The #MotherhoodChallenge is popping up on Facebook everywhere at the moment. If you haven't already seen it, let us explain…

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The challenge asks mums to post a collage of photos that represent what they love about being a mum – and asks them to tag 3 friends who they think are great mothers to do the same.

It goes a little bit like this…

"I was nominated for the #MotherhoodChallenge by (insert friend's name here). I’m posting 3 pictures that make me happy to be a mother and I’m tagging some friends I think are great mothers, too!"

Alongside the challenge, mums are sharing pictures of their children at the park, or their babies snoozing or even pictures of their baby bumps.

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The backlash

But it's not all smiling faces and tagging friends – some women have been really offended by the viral challenge.

Writing for The Guardian, Flick Everett said: "Facebook’s Motherhood Challenge makes me want to punch my computer screen."

She explains: "Of course, if you’ve tried for years to conceive, and now you have a darling, laughing baby in your arms, it must feel wonderful. But there’s a world of difference between happiness and smugness (defined as “having an excessive pride in oneself or one’s achievements”).

"Many mothers simply feel inadequate most of the time, and that sense of failure is exacerbated dramatically by others boasting about how easy and rewarding they find it all, from first “latching on” to graduation (“So proud!!”)."

Writing for The Pool, Daisy Buchanan said: "As women, we’re made to feel that it isn’t enough to just do everything – we have to do it beautifully.

"While I understand the urge to document the best bits of motherhood, when your children are at their most adorable, your oven-baked cookies are golden and you’ve managed to put together a great outfit even though you have minus three minutes to get dressed, I wonder how many parents think “Bloody hell, just existing is hard enough.

"If you want a Motherhood Challenge, check out this picture of my child pooing on the floor."

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