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August 2011 Moms
amywalt1684
member
Lurkers - UO spinoff
amywalt1684
member
Tell me what you think about them and why? Do you all consider someone that posts occasionally or someone who typically posts on another board a lurker?
If you are a current lurker reading this.. feel free to introduce yourself! 
I have been a longtime dirty lurker and I recently "came out of the closet."
The reasons I lurked for so long:
1. When I first got my BFP I started following the board. I think I posted a couple of times and then I didn't go on for awhile. By the time I was paying attention again, it seemed that all these "relationships" were formed and I was intruding. I still had a the same questions and was going through the same thing as the others, so I kept reading, quietly.
2. I always read things whether on FFFC or UO posts about how everyone hates lurkers etc. This made me never want to come out of the closet. 
I felt that everyone would hate me if I intruded and admited the lurking I had done.
3. I never knew what to say in posts. I feel like a lot of times the responses to a post have already been covered and if I commented on a post it would just be a repeat.
That being said, I think I am offically out of the closet and enjoying my new August 2011 Bump identity. Hopefully it is okay...
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Re: Lurkers - UO spinoff
I don't mind lurkers because I don't share anything TOO personal on here.
I kind of see message boards like a playground. Some moms talk to each other, some keep to themselves, but that doesn't mean they can't hear your conversation (or eavesdrop). That holds true of any public place, virtual or not.
The only type of lurker that bugs me is the kind that will only come out of lurkdom to post some big news and then go back in the lurking closet. If I'm going back to my playground analogy, I think everyone would side eye the mom who just randomly gets up and shouts "I'm pregnant", then goes back to NOT talking to anyone.
And same as a plyaground, everyone is free to join and throw in their 2 cents
ETA: That last line means "COME ON LURKERS, TIME TO COME OUT AND PLAY
"
Haha! I love it! Great analogy!
Oh creepy... guess I never considered that. Guess I'm kinda naive in that sense. Sorry but what does ML mean?
I was a lurker for awhile, then sort of a lurker, now I don't know if I am or not.
The reason I lurked is all the questions I had were already being asked, and all the advice I had to give was already given. So I really had nothing to add except 'same here'
I still feel this way most of the time so I don't always take the time to post. I am a story posted I can never do a fast post so repling takes awile.
And last, my husband hates me posting, he is afraid of someone tracking me down, I with I could at least edit my city on the side to make him feel a bit better
This is generally how I feel about lurkers.
I've been kind of bored with my usual boards lately, which i guess is why i decided to post here. I never did in the past because I never knew really where we fit. I just kind of stuck around as an occasional lurker because its nice to see milestones/issues/etc of babies of the same age. I don't have a lot of interest in the person stuff to be honest and never read the Hot Seat things and such
I stumbled across these boards when i was googling some random question during DD's newborn stage While I knew nothing about forums, posting protocol, or even that I was "lurking" - I found that it I thought it was really cool that there was a way for moms to talk freely and share advice with each other. So, I found myself coming back more and more often to read thoughts from fellow moms. As a FTM, it was such a relief to hear that so many other people were going through a lot of the same things I was experiencing!
However, at that point, it seemed like the regulars all "knew" each other and were friends. I can be a tiny bit shy in real life and I usually cover it up by forcing myself to be outgoing with new people. Unfortunately, that's not easy to accomplish in the virtual world! Anyway, I started posting here and there a couple months ago, don't even remember if I officially "introduced" myself at any point. But I'd like to become more a more active member of your online community, because everyone here seems really nice and funny and helpful
I guess I am a little bit of a lurker here. I do come out every once in a while. I have been here since my BFP. I was a little more active on the board when I was pregnant. When Logan ended up coming 2 months early I had a hard time coming back here and seeing everyone's pregnant bellies since I never really got that far. I came back here once everyone had their little ones. I post a bit on the preemie board too.
I do confess to being a total lurker on the June 2011 and 9-12 month board. I mainly go to see what other people's kids are doing at this age since they are Logan's actual age.
