NEW mothers upload news of their baby's arrival to social media sites within just two hours of giving birth, a poll has found.

Some parents go online before their baby is born to update friends and relatives - two-thirds of mothers and fathers said they or their partner provided a social media commentary ahead of the birth or during labour.

The poll, released by children's shoe company Start-rite, found that the internet and social media has had a profound effect on the way people spread the news about their children's arrival and upbringing.

The study revealed that parents use the internet to communicate on every facet of their child's life, and continue to post regular updates long after the birth.

Mothers and fathers turn to the internet to mark milestones in their child's development, with almost 40 per cent saying they post their children's "firsts" on social media, with popular topics including first steps, day at school, smile, crawling, teeth and even pair of shoes.

Meanwhile, many people are so keen to spread the news of their bundle of joy that they are back on social media minutes after they have given birth.

The poll found that one in 10 new mothers announces their new arrival on social media such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram within 15 minutes of having a baby.

The trend for turning to social media to spread the news is most pronounced among celebrities, the survey found, with Jessica Ennis-Hill, Simon Cowell, Emily Blunt and Nadine Coyle among those to promulgate their baby bulletins through the internet.

The announcement of the arrival of Prince George also went digital when Clarence House tweeted the news of the birth. It was followed up this week with a picture of him walking on his first birthday.

A spokeswoman for Start-rite said: "It seems what's good enough for the Royals is good enough for the rest of us when it comes to letting the world know of our good news."