'My mum's thirty years out of date'

It is now widely recognized that the use of the Internet as a source of self-help and support, particularly for health-related matters, is increasing. The recent growth in the number of websites aimed specifically at parents suggests that this group are increasingly accessing the Internet to seek information and advice not only for themselves but also for their children's health and well-being. This paper presents findings from the Cyberparents research project, which aimed to examine how and why parents, in particular new mothers, were accessing parenting sites. Using data collected via an online survey linked to www.babyworld.co.uk, the paper explores the ways in which women are using the Internet to help them adjust to their role during the transition to motherhood. It suggests that the Internet does offer an important source of advice and support for groups such as new mothers, in particular by providing a 'safe', non-judgemental forum in which to share experiences. However, this does not replace face-to-face communication or more traditional support mechanisms such as family, friends, and health carers, rather it serves to supplement these by providing an additional resource.