The "Posting Poop Updates" Trap

dr. Kristijan Musek Lešnik
Oct 16, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Oct 21, 2025

Broadcasting your baby’s poop habits to the world as if they’re headline-worthy

“Poop is part of parenting. It doesn’t need to be part of your posting schedule.”

Babies poop. A lot. Enough to fill diapers, laundry baskets, and occasionally entire afternoons. But do we really need to post about it? Somewhere along the way, modern parenting blurred the line between private life and public content, and bowel movements became social media updates.

Mistake: Broadcasting your baby’s poop habits to the world as if they’re headline-worthy.

Consequence: “Breaking news: Baby poops again. Parents still shocked. Tune in at 11.”

Reality Check: Nobody needs a play-by-play of your child’s digestive system — least of all your child, someday.

THE ISSUE

In the social media era, diaper duty has become content. Parents post about blowouts at 2 a.m., complete with emojis and hashtags: #momlife #sendhelp.

In online groups, it gets even weirder. Someone posts a picture (why?), and suddenly a dozen people are analyzing poop color like amateur gastroenterologists.

Here’s the truth: poop is part of parenting. But it doesn’t need to be part of your posting schedule.

WHY PARENTS DO THIS

We overshare bowel updates for reasons that actually make sense:

Comic relief: If we don’t laugh about the mess, we’ll cry.
Connection: A 2 a.m. blowout feels less lonely when someone comments “same.”
Feels harmless: “It’s just poop, not private” … until your teen finds the archive.
It’s a rite of passage: Our parents kept baby books. We keep Instagram timelines.
Likes and validation: Nothing brings engagement like chaos..

HOW THIS HARMS BABIES (AND PARENTS)

It feels funny now, but oversharing has consequences:

Privacy loss: Someday, your child will Google themselves. Do you want them finding poop updates?
Normalizing TMI culture: Kids learn their bodies are content.
Comparison trap: Poop humblebrags quickly become “who’s ahead?” contests.
Replacing real support: We post for likes instead of calling a friend.
Potential embarrassment: Even toddlers notice when their accidents become stories.
Reaction over presence: Angling for a photo replaces laughing in the moment.

AVOIDING THE TRAP

We don’t need to stop joking about parenting chaos. Just redirect it away from public diaper updates.

Share the Story, Not the Substance. Funny captions work. Photos of diapers don’t. “Today we learned the true meaning of ‘up to his neck in it’” gets the laughs without the cringe.
Keep a Private Log. Doctors care about poop. Friends don’t. Use an app or notebook to track what matters medically. Save your feed for baby giggles, not bowel charts.
Create a Parent-Only Chat. Need solidarity? A WhatsApp group with trusted friends is the place for 2 a.m. “send wipes” updates.
Redirect the Humor. Post about mashed bananas, sleepless nights, or baby “hobbies.” Humor ages well when it’s not about poop.
Practice Consent Early. Even toddlers can hear: “Can I share this funny story?” It builds respect and teaches boundaries.
Use the “Future Embarrassment Test”. Ask yourself: Would I want this online about me? If not, don’t post it.
Channel It Creatively. Journals, private blogs, even doodles can turn disasters into comedy — without a public audience.
Save the Camera for the Cute. Take 300 spaghetti-face photos, not diaper shots. Those are the memories you’ll treasure later.

THE PAYOFF

When you skip the poop updates, you:

Protect your child’s dignity.
Still laugh — but in real connection, not for likes.
Keep memories that age well.
Model privacy and respect.

Because poop isn’t content. It’s just a messy stage.

Years from now, you’ll scroll back to baby smiles, first steps, and spaghetti-smeared hair — not to diaper disasters. And your teenager will thank you for sparing them a searchable archive of their digestive history.

So next time you’re elbow-deep in wipes, resist the urge to post. Text a trusted friend if you must. Laugh in the moment. And let poop stay what it is: necessary, temporary, and not for the newsfeed.

Because babies don’t need followers. They need parents who know the difference between sharing love — and oversharing diapers.