with food and body image. By following body-positive influencers, participants consciously distanced themselves from negative diet and body messages, which are known to contribute to poor self-esteem and unhealthy behaviours among postpartum women (MacPherson et al., 2023).

Mumfluencer content fostered greater self-acceptance and body image, recognising the postpartum body beyond societally driven standards. Through sharing authentic and vulnerable content, Mumfluencers validated participants’ experiences, creating a sense of normalcy for postpartum changes. Mumfluencers play an important role in empowering women to accept and appreciate their bodies by cultivating space for positive body image.

Theme 1 highlights the empowering potential of authentic Mumfluencer content in promoting body positivity and mental wellbeing. Theme 2 will describe the contrating impact of idealised portrayals that reinforce societal beauty standards. This juxtaposition underscores the dual nature of Mumfluencer contents influence, where exposure to supportive content can foster self-acceptance, yet simultaneously expose postpartum mothers to unrealistic ideals and harmful comparisons.

Theme 2: Conflicts of interest and appearance ideals shape body image outcomes

This theme explores the negative stereotypes and thin ideal often observed in Mumfluencer content and describes how this perpetuates societal ideals, often leading to the internalisation of harmful body sentiments.

A common sentiment was that Mumfluencers perpetuated unrealistic standards through content showcasing their ability to bounce back to a pre-pregnancy body: ‘Everyone is different [but] most of the influencers are tiny and pop a baby out and don’t even look like they have had a baby’ (Participant 86). This highlights the contrast between Mumfluencers, whose physical transformations appear effortless, and the typical postpartum recovery experience and illustrates how Mumfluencers may contribute to unrealistic body expectations for postpartum women. When participants encountered content depicting unrealistic transitions, they often internalised these messages, exacerbating their negative self-perceptions, ‘It makes me feel I’m not doing something right, I’m lazy, and not good enough at taking care of myself’ (Participant 129).

Research in the general female population, suggests engagement with social media images of attractive and thin peers can produce immediate negative outcomes on body satisfaction and mood (Brown and Tiggemann, 2016). This illustrates how Mumfluencer content can reinforce the idea that there is a ‘right’ way to recover after childbirth. This narrative can invalidate women’s postpartum experiences, making them feel responsible for not bouncing back quickly enough. Consistent with the work of Lovering et al. (2018), unrealistic expectations regarding the speed of postpartum recovery decreases body satisfaction among postpartum women.

Participants described how Mumfluencers amplified other appearance-related concerns. Considerable social media content features younger women who embody traditional beauty ideals (Ghosh, 2023). Consequently, older postpartum women may feel excluded from online spaces, as the focus on youth alienates them from societal notions of health and femininity, increasing pressure to conform for social acceptance (Carter, 2016). Participant 109 explained ’I just feel old when I see them’. This exposure to appearance ideals may incentivise postpartum women to consider cosmetic alterations in order to feel attractive, ‘I am contemplating Botox because I can’t deal with the wrinkles’ (Participant 171). Such a pursuit to meet physical beauty standards perpetuates a cycle of dissatisfaction, as individuals continue to perceive new flaws (Mironica et al., 2024). As such, Mumfluencer content may threaten the body satisfaction of postpartum women by perpetuating unattainable appearance standards.

For several participants, idealised Mumfluencer content was pervasive, even when they actively sought out more relatable content. Participant 86 describes this challenge, “I try to follow relatable mums with real bodies, but can’t help to love mums I wish I could look like, but it leaves me thinking “how can I look like this and why don’t I?.”. For participants who actively supressed appearance-based Mumfluencer accounts, incidental exposure still occurred, ‘I purposefully avoid following accounts that trigger me or make me feel bad however if I caught glimpses of people with great bodies, I can compare myself to them . . .and it makes me feel bad/ashamed of my body’ (Participant 184). This struggle was reflected in the findings of Mingoia et al. (2017), suggesting increased engagement with social media intensified internalisation of the thin ideal. As exemplified when unintentional encounters occurred, Participant 184 engaged in negative self-comparisons. Internalisation of the thin ideal is further heightened when women engage in upward social comparison via social media, contributing to decreased bodily satisfaction (McComb and Mills, 2021).

In their pursuit of greater body satisfaction and well-being, participants reported feeling disadvantaged compared to Mumfluencers due to a perceived disparity in available resources. ‘[Mumfluencers] promote a lifestyle that feels unapproachable for me due to money and time’ (Participant 14). This suggests the financial and temporal advantages enjoyed by Mumfluencers were often unrelatable, leading postpartum women to experience feelings of inadequacy. Another participant articulated this sentiment, ‘Their bodies look. . .better than mine. They seem to have more time, energy, and money to care for themselves and invest in their health’ (Participant 32). This perception of privilege created barriers for women who felt unable to engage in the practices necessary for achieving body satisfaction. Such discrepancies can foster feelings of inferiority, as postpartum women struggle to conform to idealised beauty and health standards. Furthermore, the emphasis on individual responsibility for self-care tends to overlook systemic factors, including time constraints, financial limitations, childcare responsibilities, and the availability of social support (Makama et al., 2021).

