98% of mothers have experienced loneliness since having children, and just 38% feel part of a genuinely supportive "village", according to research conducted by Medibank and Women's Agenda released earlier this year.
The Motherhood Index found that everyday public spaces such as parks and playgrounds are where mothers spend the most time, yet only 5% form genuine friendships there. Meanwhile, most support continues to come from partners and informal networks rather than broader community.
"I experienced this loneliness deeply postpartum. We lived far from grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Even our closest friends were plane rides away. Sharing photos on Instagram or WhatsApp started to feel like work. Tinybeans lets you share without the pressure of immediate noise or response, while still giving family the space to engage on their own time, in the moments you don't want to experience alone. And it's not just important for the mum; it's important for the child, too, to have more loved ones know and witness the milestones, and the middlestones, so their own story is grounded in the reality of the many people who love them." says, Tracy Cho, Interim CEO, Tinybeans.
For Tinybeans, the private family journal and photo-sharing app used by parents worldwide, the findings echo one of the challenges the company was founded to solve: helping new parents stay closely connected to the people who love them, even when day-to-day life pulls them apart.
A village that shows up wherever you are in the world.
Tinybeans was built on a simple idea: staying close as a family shouldn't depend on being in the same room, or even the same country. It shouldn't feel like extra work, or something done for show, either. Parents can privately and securely share photos, videos, and everyday moments with grandparents, siblings, and friends, creating real connection in real time. A quiet 2am feed or a first wobbly step becomes something the whole family experiences together, instead of a moment one parent goes through alone.
Designing for connection, not just documentation.
The report's authors called on organisations to design services and products that actively prioritise connection, a challenge Tinybeans takes to heart in how its platform is built. Features like invitation-only circles, personalised prompts, and simple email digests are designed to make it easier for extended family members to stay involved, even if they're not active on mainstream social media.
This matters because research from the U.S. Surgeon General's epidemic of loneliness published in 2023, shows that traditional social media often deepens the very isolation and loneliness it claims to solve. Tinybeans exists to be the alternative, built for the moments when connection matters most, and isolation runs deepest.
Tinybeans has more than 150,000 five-star reviews across the Apple App Store and Google Play, and families around the world have shared hundreds of millions of memories on the platform to date.
About us:
Tinybeans Group Limited (ASX:TNY, OTCQB: TNYYF) is a global privacy-first technology platform building trusted digital experiences for families. Founded in 2012, the Tinybeans platform operates on a premium subscription model, an e-commerce photo products store, and brand partnerships, serving ~95k paid subscribers and ~1 million active families worldwide. The platform's invite-only, private architecture positions it as the trusted alternative to mainstream social media for families who value privacy and security.
