Opinions needed.

[H&B'sMum]

Hi everyone,
I'm hoping you will be able to help us. Graeme (some of you may know him from this forum) and I are (hopefully) going to be presenting a 90min workshop at the Family and Community Strengths Conference to be held here at Newcastle Uni. We are planning our presentation on the benefit and support network that a forum, such as this, builds. We wish to present many different topics, including security on the forum and meeting up with other bubhubers, how the forum is shaped, who posts, how the forum members support each other and how we as an online community help and support people we have never meet.

What we need from you guys is your opinion on this forum.

Have you benefited from it?
Do you feel that you have a support network on here?
Do you start threads or just post?
Do you feel comfortable posting?
Do you receive the advice posted with an open mind?
Do you read the posts and can decide if the advice would help or hinder you family?
Do you meet up with other bubhubers?
Do/would you feel comfortable meeting up with other bubhubers?
What is your general opinion of this forum?
Please feel free to add any other information or opinions on this forum.

I wish to add that if you post here you giving consent for your opinion to be used within the workshop. Every care will be taken not to disclose any names or usernames, location of members or anyother information. If you wish not to have your opinions included in the workshop please state that in your post.

Thank you in advance for all the responses we really do appreaciate it.
Karena and Graeme.

[Nick47]

As a first time mum to be without any family support in Australia, and no friends with children either- I cannot being to express just how beneficial this forum and the advice given has been to me. It allows us to see that we are not alone, can get valuable insights,sad, helpful, funny and nearly always informative information from a wide varied cross section of people.

So I am more than happy to oblige, my opinion follows....

Have you benefited from it?
This is absolutely invaluable for me.
Do you feel that you have a support network on here?
Most definately- it's probably my ONLY support network
Do you start threads or just post?
Both
Do you feel comfortable posting?
Very comfortable- it is often much easier than asking someone face to face ( either professionally or personally)

Do you receive the advice posted with an open mind?
Always as I am acutely aware that there are many different viewpoints available .
Do you read the posts and can decide if the advice would help or hinder you family?
Yes, if its a subject I feel could, should or does affect me
Do you meet up with other bubhubers?
No, nothing planned yet- but you never know
Do/would you feel comfortable meeting up with other bubhubers?

Not too sure how I feel about this yet- that's only my own personal insecurities. I haven't met with anyone yet.
What is your general opinion of this forum?
A lifeline, brilliant, invaluable, Can't you tell I'm a fan????

Nicki

[angcaltam]

Have you benefited from it?
I have really benefited from this site.

Do you feel that you have a support network on here?
Yes. There is always someone that can give you advise when you need it.

Do you start threads or just post?
Just posts at the moment. I don't know how to start threads yet.

Do you feel comfortable posting?
Yes.

Do you receive the advice posted with an open mind?
Yes. Everyone should be able to have their say.

Do you read the posts and can decide if the advice would help or hinder you family?
Yes. You read it and chose if you want to take it or not.

Do you meet up with other bubhubers?
No. I don't think there is anyone around my area.

Do/would you feel comfortable meeting up with other bubhubers?
Yes. Everyone here feels like close friends/family to me.

What is your general opinion of this forum?
I think it is great. I get on at least once a day to see what is going on and see if I can give anyone advise about anything.

Please feel free to add any other information or opinions on this forum.
I think that we need more forums like this to get on. It has helped me. I know that if I ever feel like I need someone to listen or someone to give me advise then this is the place to do it.

[reflect169]

[COLOR=Blue]Have you benefited from it? defenatly
Do you feel that you have a support network on here? defenatly, i's great to be able to converse with other mothers to be, and others that have lost a child.
Do you start threads or just post? i start threads when i need help, and post a lot too.
Do you feel comfortable posting? extremely, never hesitant.
Do you receive the advice posted with an open mind? yes
Do you read the posts and can decide if the advice would help or hinder you family? oh yeah, vey easily.
Do you meet up with other bubhubers? nope. for starters there are none near me i dont think, ive looked in the forum.
Do/would you feel comfortable meeting up with other bubhubers? if it was someone i chat to, then yes.
What is your general opinion of this forum? i feel it is a great site, and is directed at not only those who have babies, but those who are ttc, oregnant, and have toddlers.


my partner and i lost our first born son in april. he was born at 22 weeks, and was too young to survive. i am only 18 (my partner 25) and i have found this site great for support, i posted a thread, about my baby Lucky, and the responses were tear jerking, my partner and i were both in tears, and it gave us a very high sence of self worth, as we had really 'spoken' to these people.and as we are wanting totry again soon, it has been helpful to speak to thers in the community tt as well.

