Pregnancy and the Digital Detox: Reclaiming Your Mental Well-being in a Tech-Saturated World

4 mins to read

Discover digital detox tips for expecting mothers to reduce screen time, enhance mindfulness, and boost mental well-being during pregnancy.

Pregnancy and preconceptionWellbeing news

During pregnancy, you may find extra time on your hands while you patiently wait for the highly anticipated grand birthday. Between getting the newborn's room ready and making appointments, you may also turn to social media on your phone or computer to shop for entertainment or information on how to best prepare for this next and exciting chapter of your life. You may also receive notifications from pregnancy or parenting apps to which you have subscribed.

While having such fantastic access to so much information is helpful, this "noise" level can lead to overwhelm, stress, and fatigue and impact mental wellbeing. Maintaining a sense of calm and managing stress is essential, as highlighted by the Australian Government's Pregnancy Birth and Baby website, for a healthier pregnancy and the development of your growing baby.

Turning down your exposure to digital technology can make a big difference in achieving this. It might be helpful to participate in a digital detox, which involves eliminating or reducing as much as possible.

How can technology impact pregnancy?

The amount of information and pregnancy advice you are bombarded with can be overwhelming; you may be inundated with advice about what to buy, birthing stories, ways to give birth, how best to exercise and eat, and the list goes on.

Information overload

It's also confusing, as much of it can be conflicting. This information overload itself can be exhausting and it can also lead to increased concern, effort, and time spent trying to find out what may be credible information and what is not.

Social media pressures

You may be faced with glamourous, touched-up images of other pregnant women and perfect-looking but not necessarily realistic nurseries, which can be enough for even non-pregnant women to make comparisons and feel inadequate.

Reduced exercise and poor eating

Excessive screen use frequently results in sedentary behaviour and poor eating habits, both of which are detrimental during pregnancy.

Poor posture

Often, technology such as phones is used while in positions that compromise posture, such as hunching the neck and shoulders forward, but because you may be so immersed in what you see on your device, you may not realise this.

Disruption to sleep

Blue lights from screens can stimulate the body and stop it from releasing the 'sleepy hormone', melatonin, according to The Sleep Foundation. In addition, habits can form when you are scrolling in bed, or you may leave the phone on at arm's reach, meaning you can reach for it every time the phone buzzes with a notification. This can affect your ability to fall asleep, and rest is essential for you and your baby during pregnancy.

Continuous Notifications

The constant buzzes and notifications—whether text messages from friends, work emails, or your banking app informing you of an upcoming bill—can make you feel tied to your phone and the need to constantly attend to these notifications. All of this can increase stress levels and distract you from other important tasks, whether it is sleep or relaxing.

Benefits of a digital detox during pregnancy

A digital detox means taking a break from digital technology, by reducing or eliminating use of digital technology. This is to give your body a chance, as Brown Health University describes, to reconnect with real life without distractions There are various physical and mental health benefits to stopping use of your digital technology devices.

Reduced stress

You may feel less worried about checking every notification, less distracted, and less overwhelmed. You may also experience fewer negative emotions, as you won't face adverse or unrealistic social media messages or images. Having more time is another benefit.

Better Sleep

Devices' blue glow can interfere with sleep. So, ditching the screen when it's close to bedtime can help you get to sleep better. Turning off notifications also helps, and it means you can sleep without interruption during the night.

Improved focus

Less time spent scrolling and no tending to notifications means less distraction and more time for relaxation, being in the present moment, and focusing on more productive activities that matter to you for your birth or for planning your routine for life after the baby is born.

More time for you and with others

This also means you have more time and energy to reconnect with yourself and others. You can do things that relax you and make you feel good, such as catching up face-to-face with friends and family.

How to carry out your digital detox?

The first step may to stop and reflect about how digital technology is affecting you during your pregnancy and which forms are having the most negative impact. Then you can target these as a priority to eliminate or reduce and set goals around. For example, one goal might be to not scroll aimlessly through social media during the day unless you are trying to research something you need the answer to.

Set time limits

Set a limit for how much time you plan to use your device, and choose the time of day when you plan to use it. Refrain from using your phone during mealtime, close to bedtime or in bed. For example, you could have a rule for yourself that you won't use tech first thing in the morning or before bed. Instead of checking emails upon waking, you could do yoga and meditation classes. Before bed, you won't scroll or consume any social media; instead, do some journaling with a calming tea.

Turn off notifications

Turn off any non-essential notifications, but ensure you remove the vibration setting, as this can be just as distracting as the tones.

Stick to your purpose of using tech

The internet, social media, and apps can be a wealth of helpful information. Just remember why you are seeking information, and keep that top of mind so that you don't wander from one website to another, as this is a common trap.

Limit social media use

Social media can contribute to feelings of stress and comparison, so try limiting your time on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. You can even use apps to track and limit screen time if you find it difficult to resist the urge to scroll.

Make time for screen-free activities

You may be surprised at how much time you now have available to engage in activities or hobbies you have kept saying you don't have time for. Spending time in nature, exercising, doing yoga, doing crafts, reading, or meeting friends for a drink or meal can all nourish your emotional and mental wellbeing.

Create screen-free zones

Choose areas of the home to dedicate to screen-free zones to create a boundary and ensure that no tech is being used here. This can encourage more focused and quality time with visitors or family you live with. Designate areas of your home, like the bedroom or dining table, as screen-free zones. This encourages more quality time with your partner, family, or even yourself without the constant distraction of technology.

Conclusion

Pregnancy can be demanding both physically and mentally, and excessive use of digital technology during this time can add to this. Though our devices help us access information and entertainment, it's important to be mindful of excessive use and its toll on health. Find a balance by taking a step back and noticing how much time you spend using digital tech and whether it is necessary. Taking part in a digital detox can help you to replace that time with other screen-free activities. Give it a try, and you may be surprised at how much mental space, clarity, focus, and peace you have. A recent study even found that those who tried it found it less challenging than anticipated, with a significant number expressing sensations of pleasure and alleviation.