Yesterday something very exciting happened! I met some virtual friends (virtual in the sense of being made over the Internet, not in the sense of almost being friends ;o)
Since early on in my pregnancy, I’ve been part of an Internet forum birth board for mums whose babies were due in December 2006. At first I just used to read the posts – which reassured me that my worries were quite normal and that various physical niggles were common to pregnant women. Gradually I found I had things I wanted to add to the discussions … and sometime after Simon was born – once he was sleeping better and I was feeling vaguely human again – I really got stuck into the birth board community. I honestly think it’s helped me to be far more laidback about parenting than I could have been. Instead of panicking about tiny things that then blow up in my head and keep me awake at night, I can simply post a question on the board and either one of the mums with older children, or another mum who’s had the same problem as me, will put my mind at rest. And we can laugh at ourselves too, which is always a good way of getting things in perspective!
And I do feel that despite never meeting, those of us who do post frequently on the board have built up trust between us, and we know that if any of us can do anything for the others, we will.
Those who live near each other have met up and become face-to-face friends, and there was a Big Meet at Alton Towers last month, that I missed because of being back in France. Then yesterday we had a Bedford mini-meet, which was me, Marc and Simon meeting up with a Bedford mum and her baby, and an Essex mum and her baby (plus my mum, Ali and the Bedford mum’s sister!). We had a picnic together in Bedford Park. It was fun to meet the other mums, and really quite moving to meet the babies who I’ve seen growing up through their photos on the board! They aren’t really old enough to play together yet, but it was cute to see them interacting a bit.
Since early on in my pregnancy, I’ve been part of an Internet forum birth board for mums whose babies were due in December 2006. At first I just used to read the posts – which reassured me that my worries were quite normal and that various physical niggles were common to pregnant women. Gradually I found I had things I wanted to add to the discussions … and sometime after Simon was born – once he was sleeping better and I was feeling vaguely human again – I really got stuck into the birth board community. I honestly think it’s helped me to be far more laidback about parenting than I could have been. Instead of panicking about tiny things that then blow up in my head and keep me awake at night, I can simply post a question on the board and either one of the mums with older children, or another mum who’s had the same problem as me, will put my mind at rest. And we can laugh at ourselves too, which is always a good way of getting things in perspective!
And I do feel that despite never meeting, those of us who do post frequently on the board have built up trust between us, and we know that if any of us can do anything for the others, we will.
Those who live near each other have met up and become face-to-face friends, and there was a Big Meet at Alton Towers last month, that I missed because of being back in France. Then yesterday we had a Bedford mini-meet, which was me, Marc and Simon meeting up with a Bedford mum and her baby, and an Essex mum and her baby (plus my mum, Ali and the Bedford mum’s sister!). We had a picnic together in Bedford Park. It was fun to meet the other mums, and really quite moving to meet the babies who I’ve seen growing up through their photos on the board! They aren’t really old enough to play together yet, but it was cute to see them interacting a bit.
1 comment:
Aren't you glad you and Hilary didn't have triplets Marc?!
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