[draught]

The fact that I started a thread called "Why I love bubhub" may be a bit of a give away about the type of answers I am about to give - but in more detail here goes:

Have you benefited from it?
Yes. I have had helpful advice about practical things like hiring a nanny and expressing breast milk when I was preparing to return to work. I had great support, sometimes in the middle of the night, when I was at my wits end trying to get my youngest daughter to sleep without me rocking her in my arms or breastfeeding her off to sleep several times a night. And it makes me laugh, a lot.

Do you feel that you have a support network on here?
Yes. There are people who post on here whose advice I really value and who I think of as friends even though we haven't met.

Do you start threads or just post?
Both.
Do you feel comfortable posting?
Yes - perhaps a little too comfortable sometimes. I keep thinking I should keep some of my opinions to myself, then find myself unable to hold back when I have a quick answer to someone's question and there I go again!

Do you receive the advice posted with an open mind?
Yes. I definitely don't agree with all the advice posted here - some of the opinions of other people make me concerned, but I take the approach that if an idea is sensible and safe and suits my family I will try it. If not, I don't make a big deal about it being "wrong" in my eyes as it might suit someone elses needs.

Do you read the posts and can decide if the advice would help or hinder you family?
Yes - see above
Do you meet up with other bubhubers?
Not yet but am about to soon. I haven't been interested in it before but am planning to meet up with some other mums who have returned to work next week, and will see how that goes. I am also meeting someone I have made contact with from the forum to discuss the possibility of nanny sharing.

Do/would you feel comfortable meeting up with other bubhubers?
Am getting more comfortable with the idea.

What is your general opinion of this forum?
I love it. I dont have any family near me, and don't have a huge support network here. My husband travels a lot so I am home with two gorgeous but energetic little ones on my own a lot. This forum stops me feeling socially isolated, lets me know that I am normal, reminds me that I am not a bad mother when I have a bad case of the motherguilts, and lets me feel like a useful part of a community, sharing my parenting knowledge (with all it's limitations) with other people who might not otherwise be in a position to ask for advice or information. These days a lot of people don't have access to other mothers with children the same age, for all sorts of reasons, so this is a great way for us to share our experiences despite distance, time and other limitations.

Please feel free to add any other information or opinions on this forum.

Occasionally I worry that I spend too much time checking in on the forum (a friend of mine who checks in but isn't a member has threatened to do an "intervention" to assist me with my addiction!) but as I find it keeps me sane, and it isn't hurting anyone, I think it is okay!
I often find myself thinking about someone's post hours or days later whether because it has annoyed me, or because I am sad for someone, or because I realise that I know an answer that has been bothering me. I like logging on and seeing that some of my favourite people have been on leaving great advice or sharing their experiences.
And although I started it, my favourite thread is still "the bad mother's club" because it makes me laugh everytime I read a new post.

[rebecca]

Hello there,

I first started to see and use this website obviously when I fell pregnant. As I did not have a mum to turn too and lost the closet thing to a mother whilst pregnant I found this forum extremely helpful, calming and of great advice whenever I have a question. I will be happy to assist with answering the questions...

Have you benefited from it?
I have been able to gain information, support, research and advice regarding pregnancy and child rearing.


Do you feel that you have a support network on here?
Most definately, and also feel as though we are able to have our individual thoughts and feelings and are not looked down apon for being different or having different opinions.

Do you start threads or just post?
Both

Do you feel comfortable posting?
Sure Do! It is always in the best interest of our family, so I have nothing to be ashamed of.

Do you receive the advice posted with an open mind?Most definately.

Do you read the posts and can decide if the advice would help or hinder you family?yes

Do you meet up with other bubhubers?Not as yet.

Do/would you feel comfortable meeting up with other bubhubers?If the opportunity arose.

What is your general opinion of this forum?Lifesaver at times and a blessing in disguise.
Hope that this all helps for your conference...

Please feel free to add any other information or opinions on this forum.

[pippa]

Hi guys just thought I'd answer your question

Have you benefited from it? I have definately benefited from it. It helped me greatly when I had my m/c to be able to chat to people who had been through the same thing as me and receive encouragement from people.

Do you feel you have a support network on here? yes I do most people are very supportive even when they have there own problems we all support or try to support each other.

