Social Groups are here! - Page 7

[Cynthia Mosher]

Originally Posted by Partaria 

I don't think moving the thread to Healing Birth Trauma is necessarily a solution. We are more looking for a place to let the conversation break out into more sub-threads so women can really focus on this particular post-birth journey. If only groups weren't closed... that would probably solve both of our concerns here.

I'll leave it up to the mods. :) I totally didn't mean to start a debate about MDC groups or anything. There are always other corners of the net for little groups too, so no biggie if it's not right for MDC. I do think it might be helpful in the future to put out clearer guidelines on what MDC is okay with in terms of groups. Does a group have to meet certain criteria before it can be approved to be a group? It sort of seems like maybe it does, but I'm not sure we as a community have taken the time to write those out. Might be useful.

Groups don't have to be closed. It is the joint decision of the group leaders and members on whether the group is best served by having open membership where anyone can join by simply clicking the Join button or if it is a Closed group so that when you click the Join button you must be approved by the group leader before you can post. 

Our guidelines are pretty simple and straightforward: http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1327212/social-groups-are-here/0_100

We do not have any objection to forming a group that fits within the Mothering community's realm of interests. Sometimes a general forum can feel impersonal and intimidating  while a group with a specific interest and commonality can be more close knit and friendly. That may seem divisive in some ways but certainly some members find groups bring more close connection and support and feel more inviting. 

[CI Mama]

Hi, I'm the one who started the "Unplanned c-section after long labor support thread" and I'd like to co-facilitate a social group with Partaria on the same topic. I hear the concern about the fragmentation of MDC, but I'm not sure how this group would be any more "segregated" than any other social group on MDC. I would like to see the group be open to all.

One main reason that I would like to see a social group is that the thread we've started is really long, and sometimes it's hard to get support when you feel like the only way to connect with like-minded women is by tagging along to a super-long thread. If you have a specific question or issue that you'd like to get feedback on, it can get "lost."

I am now more than 3 years out from my daughter's birth, but when I was first seeking support for my experience, I was amazed at how difficult it was to find and connect with others who had been through something similar. It was particularly hard to get information on how to recover from the exhaustion & depletion of a long labor that ends in surgery. My health care providers were pretty much dismissive of my experience. I felt very alone in trying to piece together some support and figure out how to move forward.

I think a group dedicated to drawing women who've had this experience together would go a long way towards filling that gap.

Adorkable, I appreciate your very clear & compassionate articulation of your concerns. If we form the group, I hope you'll post there. : )

Cynthia, let us know what the verdict is!

[~Adorkable~]

I'm sure you'll get your group, like I said before, I have no say in the matter and was talking to you gals about your feeling for wanting one, not trying to sway the mods on your right to have one.

And you will not see me post there, I won't be able to.
This is the second of the two big issues with Social Groups, even "open" groups restrict posting to members only. In my case, since I have not had a c section it seems not appropriate to join the group. In others case you will find folks that will see the thread in new post and go to chime in only to be blocked and ask to join first. Many will not bother thinking there one comment is not worth it or be shy and not feel welcome.
There is no way to let non members post.

[~Adorkable~]

Originally Posted by Partaria 

Sure, that makes sense. I understand the idea that we're more alike than we are different. I guess I'm not sure I understand how having a group on MDC separates us from MDC. Since it's on MDC. I'm not trying to break off from anyone or segregate. I just want a corner of MDC where women with this same experience can support each other. Is there really a fundamental way this is different than the other groups, like due date clubs? or Military spouses? You could argue that due date clubs belong in Birth and Beyond.

i actually think that the social group that the Ddc have turned into have a lot of issues and are part of why I'm worried about it happening more and more. since they are so separated from the general "I'm Pregnant" are that they used to be under, there are tone and tons of threads in them that are general questions that really should be asked in the general area. i see the same questions asked in nearly every single months groups and each gets just a handful of replies, if it was asked in the general pregnancy area, I'm guessing it would get 12x and many replies and be more helpful.  one of the reasons that i know that the DDC have been turned into Social Groups is so they could be kept open indefinitely, MDC simply could not do that with the way the old DDCs were structured, so hence the Social Groups. One of the reasons the DDC are different is that that is a gouts of ladies that are exactly that pregnant at that time. the military family life Group is the one that i am a part of and all Finding Your Tribe groups are being switched over, I'm not sure how i feel about it, but since we really could only have a single thread in FYT, i guess this is better.

Originally Posted by Partaria 

I don't think moving the thread to Healing Birth Trauma is necessarily a solution. We are more looking for a place to let the conversation break out into more sub-threads so women can really focus on this particular post-birth journey. If only groups weren't closed... that would probably solve both of our concerns here.

yeah it would be so great if there was someway to chose to let non member with maybe a minimum post count post in them.  one super great thing that got lost when the DDCs changed to Groups was friends of gals getting to congratulate them for their births, since they almost always post their birth info in a tread within there DDC, we now can't add our warm wishes.  i goes i dont understand why you can't have more than one thread in any of  those areas? its not like there is a limit of threads? i see folks with particular circumstances post threads after thread in all kind of areas, i think that is what the forums are for!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Partaria 
I'll leave it up to the mods. :) I totally didn't mean to start a debate about MDC groups or anything. There are always other corners of the net for little groups too, so no biggie if it's not right for MDC. I do think it might be helpful in the future to put out clearer guidelines on what MDC is okay with in terms of groups. Does a group have to meet certain criteria before it can be approved to be a group? It sort of seems like maybe it does, but I'm not sure we as a community have taken the time to write those out. Might be useful.

