Third Trimester Swap???

[Spark]

If you voted for the Baby Shower $15 can you do the $20 one, too?

What do you think, guys? Should we do some kind of swap for the 3rd Trimester? We had talked about it earlier.

In a swap everyone posts what they are in search of (that fall under the swap theme). When the lists are all posted, then you figure out who you can send a package to. You PM your picks to the swap coordinator. The coordinator matches people up so that everyone will send out one package and receive one package. You may or may not send and receive with the same person.

There are quite a few different kinds of swaps that we could do:
Birth Bead Swap-- Everyone receives (and also sends out) one bead to be worn or looked at during labor as a symbol of our being connected. You would write a note to the mother you were sending to explaining why you chose that bead and your wishes for their birth.
Birth Blessing -- Like an online "BlessingWay" everyone would send a small item to focus on during birth/labor (picture, figure, silk flower, etc), poem or inspirational saying to help with labor, small candle, a letter with your wish/blessing/prayer for their labor.
Baby Shower (new item only) -- $15 or $20 package amount before shipping, matched to In Search Of (ISO) list. Items that you would want at a baby shower (Traditional items: blanket, diapers and non-traditional: chux pads, rescue remedy)
Baby Shower (new and used items) -- Same as above but includes gently used items as well as new items.
Pamper the Mother -- $15 package limit for things just for mama. Anything that makes you happy! :)

Feel free to fill out the poll if you're interested in doing a swap! You may pick multiple swaps (but I'll only run the most popular one). This is a public poll meaning that we'll know who voted for what. :)

[Geofizz]

I more or less voted for everything but the birth bead or blessing swap. I know from my last labor that I don't focus on things or symbols while in labor.

I would also suggest that anything handmade could be included in the swap in place of a new/used item. Maybe the mom could specify if handmade is ok.

[amis2girls]

Done. :)

[xmasbaby7]

Uh, Claire, can we add my vote to this thread AND the "inexplicably emotional" thread, too?

I got all teary just reading it and thinking of each other's support during labor! :throb

[birthjunkie27]

What a great idea! I love the idea of us all being there for eachother, even though we really aren't "there". Kwim? :grouphug

[selazenby]

I'm up for whatever! I can't believe it's time for the third trimester swap!

[Spark]

I got all teary just reading it and thinking of each other's support during labor! :throb

Awwww, :grouphug I think that's kind of the why the 3rd trimester swap seems to be the most special. It's like all of us coming together to support one another during the last bit of pregnancy. We've really grown to know each other much more now than in the beginning when we were wondering if it was ok to take Ibuprofen or eat deli meat.

I'm up for whatever swap. I do really like the notion of including a very nice note with each package with your blessing/wish/prayer for the mom's last few weeks being pregnant/labor/birth/welcoming new baby. However you see that unfolding.

So far looks like the New/Used Baby Shower swap and then the Pamper the Mother swap are the most popular. :) We'll let the poll go a bit longer to see if a clearly popular choice arises.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, I just figured I'd volunteer to coordinate this swap, but if someone else wants to, by all means, please feel free. :)

[phaeon]

I'm up for anything. What a neat idea!! :bouncy

[Spark]

Looks like Baby Shower with new/used a clear winner right now. Those of you who voted for $15 limit, could you do a $20 limit? Or would you be out if we did $20?

Remember if you voted for one of the other kinds of swaps you can always put that item on your Baby Shower ISO -- there is nothing that says you can't ask for a Birth Bead or a Blessing for your Baby shower. :)

[Spark]

I would also suggest that anything handmade could be included in the swap in place of a new/used item. Maybe the mom could specify if handmade is ok.

:nod Ooh, yes. Handmade is YUMMY!!! :clap

[DesireeH]

I voted for 3, is that bad? HAHAAHAHA I love the birth bead idea but I think it might be fun if we could send a bead to everyone who wants to participate so we can all make an actual bracelet with the beads so we can wear it and know everyone is thinking of us, yk?

I love the general swaps too. I dont care though, I am in for any of them! :)

[Spark]

Desiree, I think 4 people signed up interested in the birth bead swap. Then, more would probably join in. There's nothing that says we couldn't do both the baby shower and the birth bead. If you want to run a birth bead swap, by all means go for it. :thumb You can set the rules any which way -- send a bead to each person/send a bead to 3 people/send just one bead to one person. It would be a really easy one to run. Let me know if you have any questions. :)

And, no it's not bad to vote for 3! HA! It was just to show which one had the most interest. :)

[atozmama]

While I really like the idea of the birth bead, and would do a bead swap in addition to a general swap, I voted for anything because it all sounded good. :D

[littlemomma]

I would love to participate in a birth bead swap and make a braclet with them, like pp mentioned!

[Spark]

I would love to participate in a birth bead swap and make a braclet with them, like pp mentioned!

Do you want to PM with Desiree to set that up? I'd love to participate in it, but I'm not able to run both the birth bead swap and the Baby Shower swap.

Currently, we have 10 unique votes for the BAby Shower and 8 for the Pamper the Mother. Since just a couple more seem intersted in Baby Shower, we'll go with that one. IF you want to add items to Pamper the Mother to your Baby Shower ISO, then go for it! :thumb I've PM'd the two who voted for $15 limit and not the $20 limit for the Baby Shower to see if they can do $20. Once I hear back from them, I'll go ahead and start a new post to sign up and post ISO lists.

[Spark]

Well, that was fast. We need to go with the $15 for us all to participate. :)

[littleteapot]

If most people want to go for $20, why not just say that those who can go that high can, and those who can't won't and not to worry. :)

[birthjunkie27]

I agree with littleteapot..those of us who can do $20 can, and those of us who can't don't have to sweat over it. It's not like we're going to be announcing how much each item cost right? What matters is the thought that goes into it.

I also like the birth bead idea, but there's no way I could organize it.....anyone else??

[Spark]

:clap Hello! Great call, guys! :)

I put the limit at $20 and YES, I'm totally in agreeance. It's the thought that goes into a package that is really the most important. :)

[Spark]

I also like the birth bead idea, but there's no way I could organize it.....anyone else??

Just for whoever does want to organize it -- it would be VERY easy.
1. Post a thread inviting people to join.
2. Have them each PM the coodinator their address and any bead issues they might have (allergic to gold or can't stand the color red).
3a. If it's a small swap and/or you each want to send a bead to everyone on the list then, PM everyone in the swap a compliled list of addresses.
3b. If it's a big swap and/or you only want to send out 2 or 3 or 4 or ? beads per person,then divide up the names evenly and PM those to each person.
3c. If it's just one bead per person, then see who all is interested and randomly match people up (keeping Canada folks together as much as possible). Post a list of who is with who and let them each PM each other their addresses.

There you go. Bead swap in 3 easy steps. :) Or maybe you have an easier way to do it. That's fine, too. :)