Participants expressed concerns that Mumfluencer content was often inauthentic and profit-driven, with many using their image and audience connection to commodify their motherhood experiences. One participant noted that many endorsed products targeted female insecurities, stating, ‘Most [Mumfluencers] promote weight loss products and shapewear’ (Participant 68). By recommending items that imply the need to alter one’s body, Mumfluencers perpetuate the thin ideal, which can contribute to body dissatisfaction (Cohen et al., 2017). This trend was similar in the health advice Mumfluencers share: ‘[Mumfluencers] promote unrealistic standards. They use blame and shame. They promote unhealthy choices which are disordered eating cognitions. They project generalised advice that ignores context’ (Participant 13). In this participant’s experience, Mumfluencer content exposed her to harmful advice, including endorsements of disordered eating behaviours. She also described how Mumfluencers prioritised aesthetic ideals over health and well-being, leading followers to internalise damaging beliefs about body image and self-worth. These findings are supported by several studies indicating the dissemination of health and fitness content reinforcing idealised bodies can contribute to eating disorder development and negative body image (Culbert et al., 2015).

These findings highlight the significant impact of unregulated content, particularly for postpartum women who may internalise harmful advice in an attempt to improve their body satisfaction. Given the persuasive power of social media personalities on consumer behaviour these findings are concerning (Pilgrim and Bohnet-Joschko, 2019).

Theme 2 highlights the negative impact of idealised Mumfluencer content, the internalisation of unrealistic beauty standarads and the emotional toll of comparison. Theme 3 describes how postpartum women respond to these pressures with intentional strategies to protect their wellbeing. This transition reflects a shift from passive exposure and internalisation to active resistance and media literacy, as mothers critically evaluate their content and curate their social media feeds to align with their personal values.

Theme 3: Postpartum agency in social media consumption

This theme explores how participants actively managed their social media consumption to protect their body image and wellbeing. When faced with harmful body content from Mumfluencers, many participants demonstrated agency in curating their online experiences. When asked about the impact of Mumfluencers on body image, Participant 96 reported ‘[I feel] Neutral I’d say. I don’t post or engage in social media a lot. It’s more for gaining information’ illustrating that limiting engagement with body-centric content may reduce negative body comparisons. Additionally, her response highlights that mothers who use social media for information seeking, rather than social comparison, may be less affected by negative content.

This sentiment aligns with social comparison theory, positing that individuals engage in upward social comparison by measuring themselves against peers they perceive as more successful, often resulting in negative self-appraisal (Homan and Tylka, 2015). For postpartum women, seeking non-body related content may reduce opportunities for upwards social comparison, thereby mitigating negative body image impacts.

The impact of upwards comparisons on self-esteem is evidenced by another participant’s experience, describing how disengaging from harmful content improved her wellbeing: ‘It is definitely easy to compare and think I could be doing better, but overall, I feel I am careful about who I choose to follow and what affect that might have on me’ (Participant 81). Disconnecting from Mumfluencers, particularly those representing societal body ideals, resulted in a more balanced self-perception. Evans et al. (2020) suggests limiting engagement with appearance related ideals, particularly those on social media, is a key element in protecting body image. mothers who curated their social media more carefully often described fewer negative experiences, indicating selective exposure moderated the relationship between social media and body image. Intentionally limiting exposure to triggering content was seen to be a protective mechanism for body image, enabling mothers to maintain wellbeing and positive self-perceptions.

As an alternative to reducing social media usage, many participants gravitated towards body-neutrality. In adopting a body neutral philosophy, individuals strive to view their bodies without judgement, deemphasising the value of appearance (Mulgrew and Courtney, 2022). The transition towards body neutrality was frequently observed as both a conscious and unconscious decision. For one participant, body neutrality was an active choice, ‘I practice body neutrality - I don’t think about my body or theirs most of the time’ (Participant 94). This description suggests adopting such a perspective requires conscious effort, with body neutrality enabling a shift away from appearance-focussed cognitions. Rodgers et al. (2024), suggests liberation from societal appearance pressures is a process, often requiring women to work towards self-acceptance. For postpartum populations experiencing significant bodily changes, a body-neutral mindset, especially when reinforced by body neutral social media content, is considered an effective strategy towards improving body image.

In comparison to active representations of body neutrality, some mothers engaged with the philosophy indirectly. Participant 70 describes Mumfluencer content as having ‘improved or made [body image] more neutral based on the types of accounts I follow’. While this approach did not reflect an explicit decision towards body neutrality, it demonstrates how mothers may naturally gravitate towards content de-emphasising body ideals, thereby fostering positive self-perception. Seekis and Lawrence (2023) suggest body neutral content can enhance body and appearance related satisfaction, offering a beneficial alternative to content promoting unrealistic standards. The current findings showed that participants who sought content de-emphasising appearance ideals experienced improved body appraisal.

