Background <p>Social media can empower pregnant women through interactive engagement; however, it may also increase mental health risks, for example by promoting beauty ideals. Social media content influences information gathering, decision-making processes, and birth preferences. On Instagram (Meta Platforms, Menlo Park, CA, USA), pregnancy often appears idealized, with sociocultural aspects frequently being overlooked.</p> Objectives/research question <p>The study investigates how the use of Instagram (Meta Platforms, Menlo Park, CA, USA) during pregnancy is experienced and internalized in order to understand how pregnancy and childbirth are shaped and constructed through this platform.</p> Methods <p>Six guided interviews were analyzed using a contrastive-comparative approach, and homologous orientation patterns as well as social meaning structures were identified.</p> Results <p>Instagram emotionally shapes expectations, decisions, and experiences of pregnancy and childbirth. Content appears amplified, highlighting contrasts between good and bad, real and idealized, as well as passive and active. Three flexible types of reception can be identified: practical–professional, practical–entertaining, and visionary–desiring.</p> Discussion/Conclusion <p>Using Instagram during pregnancy has mixed effects; while idealized portrayals can negatively impact mental health, access to valuable information may support informed decision-making. Healthcare professionals need to develop strategies to appropriately address the evolving identities of users and to critically reflect on their own online presence.</p>