A rising tribe of new moms is taking to Instagram to document their kid's progress, share parenting tips, and review baby stuff that may work for your child too
Nikita A wears her eight-month-old daughter in a cloth sling
If you browse through the Instagram handle, We Are Real Moms, you'll come across a collage of moms-to-be showing off their baby bumps; a stylised photograph of a kid sleeping next to a bouquet of flowers and selfies of families snuggled up.
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These, among 650 others, are entries for a photo challenge, where mothers are asked to share a post daily, based on various themes. Leading up to Mother's Day tomorrow, the winner of the challenge will get to wear an evening gown and star in a mini photo-shoot.
Meet social media mommies
The contest is co-hosted by Nikita A (@beingmammabear) and Perzen Patel, known for her Parsi food venture, Bawi Bride. "When you become a mother, you feel isolated, especially if your friends haven't turned parents yet. The aim is to build a community of moms on social media. The contest helped me connect with some amazing mothers virtually," says Patel. Close to 5,000 followers of her account are clued into her posts revolving around her cute-as-a-button son (she refers to him as Kebab and Baby M), who is eight months old.
Sakshi Vaidya's post when her son turned seven months old and first ate solids
The duo is part of the growing tribe of Mumbai's momstagrammers, comprising new moms, in their late 20s and early 30s, who use the platform to upload aesthetic images that document their child's progress, share parenting tips, and also curate midnight discussions inviting new moms to share their challenges. "I know of 50 such Instagrammers in Mumbai," says Nikita, who has been sharing posts on babywearing, breastfeeding and cloth diapers since the birth of her daughter eight months ago.
"When she was going through sleep regression, a fellow mother suggested that I place one of my worn clothes in the crib, so she can sense my presence. It worked."
Finding the right fit
With over 15,000 followers, Sakshi Vaidya (@uptownmommy), a working mother, plans the photo shoot for each post meticulously. "My aim is to help shape new-age parenting, and beautify and simplify motherhood," says Vaidya, who is a go-to influencer for several brands.
Perzen Patel
For now, these are mainly barter deals where the moms review baby products, and also get to use them on a day-to-day basis. So, how much is too much when it comes to sharing about your baby? Patel says, "Mothers are thankfully getting over the 'nazar lag jayegi' nonsense. But you need to observe restraint. For instance, I would never share my baby's naked photos."
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