Postpartum women demonstrated agency managing their social media exposure by curating content that aligned with their values. This reflects a growing awareness of social media’s potential negative impact on body image and wellbeing, leading mothers to critically analyse the content they consume. Participant 67 emphasised the importance of such content selection, ‘I think it’s vital to be mindful of who we follow, what their values are and how they view body image’. By identifying potentially harmful content, mothers mitigated negative body comparisons through increased media literacy, recognising unrealistic or idealised content that conflicted with their personal beliefs. research conducted on younger female populations; indicates greater media literacy can serve as a protective factor for body image. As media literacy develops, such images are perceived to be less authentic, moderating the internalisation of unrealistic appearance standards (Paxton et al., 2022). Participant 113 exemplifies this approach: ‘I actually have deleted a lot of Mumfluencers as I’m trying to move towards intuitive eating and anti-dieting. If someone makes me feel crap. I delete the account now’. By distancing themselves from content that intensified negative body appraisal, mothers aligned their social media consumption with practices that better reflected their values. This behaviour corresponds with the theory of selective exposure and avoidance (Knobloch-Westerwick, 2014), positing individuals seek content that aligns with their psychological needs and preconceived beliefs. Rousseau and Eggermont (2018) suggest individuals use selective avoidance to prevent the internalisation of media ideals, specifically when they have experienced body dissatisfaction. Selective avoidance and social media literacy can be beneficial practices in maintaining positive body appraisal, enabling postpartum women to engage with content more mindfully.

Participants indicated that the impact of Mumfluencer content on body image was frequently moderated by individual factors such as emotional state, personality and personal attitudes. When describing the impact of Mumfluencer content, Participant 7 notes, ‘When fragile, I can be easily influenced to compare my body to those skinner and fitter, intrusive thoughts [such as] why can’t I have my tight, pre-baby body back?! I need to eat less. . .’ This statement highlights how emotion can play a role in the interpretation of social media content. For Participant 7, periods of emotional vulnerability heightened her susceptibility to negative body comparisons. Tylka and Subich (2004) propose negative mood contributes to greater body dissatisfaction due to increased internalisation of the thin ideal. This is reflected in the current study; postpartum women were particularly vulnerable to Mumfluencer content depicting idealised images during times of heightened emotional distress and fatigue.

Alongside emotional state, personality and attitudes were identified as factors in how participants perceive Mumfluencer content. As one mother notes, ‘I think it depends on personality. . . for me, social media is neither good nor bad for my body image’ (Participant 33). Participant 33 suggests her personality assisted her in moderating the impact of body-related content, allowing her to sustain positive body image. Allen and Robson (2020) suggest, personality traits such as neuroticism can play a large contributing role in increasing negative body image. This aligns with the impact of individual differences in media effects, describing how an individual’s unique personality, cognitions and beliefs can influence the reception and interpretation of media content (Valkenburg and Peter, 2013). In the present study, individual differences are observed within the protective factors and how these shaped participants experience with Mumfluencers. Participant 48 describes how Mumfluencer content can be, ‘Both good and bad. . .but with the right attitude and mindset it shouldn’t affect you’. This response emphasises developing a more resilient mindset mitigated the effect of potential negative media content. Such sentiment reflects prior research suggesting individuals with higher levels of body appreciation are more resilient to media induced body dissatisfaction and comparison (Andrew et al., 2016). Recognising personal vulnerabilities or predispositions can aid postpartum women in developing strategies to protect against negative social media influences.

Theme 3 demonstrates postpartum women are adaptable in navigating the complex impacts of social media content and body image. By implementing protective strategies and limiting harmful exposure, participants controlled their online experiences, curating environments that better support positive body image.

The findings of this study can be meaningfully interpreted through the lens of the Tripartite Influence Model, suggesting that postpartum body image may be shaped by three primary sociocultural influences: peers, family, and media (Lovering et al., 2018). Mumfluencers represent a hybrid of peer and media influence, offering relatable personal narratives and curated content that often reflects societal beauty ideals (Mertens et al., 2024). The Tripartite Influence Model’s emphasis on internalisation of appearance ideals and appearance comparison is evident in participants’ experiences, particularly in Theme 2, where exposure to idealised Mumfluencer content led to negative self evalusations and increased body dissatisfaction. Conversely, Themes 1 and 3 illustrated how protective factors, such as engagement with suthetic body-positive Mumfluencers and selective exposure to supportive content buffered against negative outcomes. These findings are supported by the Tripartite Influence Model’s assertion that the impact of sociocultural influences is influences by individual factors such as media literacy, emotional state, and personal values and is a robust framework for understanding the dual role of Mumfluencers in perpetuating and challenging postpartum body image ideals (Lovering et al., 2018).