** Read First **

tessiesmom26

Welcome to the October 2022 BMB! (I used this template from the September 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!

EmilyE13

@tessiesmom26 Thanks so much for setting up our BMB! One thread suggestion I really hope isn’t needed is a “TW: bleeding/threatened MC”—basically for anyone experiencing bleeding or other concerning symptoms to have a spot to post. We can of course hope it stays totally dormant but at this stage of our pregnancies it probably would be useful. It can also hopefully help consolidate a lot of the one-off threads that can sometimes pop up otherwise. 

tessiesmom26

@EmilyE13 Very true, I can get that one up and running. Also, help getting one offs to a minimum would be great! I figured that there would be a ton of flybys in the beginning, but would love to clean things up now that we have an established group starting.

bows22

@tessiesmom26 this looks great! I will try to help with starting threads. My only comment is  should we start the randoms thread fresh each Monday instead of Wednesday for a new week? I know I’ve just been on TTGP for too long and that’s why I’m saying that. 

I also don’t know if this has been discussed anywhere but I can look at how other BMBs have scheduled out the product spotlight threads and get those going? 

tessiesmom26

@bows22 I'm all good with randoms being Monday. I actually went to start it on Monday out of habit, so works fine for me. 

EmilyE13

@bows22 good call! Maybe we can start with maternity product spotlights first since we’re all pretty early. I love those threads. 

wiseh

@bows22 I’m lurking from sept 22 & we have a thread regarding product spotlight timing ☺️

bows22

@wiseh yes I saw that! I did end up starting one here and it looks like the Sept one was copied from ours, that’s why some of the things seem too late on your schedule since your EDDs are a month ahead 

wiseh

@bows22 ohhhhhh that makes sense! I need to become better at lurking 😅

roxyandbaby1

I have changed my username but my last comment still came through as knottie...logged out and back in and now this is a test to see if it’s changed!

EmilyE13

@roxyandbaby1 looks good!

Australian_girl_in_Paris

hi, I’m wondering if we could be slightly relaxed on rules ish. Obviously it’s good to have organisation but with my first pregnancy (June 2020) they were so strict that it because only second time mums replying to general questions like what’s a good stroller. Anyone who tried to start a thread or ask anything got yelled off the board. Soo I’m hoping this time will be slightly more relaxed. 

bows22

@Australian_girl_in_Paris The way the boards are organized is just kind of the culture of TB which isn’t for everyone. I think everyone has been pretty kind in helping to redirect posts. The point is to create a community atmosphere where we can interact and get to know each other versus everyone posting their own threads and getting lost in the shuffle. The TTGP board is pretty strict and organized but I made some of my closest friends there so I think the process works!

Australian_girl_in_Paris

@bows22 I’m not against organizing at all!! I just think it’s nice for everyone to feel welcome. I agree that other guy Orin’s get a bit overwhelming with soo many questions all over the place. 

But it would just be nice to try to be open to let FTM a place to go too. And for anyone with questions a place to find the info without being shamed off the board. That’s all. ☺️

bows22

@Australian_girl_in_Paris I’m sorry you had a bad experience on your last BMB! I definitely haven’t seen anything come close to shaming people here!

Australian_girl_in_Paris

@bows22 yeah it wasn’t nice. There was no weeklies on sort of product highlights. It wasn’t very friendly. I feel like this board is already better. 

EmilyE13

Hey Oct mamas: how soon should we start doing HDBD photos? Maybe next week? For several of us the B probably still stands for “bloat” instead of “bump”, but I do love the weekly bump photos and am excited for us to start!

bows22

@EmilyE13 I carry my weight in my stomach normally so I think it’s going to be awhile before I feel like I have a bump. But I’m excited to see everyone else’s!

krysnicole1022

This is such a cute idea. 

krthouse

@EmilyE13 I mean I'm definitely bumping now, but I'm a STM due early October so I know quite a few mamas may not be showing yet. Could be cute to start now to see the change though!

heathergirl89

Hey everyone! I'm pregnant with baby boy number 4. I have been in a BMB with all of my other pregnancies. I'm considered high risk due to blood pressure, pre eclampsia, and threatened pre term labor in previous pregnancies. I'll be seeing a maternal fetal medicine specialist this time around. Oh I'm 33. So is fiance. We are getting married in June. I work full time. That felt a little all over the place but oh well. I look forward to getting to know everyone. Oh and I'm due October 11th

EmilyE13

@heathergirl89 welcome! I think you meant to post this in the Introductions thread, but happy you’re here!