12 May,2023 03:40 PM IST | Mumbai | Aakanksha Ahire
Most mothers turn to momfluencers when they want to draw inspiration and educate themselves on various topics related to health, wellness, pregnancy tips, and post-partum issues, while also being entertained. Photo Courtesy: iStock
Instagram reels, YouTube videos, and live vlogs, moms today are ruling the social media space with their content creation skills. From sharing cooking recipes to childcare and parenting tips on social media, momfluencers have massively transformed the influencer culture alongside nurturing their own children.
The internet is now seeing discussions around issues that were never spoken of earlier, thanks to momfluencers. They have become every mother's online best friend when it comes to seeking advice and hope. Most mothers turn to momfluencers when they want to draw inspiration and educate themselves on various topics related to health, wellness, pregnancy tips, and post-partum issues, while also being entertained.
Ahead of Mother's Day, Mid-Day.com spoke to momfluencers who have garnered immense love on the internet, to know how their journey has been as social media influencers and how they do it so wonderfully with a munchkin that requires constant love, care and attention. If you are a mom and have been toying with the thought of starting off as a momfluencers, this will surely get you started.
What is it like to be a momfluencer?
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Shivani Kapila
Kapila who goes by the Instagram name LittleGlove creates content around various topics such as lifestyle and fashion. "It is a completely new experience. Being a mother and a video creator at the same time is very challenging but the kind of innovative ideas that I think about and also get to implement are remarkable! I have grown more as a human being and as a creator after my baby's birth," she said. Although Kapila loves to create fashion content with her 16-month-old daughter Aadhya Tyagi, she is always open to exploring various genres of content.
Aruna Gupta
Gupta is unlike any grandmother and calls herself âthe gran of the gram'. Yes, you read that right. An Indian actress in the Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam & Kannada industries in the 90s, she is now a full-time grandmom influencer who is shattering every kind of misconception there is about ageing women. Gupta is a mother of four women namely Shikha (32), Yaasvee (31), Sobika (27), Riya (22) and a grandmother to 3-year-old Nyra. She is young at heart and is always ahead of other influencers in trying out the newest trends. She thoroughly enjoys creating content that revolves around showcasing culture and tradition, cooking recipes, and healthcare, as well as fun videos with her dearest granddaughter.
Shanice Shrestha
Shrestha gives the followers a sneak peek into her beautiful little world making each one of them feel a part of this world. This momfluencer is very passionate about creating content around travel, fashion, beauty and of course, her 16-month-old daughter Sky Sharma. Speaking about what it is like to be a momfluencer, she said, "It feels great to be a mommy influencer. I have to constantly juggle the duties of motherhood and also find the time to create content but I love the rush it gives me. It feels great to be acknowledged for what I am doing. Mominfluencing for me is like a job but it is also about creating memories with my baby that I can look back at, once she grows up."
When did you start creating content and how did you develop an interest in it?
Kapila
"It was an unplanned journey for me. I started posting on social media when I got married. I just simply started creating content as I wanted to share my life's journey with my followers. I gradually started exploring genres when my content began gaining traction and I am grateful that I did."
Gupta
Aruna Gupta with her granddaughter 3-year-old Nyra. Photo Courtesy: Aruna Gupta
"I am fairly new to the platform. It has only been a while since I started posting. Soon I realised I had a lot of interesting things in my life worth sharing and I started enjoying myself while creating content. So why not, I thought."
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Shrestha
Shanice Shrestha with her 16-month-old daughter, Sky Sharma. Photo Courtesy: Shanice Shrestha
"My journey of creating content started in 2016 when I had freshly graduated with a bachelor's degree in Mass Media. I had also featured on a TV show as an actor. Besides, I was always passionate about photography and videography. It only made sense to start creating my own content. I responded to my heart's calling and just started off."
How do you strike a balance between taking care of your child, creating content and also taking care of yourself?
Kapila
"Being a mom and a content creator is a full-time job and comes with bigger responsibilities. I have induced social media as a part of my child-rearing process. I record what I teach my baby, and shoot our candid interactions. I set up my camera and start recording in the morning and end it by 5 pm. Post that, I dedicate all my time to Aadya. I understood that you have to have a balance and dedicate a sufficient amount of time to yourself and your family."
Gupta
"I wake up at 5 in the morning and sometimes I still feel like there isn't enough time. Luckily, my daughters are the ones that help me shoot my videos. I call them when I have something to share online or a recipe I want to shoot. I always have a helping hand so that makes it a bit easy for me to balance everything."
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Shrestha
"It's tough. It's never easy to manage everything. I wish my days were longer! I always prioritise what needs to be done in a day. However, taking care of my daughter is above everything else. I am in my golden era of motherhood right now. My baby is just 1 year old, she is never going to be this little again so I always make sure to spend more time with her. While doing so, I of course plan when to shoot videos. That said, I am still learning how to make more time for myself too but I know I'll get there soon."
What kind of challenges do you face when it comes to creating content?
Kapila
"The biggest challenge is to evolve with time as every trend survives only for a limited period. Before it ends, I try to create something new for my followers. That is challenging, especially for all the ladies who have a baby, and a family to take care of."
Gupta
"I don't think I face challenges when it comes to creating content. I share bits and pieces of my daily life. I share it without worrying too much about my English or how I look. When I first started making content, I was worried about what people would think or if my family would like it, but luckily it's been great so far. My family members are my biggest cheerleaders!"
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Shrestha
"I think the main challenge for me has been to make time to execute the ideas I have in my mind when it comes to content creation. I am caught up doing multiple things for my baby. By the time I get done with them and sit for ideating or even create content, the day ends. Also, that is primarily because I and my husband take care of our daughter by ourselves without extra help from anyone. However, over the years I am sure I will get better at managing my tasks and also making time for everything that's important to me."
What common issues of mothers have you spoken about and raised awareness on it on social media?
Kapila
"Almost all of them. As a momfluencer who has many mothers as an audience, I feel it is my duty to raise awareness about these topics. I create many videos with professional health experts, who help my followers learn better. I also make sure to go live with a doctor once a month so that we can answer other common questions and queries mothers send across."
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Gupta
"Women are strong but very often they think that they can't do certain things just because they have given birth. I think the truth is so far from that. On my page, I show people that we shouldn't be afraid of lifting weights or working out in a gym just because we have a child now. I encourage mothers to do everything they feel like trying out."
Shrestha
"I have made sure to talk about mental health issues related to pregnancy, the changes a body goes through during pregnancy and after delivery and also the importance of accepting the change. I have spoken about how to go about accepting an unplanned pregnancy if at all that happens, and also how to take care of yourself while you are pregnant. Further, it is very natural for new mothers to feel empty and never good enough. It is important to know that the body takes time to bounce back. These are all the things I have faced and so I made sure I share them with all mothers online."
After a lovely chat, these momfluencers had some great pieces of advice to share with all the moms out there. "For once put yourself first. Prioritise taking care of yourself. Only then you will be able to take care of your children and family," Gupta said.
To add to that, Shreshtha has some really sassy advice for moms. "Everyone is going to have an opinion about what kind of a mother you should be and how you should take care of your child. Push out those voices. No one knows your baby better than you do so no one should really have a say in what you do," she said.
Kapila on the other hand simply suggests against taking the stress and enjoying every phase of motherhood. On the side, she also urges moms to meditate from time to time.
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