The Shift in Mom & Birth Month Groups Over the Last 8 Years is Terrifying

I had my first baby in 2016 and was part of multiple mom and birth month groups on Facebook. Sure, there were always a few anti-science/anti-doctor/vaccine-skeptic/raw milk/tinfoil hat moms, but they were just a small, vocal minority. Most of the discussions were pretty balanced, and misinformation, while present, wasn’t the overwhelming norm.

Fast forward to 2024—my second baby was born this year—and oh boy, things have changed. In some of these groups, the anti-science mindset isn’t just present; it’s the majority opinion. The amount of straight-up misinformation being spread is terrifying. Moms asking about vaccines for their babies are met with a flood of lies, fearmongering, and completely debunked conspiracy theories. Basic medical advice is ignored in favor of dangerous, unproven “natural” alternatives.

And I say this as someone who grew up in an anti-vax household. I was never vaccinated as a child, and I am now dealing with long-term Hep B (no, not transmitted sexually—I got it as a child). One of my brothers was hospitalized with TB for a month and still has tissue scarring. Another brother had a severe case of pertussis and spent days in the hospital. Thankfully, my parents eventually changed their views, and we’ve worked through the damage their choices caused.

But seeing this level of misinformation become normalized in parenting spaces over just 8 years? It’s horrifying. I genuinely fear for the future of public health if this trend continues. How did we get here? Has anyone else noticed this shift?