I'm pretty sure the mods have no issue with this and i was not trying to sway them, i was talking to you and the need you felt as a peer member of the community. You didn't start a debate, the Creation of Social Groups did, and if you read back thru this thread you will see that I and others have been mentioning our concerns since day one.  Yes there are lots of places on the net for groups, i think that's what made MDC feel pressured to offer something similar rather than loose ladies to other sites.

thanks again for being able to chat with me about this in such a constructive and open hearted way, makes me really feel good about the MDC family when i have interaction like this.

[Mulvah]

Originally Posted by ~Adorkable~ 

i actually think that the social group that the Ddc have turned into have a lot of issues and are part of why I'm worried about it happening more and more. since they are so separated from the general "I'm Pregnant" are that they used to be under, there are tone and tons of threads in them that are general questions that really should be asked in the general area. i see the same questions asked in nearly every single months groups and each gets just a handful of replies, if it was asked in the general pregnancy area, I'm guessing it would get 12x and many replies and be more helpful.  one of the reasons that i know that the DDC have been turned into Social Groups is so they could be kept open indefinitely, MDC simply could not do that with the way the old DDCs were structured, so hence the Social Groups. One of the reasons the DDC are different is that that is a gouts of ladies that are exactly that pregnant at that time. the military family life Group is the one that i am a part of and all Finding Your Tribe groups are being switched over, I'm not sure how i feel about it, but since we really could only have a single thread in FYT, i guess this is better.

I'm not that invested in this forum any longer and I agree with you.  I, personally, believe these social groups are only adding to the demise of this board.  I can understand looking for a solution that allows MDC to keep DDCs open, but these social groups only aid in segregating the community.  Further, I gather that most newcomers have no idea about them and no idea how to find them.  Adding to it, you have to request membership to comment, which I find rather, well, stupid and simply not worth the hassle. 

[philomom]

Originally Posted by Mulvah 



 
I'm not that invested in this forum any longer and I agree with you.  I, personally, believe these social groups are only adding to the demise of this board.  I can understand looking for a solution that allows MDC to keep DDCs open, but these social groups only aid in segregating the community.  Further, I gather that most newcomers have no idea about them and no idea how to find them.  Adding to it, you have to request membership to comment, which I find rather, well, stupid and simply not worth the hassle. 

I agree with this. I have great experience on many pregnancy, natural type things like Bradley, the Brewer diet and other things. Only to be shut out because I'm not currently pregnant. And I ran a new mother's support group for many years and can answer many newborn concerns... but if everyone's in a club and I'm not.. they are missing my knowledge and experience.

[trekkingirl]

I totally agree! I blame a lot of what's going on here on the Facebook movement. It's a shame. I find forums like MDC to be much more substantial than FB or the likes. Real conversations.

[CI Mama]

Originally Posted by ~Adorkable~ 

I'm sure you'll get your group, like I said before, I have no say in the matter and was talking to you gals about your feeling for wanting one, not trying to sway the mods on your right to have one.
And you will not see me post there, I won't be able to.
This is the second of the two big issues with Social Groups, even "open" groups restrict posting to members only. In my case, since I have not had a c section it seems not appropriate to join the group. In others case you will find folks that will see the thread in new post and go to chime in only to be blocked and ask to join first. Many will not bother thinking there one comment is not worth it or be shy and not feel welcome.
There is no way to let non members post.

I agree that this is a problem. I know that I have often held back from posting because I don't belong to a group, and I don't really want to join just so that I can make one post in one thread. I don't know how to get around that, but it seems like a fundamental issue that MDC has to address.

In terms of the specific c-section group, however, I would still like to see a social group, even knowing the restrictions & limitations, just because I feel that there's a need to have a group of some kind somewhere, and having an endless thread just doesn't seem adequate. I guess in my ideal world, there would be a way to create a social group that is truly open for anyone to post. I don't know if that's possible with the MDC technology/set-up as it currently exists.

[Cynthia Mosher]

CI Mama - please give me the decided name of the group and I'll get it set up. You and Partaria are group leaders - right?

[CI Mama]

Let's just call it: Unplanned C-section after Long Labor Support Group.

And yes, Partaria & I would like to co-facilitate.

[trekkingirl]

can women who had unplanned c sections without the long labor join? I have major PTSD from my section but only had a short labor. Like 15 min from arriving at hospital to being rushed to the OR.

[Cynthia Mosher]

Groups is open for membership. :)

[Partaria]

@trekkingirl: I don't really see us excluding folks if their labor doesn't meet some arbitrary definition of "long." Once the group gets going, I would encourage you to join and post away! While the group will probably be predominately populated with women who have had longer labors, I am sure you  have a lot to share, and that much of the conversation would be useful to you.

Have you stopped by the long thread that started this all? I know that for me, I got so much solace out of reading postings on that thread.

http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/newestpost/1336999

[CamoShades]

Will these groups ever be accessible via TapaTalk? I find it VERY irritating that I can't get to my DDC easily on my phone.

[Cynthia Mosher]

Do you not get a Groups link in the top nav bar when on Tapatalk?

[~Adorkable~]

I see no way to find them when you are in tap talk. If you have recently posted in one you can get back to that but not your main group or the list of groups.

[Sourire]

I've been trying for months to find a way to access the Social Groups in Tapatalk. I don't think it's possible. Can this be fixed?

[katelove]

Could we have a November 2012 DDC  group please. 

[Cynthia Mosher]

I'll report the Tapatalk issue.

katelove, I need two members to volunteer as group leaders to open a new DDC. Are you willing to serve as a group leader? If so just let me know who the other group leader will be and if you want the group Open or Closed membership and I'll get it set up. 

[sere234]

Thanks for messaging me about this thread Cynthia! I'll serve as a group leader. Hopefully Katelove or someone else will sign on as the other leader :)