***Read This Before Posting***

aukeev

Welcome to the July 2022 BMB! (I used this template from the April 2022 BMB) If you're new to TB, we're excited to have you! Below you will find information on how the flow of BMBs work, guidelines and helpful links. 

Some links that you may find helpful:

• What do all of those abbreviations mean?
• How do I add a siggy? Tickers? Spoilers?
• How do I gif?

How-To Guides:

• How to quote: Hit the "quote" at the bottom of the post you want to quote. You will be taken to the reply box with the quote set up already.
• How to tag: Add a "@" in front of the username of the person you are talking to.
• How to change your username: log in to TheKnot, hover over My Knot, and click Account Settings. If you are having issues doing it that way, you can email community@thebump.com and ask them to change your username. Give them a few suggestions just in case your top choice is taken. It may take up to 24 hours for the name to update.
• How to insert a spoiler box: click the drop down list arrow next to the paragraph symbol (third from the left, next to bold and italicize) and choose spoiler. It will insert a grey box, and everything that you type in there will go into the spoiler.

For the sake of board organization, here are some simple guidelines for posting threads:
DO: 

• Introduce yourself in the "Introductions!" thread 
• Feel free to start one of the weekly posts listed below: 
• Post your own thread if you have a confirmed loss (please use a TW)
• Post a thread that would apply to the entire community and doesn't fall into one of the categories for daily threads listed below (Ex: what to pack in your hospital bag, baby gear, etc)
• Comment, share advice and show support for your fellow bumpies; this is a two-way street, to get support, you must show it as well.

DON'T:

• Start a thread asking about symptoms; please post this in the current weekly "symptoms thread" - this is helpful because it keeps the board from getting cluttered and makes it so we can all see the whole discussion in one thread, rather than having one thread about MS, one about food cravings, another about vivid dreams, etc.
• Ask the community if you are pregnant, it is against TOU
• Start a thread asking for relationship advice; a professional is better suited for this task
• Post pictures of your pregnancy test, this is also against TOU
• Post a thread that asks a question only applying to yourself unless you suspect you may be going through a MC
• Get bent out of shape if someone calls you out for not following these guidelines; if you expect to be part of a supportive board (which we are), you need to be able to take the time to learn the ins and outs of the board

Weekly threads suggestions! Feel free to add any others you think would be helpful/fun. 

MONDAY
Monday Bitch Fest 
Weekly (or monthly) symptoms thread 

TUESDAY
GTKY ("Get to know you" posted with a thought-provoking question) 
High Risk Check-in

WEDNESDAY
Hump day/bump day 
PAIF check in 
Weekly randoms 
WTF Wednesday

THURSDAY

PGAL check in
Unpopular opinion (UO)
Thankful Thursdays 

FRIDAY
Flame Free Confessions 
TTGP Grad check in 

MONTHLY
What my pregnant self is eating/crying?               
AMA mama check in 
Ask a STM+

Once we all get farther along, we will also have pinned threads for things like ultrasounds, sex announcements, and birth announcements.

I've copy/pasted this from previous boards, and it seems to be the way that they are all organized, but of course we should feel free to tweak for our needs! For example, some boards do weekly ticker changes while others do weekly due date check-ins (ex, DD 1st week of March.). 

If anyone has a suggestion for other threads, please feel free to comment a suggestion.

Let's have a great BMB ladies!

skilouise

FYI, the instructions for updating a username appear outdated. I tried emailing the address listed, and it bounced back. The current instructions are at the link below, and are much simpler: 

https://support.thebump.com/hc/en-us/articles/360052140771-How-do-I-change-my-username-

Note: it took an hour or two for the change to go into effect, and my first post after changing my username appeared under my old name for an hour or so before switching over. 

aukeev

@skilouise Thank you so much for sharing that!!

skilouise

@BumpAdmin Can we please get this thread pinned? 

feather_heather

@BumpAdmin Can we get this thread pinned please?

inthewoods23

What did you all want to do regarding the weekly check-ins based on due date week or day of the week for due date? I know sometimes that depends on how many regular participants we get here.

feather_heather

I think based on due date week works well! But willing to go with whatever! It will generally change and evolve as time goes on and participation fluxes. 

inthewoods23

@feather_heather same

I never liked the ticker change that's by day of the week because you're all at different milestones or timelines. The discussion wouldn't be as fun to me.

tuxielove93

I agree. Due date week seems to make more sense 

inthewoods23

July 1st is on a Thursday. Do we want to lump the 1st and 2nd in the weekly check in with the 3rd-9th?

Or perhaps for the next week or two do 1 check in for all days since the board isn't super active yet and decide my first question at a later time?

