Many mums find the Babyworld antenatal clubs a fantastic way to cyber-meet
and cyber-bond with other pregnant women. Most times, getting together
over the internet on a daily or weekly basis is enough but, for some keen
groups, that just won't do! Our group decided to take things one step
further and meet in person. Here Hayley Partridge, moderator of the group,
talks about their giant get-together in London, and of a more intimate
meet-up in Sweden.
It was like having a new (and pregnant!) family!
When I joined babyworld.co.uk and my antenatal club, nearly
18 months ago, I didn't think for one minute that it would play such a
huge important part in my life. It was amazing: I can only describe it
as having a new family but they were all pregnant!
Over the months, through various posts, we got to know each other more
and more, so when our babies started arriving we were all so emotional
and excited. I had organised a 'text buddy' system so we would be getting
live updates on each labour and birth: it worked really well! Funnily
enough, updating the 'Novvie girls' was a priority for most of us. In
fact I texted my buddy to let her know I was going into hospital before
I called my mum to mind the other children!
Socialising in Sweden
Various mini-meet-ups took place when the babies were born, amongst mums
who discovered they lived in the same town etc, but in May 2006 Elise
and I decided we would meet our most distant member: Mel in Sweden. After
a lot of deliberation we decided to leave the babies and children at home
and have some time getting to know each other more than we already had
over the last year and we boarded our plane to Linköping Sweden.
So many people thought we were mad going to meet someone we only knew
over the internet and staying with her, and raised the inevitable questions:
'What if you don't get on?', 'What if she isn't who she says she is?'.
But we knew each other so well we had no inhibitions at all. We had a
fabulous weekend and got on like we had known each other all our lives.
A true bond had been made.
The Great London Get-Together
I decided to organise a big meet up. I was determined to meet as many
of my 'cyber sisters' as I possibly could, so started the plans for the
'Great London Get-together'. I had found the perfect spot in Corams Fields,
London: a place almost designed for this kind of meet-up. So, on 28 July
2006, the Nov 05 gang came from far and wide to meet. We had girls travelling
from as far as Bristol and Leicester for the day, and of course Mel from
Sweden, who flew over for the weekend specially.
It
was amazing to see all our babies together. There were 16 mums with varying
amounts of siblings to all have fun and meet the people we all knew so
well from cyberland. As expected, we all got on really well.
I truly know that we have some solid friendships for life, thanks to
Babyworld. We are a very strong antenatal group whether, like me, you
post every day or just pop in now and then: there is always support and
a smile waiting for you.
Unconditional help, through the good and
the bad
One member, Claire, thinks we work so well as a group because, 'Us Novvie
girls are welcoming, understanding and accommodating of each other and
every possible circumstance that gets discussed. I wouldn't have coped
half as well with my pregnancy and Mummyhood journey without each and
every one of you girls who I've met on the Novvie 05 board. I think we
show courtesy and respect as well as unconditional help and support through
good times and bad and that's why we are so special.'
I hope our friendship continues to grow (we still have people joining
us). I am already having thoughts on our next meet… just need to decide
whether to do it with or without children!
Let's
get together
It
was amazing to see all our babies together. There were 16 mums with varying
amounts of siblings to all have fun and meet the people we all knew so
well from cyberland. As expected, we all got on really well.