I'm pretty new over here and did introduce myself. Half the time I have no idea what the acronyms mean so I don't know how to participate. I also wasn't expecting an August baby, more like and October baby so I never came over here until recently when the 6-9 month board got a bit stale.
Owyn Russell - August 10, 2011
Lily Ann - March 22, 2016
I am sorry... I am seriously missing something.. what is ML?
It didn't personally bother me. I think it is an interesting topic and was curious as to how others felt and why.
To me it depends on the lurker. It's a case by case thing.
There are some who intro, explain why they were lurking, and become active participants. Cool. But like M&M Ha, there are randoms who will post once a month, or AW something, and it's strange.
That's also why I'm not on the FB group. A ton of "longtime lurkers" proclaimed that they followed this board through our whole pregnancies and wanted to be in the FB group, and I don't feel comfortable posting in that group-though it is way easier than bumping sometimes. We knew nothing about those people and still let them into private conversations on FB with pics of our kids....heck no.
I joined originally (the first group) thinking it would easier because I am on FB more often then TB. I left the group not too long after it started because the constant notifications of group updates annoyed the crap outta me.
Last week I met with a few local bumpies IRL & heard that the group had split. They invited me to join the smaller more particular group (apparently people are voted in) & I did. I would completely understand why you wouldn't want people to have that much access to you, but I feel pretty comfortable with the people in the break-away group.
I am not part of the FB group, just haven't gone over there yet. Plus can't get on FB at work. But I think that this sub-group idea is a pretty decent idea... hmmmmm
I was pretty involved while we were pregnant, got busy after having DS, and when I got back, like PPs said, everyone seemed to "know" each other. So mostly, I just read answers to questions I have and if I have an answer to a question, it's been answered already.
I will try to do better at not lurking
I've been an on-and-off lurker since I got my BFP in December 2010 - I was much more active during early pregnancy and then again during mat leave.
I'd like to be able to post more (all my mom friends live back home, and none of my friends here have babies)...but I go to school for a second Master's degree, work FT at a pretty demanding job and only get an hour with LO before he goes down for the night after work...I do generally check in after that, but at that point all questions / posts have been answered and debated, so I don't really feel like I can add much...
Hopefully no one is too offended when I randomly show up again!
__________________________________________________________
DS1 born 08.02.11
DS2 born 12.05.13
I don't care if people lurk. I think sometimes people get intimidated, thinking they have to intro or shouldn't post because they only have time to post occasionally or whatever. None of that really matters to me, I figure post when you can and when you want.
I haven't been an overly active poster here but I am on other boards. For must of my pregnancy I was so concerned over if I would miscarry again that it was hard to relate to many of the posts on this board. Also, this not being my first child makes many posts less relevant. But, I do respond to posts when I feel I have something to offer.
Kelly, Mom to Christopher Shannon 9.27.06, Catherine Quinn 2.24.09, Trey Barton lost on 12.28.09, Therese Barton lost on 6.10.10, Joseph Sullivan 7.23.11, and our latest, Victoria Maren 11.15.12
Secondary infertility success with IVF, then two losses, one at 14 weeks and one at 10 weeks, then success with IUI and then just pure, crazy luck. Expecting our fifth in May as the result of a FET.
This Cluttered Life
I post fairly often, but I do a lot of lurking, too. Like some other people said, a lot of times your questions are already answered, or your answers have already been said.
I also didn't post a lot during my pregnancy, and hardly AT ALL during the first 3 months after DD was born. There was zero time for computers...
Whoo Hoo!
I first introduced myself a few months ago with every intention of trying to post here more regularly. Clearly this hasn't happened. I have posted occasionally, but I'm usually on my phone (don't know if I can/how to post from it) or on the ipad (PITA to try and post from). I had to fire up the ol' laptop to respond to this! Seriously, it's old, s-l-o-w and constantly freezes!
I would also consider myself to be shy, but as a FTM I find it reassuring to know I'm not the only one dealing with some of the questions I have which is why I tend to lurk. I don't usually respond to posts because someone has usually posted what I have to say and I just thought it would be a bit redundant.
That is all and I'll try to be less of a lurker!
I also remember you