L1C4gal

@inthewoods23 I think a single check-in for everybody over the next week or two while the board is still small makes sense, and then probably grouping July 1-2 with the following week after we grow (although we can decide on that later). Thanks for coordinating us!

stardustskies

@BumpAdmin Sticky? 

stardustskies

@BumpAdmin Can we get a sticky here please 

stardustskies

@BumpAdmin Can you sticky this post please

inthewoods23

@stardustskies good luck getting them to sticky lol. I actually sent a question to their support over the weekend to see who we're supposed to tag since it's not getting done. A friend of mine in the May BMB had the same problem.

stardustskies

@inthewoods23 I'm just gonna do a tag everyday lol at least that way it will keep it bumped until they decide to do it. 😬

inthewoods23

@stardustskies they finally stickied woohoo haha

Some other weekly threads we've done on the TTGP board that we could also do here:

Monday
Healthy Habits

Tuesday
TW (twatwaffle) tuesday
Ten Things

Wednesday
Win/Wine/Whine

Thursday
Thirsty Thursday (although we rarely did this one and don't remember really what the topic is besides crushes of some kind)

Friday
Furry Friday (pet thread!)

We've also done some things on the weekends like weekend word association and a couple times have tried doing SO (significant other) Saturday to mention praises or annoyances with our SOs.

twincitiesmom

Wow! The bump has changed a lot since my pregnancy 12 years ago. We could ask about anything and get advice back. This is stupid.

inthewoods23

@twincitiesmom 🤨 you wanna read the thread again? No where does it say you can't ask a question/get advice. It's called organization. Instead of having a million threads asking the same question it's all in 1 place - the big questions thread. Not a single person here has been criticized for the questions they've asked. The Bump has always been a supportive community for the entire 3 years I've been a participant - during years of TTC with IF, my pregnancy ending in MC last year, and now this pregnancy.

If you think it's stupid to be organized, then go elsewhere.

twincitiesmom

Uh ok. It’s like 9 fafillion rules to organize a message board. I am not reading your post because it’s even stupider. 

rubyrose_0919

Hey @twincitiesmom - you're right, The Bump has changed a ton over the years! Probably because it is waaaay more popular than it was years ago. This new format takes awhile to get used to, but it is filled with lots of lovely people supporting one another through their pregnancy journey. If you are interested to stay and try, please do, but this is a kind and respectful place and we want to keep it that way. 

@inthewoods23 you've been doing a really great job keeping us all on track ❤ thanks for all your work coordinating!

inthewoods23

@rubyrose_0919 thank you! ❤️ Communities need some organization. We'd drive ourselves crazy if it was the wild wild west 😆

rosegoldg

@inthewoods23 I remember thirsty Thursdays, we did that a lot in one of my old boards and it was always a laugh you just post whichever celebrity you're thirsting over that week (Bonus points for photos/ gifs)

LJMoon6

So I grabbed my old BMB's product spotlight and edited it to fit our schedule. Let me know what you guys think. Since we're a little late on starting this, we can post a couple either this week or next week to get us caught up.

Item	Aim to Post
Vitamins	November 29
Pregnancy Books/apps	December 6
Skincare Products for Mama	December 13
Pillows/Sleep Gear	December 20
Maternity clothes	December 27
Baby Carriers	January 3
Strollers	January 10
Car seats	January 17
Breast Pumps and Accessories	January 24
Diapering	January 31
Cribs, travel cribs, sleeping surfaces	February 7
Bath time	February 14
Diaper bags	February 21
Baby monitors	February 28
Baby Apparel	March 7
Rocking chairs, gliders	March 14
Formula/Food Stuff	March 21
Toys	March 28
Blankets	April 4
Health and safety	April 11
Bottles	April 18
Travel accessories	April 25
Teething accessories	May 2
Intangibles	May 9
Baby Containers	May 16
Hospital Bag Essentials	May 23
Keepsakes and Memorabilia	May 30
Postpartum Essentials for Mom	June 6
Organization/Storage solutions	June 13
Misc. Your #1 Must Have	June 20
Nursing clothes, bras	June 27
Books for baby	July 4
Baby (0-3m) summer/fall essentials	July 11
Baby (6-9m) winter/spring essentials	July 18

zinnia19

@LJMoon6 thats a great idea! And thanks to all of you who have started threads. Many of you are very experienced on here and I appreciate that as a FTM!

inthewoods23

@LJMoon6 thank you! I was wondering when we'd start having those.

tuxielove93

I thought of something else to add. Now I’m reading the list and rethinking…. It isn’t exactly products?? 

Anywho. In my other BMBs we had a thread for home birth/birthing center/unmedicated birth mamas. Do we want something like that? 

zinnia19

@tuxielove93 I like that idea!

On another note: I am interested in hearing about suggestions others have for good prenatal exercise videos or online classes. Or just in general what exercises people are doing during pregnancy. Do you all think this would be good as its own thread? Or better as a question to ask on the question thread? I want to follow protocol! 😆 

stardustskies

@zinnia9 That sounds like a good thread to me! An exercise thread with helpful tips or good videos to watch. 

inthewoods23

When do the new trimester and halfway there gif party threads typically get posted?

Is that typically done when everyone has reached that milestone or when the early month due dates reach it? I think all of us are fully into the 2nd trimester now.

feather_heather

@inthewoods23 - Generally whenever the first person gets there! Then people can join in as they reach that milestone! I forgot about those threads!

inthewoods23

@feather_heather I'll get the party started then! 🥳