5 Reasons Why You Should Start A Mommy Blog
If you’ve just settled into being a new mother and love to blog, you can combine the two and become what is affectionately termed a “mommy blogger”.
A mommy blogger is someone who starts and then adds written posts to a blog about her experiences in motherhood. The experiences can be positive or negative, and she can interact with those who subscribe to and read her posts. Sometimes photos and videos are added. Each blog is unique to the mother writing the blog. On one blog you may find slideshows of a mom who wants to show her baby’s development in the first year. Another blog may be more review-centered, where the mom has a keen interest in discussing the newest baby products.
There are different reasons for starting a mommy blog. Some mothers start one to document their experiences and share them with family, friends, or a wider audience, while others are seeking to connect with other moms and exchange ideas, advice, and experiences. Still others find a way to combine mommy blogging with an existing career or interest, such as fashion design, cooking, photography, or filmmaking. Mommy blogging can be either a pastime or a profession—the choice is really up to the individual.
There are many benefits to blogging as a new mother:
1. Extra Income.
Income can be earned with a blog in various ways: Advertising, affiliates, writing guest posts for other blogs, or a paid column in a print or online newspaper. If your blog becomes a fan favorite, a contract with a book publisher could be possible.
2. Informal Support System.
Finding that you and other new moms share some of the same situations and emotions can help you and your readers realize that you aren’t alone. You can discuss the everyday ups and downs of parenting, and seek advice from like-minded moms. Friendships formed while blogging can last a lifetime.
3. Improved Health.
Blogging allows one to express emotions that otherwise may be bottled. This can lower stress, which is important for new moms who may be experiencing postpartum anxiety. Lower stress can lead to better sleep, improved memory, and a stronger immune system.
4. Valuable Resource.
If you are a new mom in a unique situation, your blog could be a valuable resource to others. For example, you may be the new mother of a child with special needs, or an adoptive mother, or an older mother. These personal, practical experiences of yours may be just what a new mom needs to hear.
5. Improved Family Relationships.
Brandon T. McDaniel, contributor to Maternal and Child Health Journal, helped conduct a study of 157 mothers who blog, and found that a majority of them reported having improved relationships with spouses and other family members. The bloggers attributed this to the social support they receive while writing about motherhood. This support fosters a sense of well-being that carries over into the marriage and other relationships.
The benefits of blogging about motherhood often depend on the blogger. Some benefits are a result of goal-setting, such as the mom who wants to use blogging to widen her network of professional contacts while building her line of organic baby food. Other benefits are unexpected, like the satisfaction a mom blogger feels when she is thanked by a reader she’s helped.
