Public Health Specialist Weighs In on ChatGPT for Parenting Advice

We all know at least one person who has used ChatGPT for dating and general life advice- and that person could be yourself. However, concern for this technology continues to grow on macro levels with changing sentiment and policies. 

 But is ChatGPT a good coach for parents struggling with real-time, emotional, and developmental questions?

We sat down with Dawn Maddux, a public health nurse and board-certified lactation consultant at MissPoppins, to hear her perspective on ChatGpt for parenting advice, and where it can fall short.

ChatGPT and New Parents: Helpful or Harmful?

According to Dawn, one of the biggest issues with relying on AI for parenting support is its lack of personal context. She shared a story that perfectly illustrates the potential dangers of taking AI advice at face value:

“I had a mom send me a message just over the weekend... She made the mistake of Googling how heavy her baby should be and was given misinformation about the size of her baby.”

But when Dawn checked the baby’s real data?

“He was actually perfectly on his growth curve and had actually gained quite a bit.”

This isn’t an isolated case. Dawn has experimented with AI tools herself for her lactation practice and found that they often mislead. Work is being done to improve accuracy in artificial intelligence systems, but there are still huge gaps.

“I started digging further into the links, and the links were taking me to, they weren’t even matching up with the subjects. So it was an incorrect article that it was linking me to.”

Is ChatGPT a Good Therapist for Moms?

It’s a fair question. Many people use ChatGPT to process emotions, ask for mental health advice, or manage daily overwhelm. But according to Dawn, while it may feel helpful at first, the emotional disconnect is a major limitation.

“There’s that lack of context and nuance. And of course, there is no emotional essence there.”

Dawn highlights something that many AI models can’t simulate: a true understanding of lived human experience.

“Becoming a parent..so much of it is trial and error, you know, and learning... not so much how to do it right or wrong, but what works for your baby, for your family.”

And while AI can offer generalized answers, it lacks emotional intelligence and adaptability:

“You can't learn that from AI. You can't be there in the room with that person and understand all the emotional things that are going on.”

When AI Becomes a Crutch

There is an inherent risk of dependence in artificial intelligence that can interfere with judgement and critical thinking skills, especially when paired with a lack of media literacy training. We observed that with a lack of human connection, groundedness is missing from the conversation. Current AI models have been observed to reaffirm beliefs and patterns that someone may be going through.

“It can amplify anxiety... and it can make you feel really isolated and dependent on that when you're not focusing on learning from your baby and learning from experts who have gone through that training.”

While some users believe AI gives them broader access to knowledge, it also introduces more noise and misinformation. One major concern is overrelying on these softwares for information as they provide a false illusion of understanding. An area of concern is people trusting this information more than an experienced and certified provider. Although ChatGpt is a great source of information, there are layers of added context that are missing from real studying, experience, and certification due process. 

“A lot of people trust ChatGPT more so than even their own provider... but they're also pulling from a huge pile of misinformation.”

The bottom line, is ChatGPT a good therapist or parenting coach? Not quite. It may be a decent place to start,but it’s no substitute for personalized care. While ChatGPT for parenting may offer convenience and instant answers, it lacks the heart, empathy, and human judgment needed for the deeply personal journey of raising a child. Artificial intelligence is one of the most innovative tools of our generation; but it is important to approach with due diligence and caution, especially when dealing with particularly crucial decision making for better mental wellbeing.

“Just reaching out and making that connection… while AI can be a great tool, it is not one that can replace that.”

Want to learn more? Listen to our full episode with public health nurse and lactation expert Dawn Maddux MPH, BSN, RN, IBCLC, CLC, on The Art of Parenting by MissPoppins.

Want to have a real conversation with Dawn? Book directly through the MissPoppins App.