Women are turning into compulsive Facebook fans following the birth of their first child, according to a new study.

The study, of 154 new mothers and 150 new fathers, found that women increased the time they spent on the social networking website whereas men’s usage stayed the same.

Researchers at Ohio State University found that more than nine out of 10 mothers (98%) posted pictures of their children on Facebook. Compared with their counterparts, this is a higher figure than men posting baby pictures, though the number who were was still high (83%).

Of the women in the study, 44% said their use of Facebook had increased since the birth of their child, 29% said it stayed the same, and 27% said it decreased.

Among men, 31% said they used Facebook more since becoming a father, 51% said it stayed the same, and 19% said they used it less.

Facebook as a coping mechanism

The findings of the study suggest that despite the new demands of motherhood, women valued their time spent on the social network.

Mitchell Bartholomew, lead author of the study, published in the journal Family Relations, a graduate student in human development and family science, added, “These mothers may be taking time off from work, and may be far from family, so this network they created for themselves on Facebook can be very valuable in helping them cope.”

The study, published in the July issue of Family Relations journal, is the first investigative study of Facebook use during this stressful time in a parent’s life.

The research team believe new mums are turning to Facebook in times of stress as a coping mechanism where they can receive support from a network of friends. They also added that there is a satisfaction from interaction with Facebook friends who don’t know the mum very well in real life. Lead author Bartholomew said, “There may be something about getting feedback from someone who doesn’t know you very well that may be particularly encouraging,

“They don’t know you very well, they don’t owe you the positive reinforcement that you may expect from close friends and family, but still they took the time to comment on your photo or post.”

Future studies on the topic will look at how parents use Facebook and how it impacts their coping and adjustment.

Source: Ohio State University

Photography: Jerry Bunkers @Flickr