Connected caregiving: investigating mothers in the era of digital access

Mothers have embraced and utilized digital access for nurturing and personal use to enhance their roles while balancing newfound demands. The Internet has provided mothers access to information on various topics, including pregnancy, childbirth, and infant care. Social media tools and platforms have also provided mothers with a space to connect with other mothers, share experiences, and seek support. This scoping review aims to identify the relationship of the focus skills among mothers in utilizing digital access. Four databases, including Scopus, web of science (WOS), education resources information centre (ERIC), and ScienceDirect, were used in this research, which found 36 articles for eligibility. Only 16 articles are eligible for analysis and reference after the exclusion and inclusion process for data collection. Based on the 16 publications examining mothers’ use of internet access, four essential skills have been identified. These included social, digital, cultural, and problem-solving skills and are acknowledged as being related to digital access mothering. The findings show these skills are offered to mothers through digital access, fostering diverse skill sets, contributing to their empowerment, and supporting sustainable development goal 5: gender equality, aiming to enhance women’s roles and ensure equal opportunities through digital inclusion.