The advancement of digital has transformed the way people gather and communicate in society. Followed by the rise of online communities, it has changed the way individuals seek and exchange knowledge, particularly in parenting groups where shared experiences play a crucial role. This study explores the knowledge-sharing dynamics within the online community TemanBumil – Bayi (11), focusing on how new mothers engage in discussions, seek emotional and informational support, and navigate challenges within the group. Using Wenger’s Community of Practice (CoP) framework and analysed through netnography, this research examines the motivations for participation, the types of interactions that foster engagement, and the barriers that may hinder knowledge exchange in online community using WhatsApp. The findings reveal that the online community is designed for discussions related to infant care (0-12 months) and postpartum, the members actively engage in discussions to learn from each other, and share experiences for emotional support. It is also discovered that in daily interaction, several challenges, such as conflicts over sensitive topics, misinformation from admin/moderators, and accessibility issues due to changes in group management, impact the effectiveness of knowledge-sharing. As the online engagement does not reflect the real-life behaviour, the researcher complements netnography and FGD for better understanding. Validation through real-life personas was considered by examining the offline identities of FGD participants. Future research is expected to delve deeper into admin/moderators roles in group management from their perspectives.


Keywords: Online community, knowledge-sharing, netnography, Community of Practice, parenting support