Do you start threads or just post? Yes I start threads if there is something that I want to know

Do you feel comfortable posting? Yes

Do you receive the advice with an open mind? Yes

[B]Do you read the posts and can decide if the advice would help or hinder your [/B] family? Yes, I take what advice I need, I think we are all grown adults and are capable of making our own decisions. I read everything and then work out for myself what I think is best.

[B]Do you meet up with other bubhubbers?[/B] No

Do/would you feel comfortable meeting up with other bubhubbers? Yes I don't see why not.

General opinon of the forum?

I love bubhub, my partner says sometimes that I spend too much time on here, but it's addictive. But I think that it is very informative and you can find out so much information on here, about things that sometimes you don't even think about.

[madvoice]

Have you benefited from it?
Yes, I have found a lot of different ideas and coping mechanisms to try. Esepecially seeing that other people are dealing with similar situations to me.

Do you feel that you have a support network on here?
Generally yes. I've seen a little big of judgement with some posts but mainly its a very supportive community.

Do you start threads or just post?
I mainly just post but if I feel the need to post a topic I will

Do you feel comfortable posting?
If the thread is relevant to me and I have something to contribute I have no problems posting. If its a thread that I don't have experience with I don't post.

Do you receive the advice posted with an open mind?
I take all advice with an open mind. I might not agree with it initially but somewhere down the track it may come in handy for me.

Do you read the posts and can decide if the advice would help or hinder you family?
I read it and store it away for later. Sometimes there are things that I couldn't see myself doing but things might change.

Do you meet up with other bubhubers?
I've talked to other bubhubbers online but am yet to meet anyone. Being in Darwin makes it a little hard (there is one person in my locality but I don't think I know them or they know me well enough yet to progress to that stage)

Do/would you feel comfortable meeting up with other bubhubers?
If the occasion presented itself sure

What is your general opinion of this forum?
I think it is a great resource for Aussie Mums

[razzle]

Have you benefited from it? Absolutely - this place was a lifesaver when my daughter was born.

Do you feel that you have a support network on here? Absolutely

Do you start threads or just post? Both - and moderate!

Do you feel comfortable posting? Yep

Do you receive the advice posted with an open mind? I try to

Do you read the posts and can decide if the advice would help or hinder you family? Yes, absolutely

Do you meet up with other bubhubers? I have met a couple

Do/would you feel comfortable meeting up with other bubhubers? Yes

What is your general opinion of this forum? I think it's a fantastic resource for parents. I live in a country town with not much support, either from family or friends, I get so much support (and friendship) from this and other forums. I wasn't entirely comfortable (or confident) in speaking with my doctor for advice on every little thing, so coming here and searching for parents with similar problems or issues eases my mind tremendously.

Good luck with everything Karena (and Graeme!)

[Graeme]

Hi,

Thanks for responses. Even though I'm working with Karena on this, I thought I might give my thoughts as well.

Have you benefited from it? Yes, I have asked questions and got some helpful answers.
Do you feel that you have a suppot network on here? Not sure i would call it a support network. It is certainly a place where I think i could get some great support if I was facing some serious problems, dramas or challenges.
Do you start threads or just post? I have a number of times. Mostly received quite helpful responses.
Do you feel comfortable posting? Most of the time, but not always. There have been a number of times where I haven't because I'm a Dad. E.g. there have been some threads where people have been complaining about their partners and I've thought about posting but wasnt' sure is was appropriate - it seemed a good place to let off steam. There are other threads where I don't think it is appropriate for me to look at (e.g. there are some quite personal threads about pregnancy etc that I have no experience or reason to look at.) Also at times in the back of my mind is the thought about how would Cathy react if she read this.
Do you receive the advice posted with an open mind? Most of the time. At times there have been posts that I have reacted pretty negatively about, but then I feel that I don't need to take it on board and that I don't need to respond.
Do you read the posts and can decide if the advice would help or hinder you family? Yes, I think so.
Do you meet up with other bubhubers? I have met Karena to talk about this, but nobody else.
Do/would you feel comfortable meeting up with other bubhubers? Mostly I would be hesitant to, once again it is largely a gender thing. There is a group who meet sometimes in Newcastle, but I don't think I would go because a male could change the dynamics quite a bit. I think it is probably best to set fairly clear boundaries for myself.
What is your general opinion of this forum? I think it is great, which is why I'm keen to work with Karena to talk about it at the conference.

We will keep you up to date with what we do.

Thanks again
Graeme