Promoting the health of mothers of young children in Australia: A review of face-to-face and online support

Issue addressed: Social support is essential during early motherhood. Societal changes have altered the support networks of mothers of young children, placing them at greater risk of social isolation. The aim of this review was to explore the research related to the experience of social support for mothers of young children to understand how to best promote social connections for the current generation of mothers. Methods: A systematic search of eight electronic databases through EBSCOhost was undertaken to identify Australian research published from 2013 onwards. No study design limits were applied. Research which focussed into understanding the social support of mothers with children 0-5 years and had outcomes related to mothers experiences were included. Results: Fifteen studies were included. Both face-to-face and online support provided benefits to mothers of young children in terms of shared experiences and reciprocity; trust and intimacy; community connectedness and; mental well-being. While online communities offered immediacy of access to social support, contemporary mothers continued to value social support accessed in face-to-face settings. Accessing face-to-face support was a challenge for young mothers and those in new housing areas. Conclusions: Face-to-face programs continue to promote the health of contemporary mothers; however, online settings provide avenues for alternative or complimentary support. There is a need to further develop support programs for vulnerable and isolated mothers. So what?: Social support is essential for mothers of young children and opportunities to enhance social connections are important to boosting mental well-being. While face-to-face programs still need to be provided, services should consider including online options to promote the health of contemporary Australian mothers.