Blogger Leandra Medine on how mums are viewed on social media

Blogger Leandra Medine is a self-confessed 'selfie addict' and admitted that since the birth of her baby eight weeks ago, she often just gets dressed solely so she can take photos and upload them to Instagram.

However the fashion blogger has now been compelled to write a heartfelt response to strangers who have been criticising her online for taking so many photos instead of ‘being with her babies’.

In a post on her blog Man Repeller, Leandra revealed that the comments on her photos have become more negative and critical since she became a mum.

She said: ‘I take a lot of pictures of myself with my iPhone… Often, I self-publish these photos to Instagram. Lately, I have been doing it fairly maniacally.

‘I say “maniacally” because here is a woman, eight weeks postpartum, getting dressed every day to mostly go nowhere for the almost-sole purpose of posting her outfits to a photo-sharing app.

‘I never thought much about the frequency with which I shared myself visually prior to becoming a mother. I knew that the urgency was a function of wanting (or perhaps needing) to reach out, but I have become more aware of this habit because in the past two months, I’ve noticed an uptick in the number of negative comments that populate my pictures.

“Put your phone down and be with your babies,” they will say. “This is making me cringe.” “Are you just posting these to show off your body?” “Cry for attention.” “I have to unfollow.” And so forth.

Leandra went on to explain that she feels ‘conflicted’ about adjusting to motherhood while still maintaining who she is.

She added: ‘Maybe this is the thing that bothers so many people. There are expectations tethered to becoming a mother, the least of which is a newfangled sense of selflessness that is supposed to cut your egotism in half.

‘This, to be sure, is one of the most salient reasons I craved motherhood so desperately prior to finally becoming pregnant. But now that I’m on the other side, that I have learned we (moms) adjust but we don’t really change, I feel conflicted…

‘I know I’m considered a public figure and that scrutiny comes with the territory, but selfies do attract a varying panel of emotions: joy, pity, ease, envy. They are an unspoken conversation between the creator and the consumer, and that dialogue is sometimes the reason I post in the first place. ‘

Many parents agreed with Leandra, with one commenting: ‘This is a really important conversation about how we look at moms… first of all, newborn babies sleep A LOT. Are you supposed to stare at them when they're asleep or are you "allowed" to still enjoy the things you enjoyed?’

While another claimed: 'Pretty sure that if Leandra were a new FATHER, no one would be faulting her for posting selfies nor would they even think twice about it. Just another sad example of a double standard.'

What do you think? Share your thoughts on how you think mums are viewed on social media below.