It was the summer of 2008 that I started this baby blog. The pee wasn’t even dry on the stick before my mind was racing. Something about the complete unknown that was / is pregnancy, parenting, babies that made for some interesting internal commentary and questions. (And lots of hysterics!) Blogging, like a public diary, was an outlet to talk about what I was thinking and feeling before I was able to let friends and family in on the news. Surprisingly, blogging has done much more for me than I thought it would.
Through humpsNbumps I have been able to connect with mommy bloggers of all kinds. I have been uplifted, encouraged, inspired by the people that I have meet through this blog, by visiting theirs, through the increasing network of people I meet on Twitter.
I was still a baby to Twitter when one of the mothers that I follow twittered her birth.
I had hardly known much about her – apart from the 140 character bio, witty name, thumbnail picture. I hadn’t even gotten around to visiting the blog that she had listed. But with each tweet I was more and more enthralled. It was almost like watching a high speed chase on TV. You’re just as exhilarated and excited, you want to look away but you can’t, you’re stuck, watching the twists and turns, anticipating the next move… all from the comfort of your Lazy Boy. A safe distance back.
While the tweets were short and vague – I mean come on she is in labor! – it was just enough to leave you at the edge of your seat. When it was all over I wiped the sweat from my brow and went to get a cold drink. “Now this is what I’m talking about.”
Since my Twitter account consists mostly of mommy bloggers, I have had the great fortune of following a few different Twitter birth experiences. They all vary significantly. Some are just quick messages during key milestones, others fairly regular tweets. This was just before Erika Badu made headlines on entertainment news outlets for Twittering her home birth. (More information here). In preparation for this post I learned of Jason Morrison and his wife, Ann who Twittered the birth of their child and Paul and Annamarie Saarinen who shared their birth experience on Twitter, through the video-streaming site UStream.TV and posted pictures Flickr .
Also check out this BabyCenter article on Video-streaming and Twittering birth events.
For someone who doesn’t want any audio visual recording devises in the delivery room what-so-ever (almost sounds like I’m talking to Dad-to-be right now), I do want my cell phone close by. I just enabled the Twitter text feature on my phone. While I can’t promise a full blown play-by-play, I look forward to sending an update or two to my blog family via Twitter. So many of which have been counting down the days with me and sharing in my ups and downs.
Perhaps it is a bit ambitious. Who knows. How do you feel about Twitter in the delivery room??
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6 comments:
I would've loved to do it. I was angry I didn't get to blog more of my labour. We don't have cell phones tho, so there was no way I was getting up and walking to the computer :P
Twittering a birth sounds great, if you can!
I followed @verymom and new dad @livingminimal as he tweeted more often them new mom @mommyelephant of course!
I think its just an interesting way to keep a lot of friends and family up to date on what's happening... but my husband might take some convincing when our day comes. LOL
I just found out mu Dad is ill and will not be able to make it from Canada for the birth of his first grandchild, but I am not Twitter friendly, I wish I could figure out a way to visual stream it so he could be there.
Ummm...I'm a geek and Twittered while I was in the hospital about to have Little One. My friends and family could not believe that I BLOGGED while in the early stages of labour...AND after I had the baby! LOL! Amazing how much I rely on the internet. I'm thankful for it though. You're right about it connecting you to other moms. I wouldn't have been able to meet you otherwise!
So glad you got to meet Little One while we were in the hospital and I am thankful that you visited me in the hospital when I was 6 hrs away (by car)from my husband and family. Thank you! You da best! xoxo
Tracylynne -
Thought I would reply to your comment on my blog so that if anyone has any ideas they can add as well.
I would say that it all depends on how internet savvy those at the birth will be and your dad are. You can look into some sort of webcast or Skype so that you can give your dad a real-time play by play.
I know that the hospital I am delivering at doesn't have wireless internet so my friends and family are relying on cell phones in the waiting room (and outside of the hospital) to stay in touch. On your end you may want to designate someone - if you can - to keep your dad updated.
Another option may be to take short video clips on your camera - most of the new digitals have the option - with special messages to your dad. Just make sure you have a memory card that can support that. While you may not be able to send them in real-time someone can send it to him the next day, and it would be a great memento.
Hope that helps. Best of luck!
~ humps
I wasn't on twitter when I went into labour but I was on facebook. I updated my status up until the point when I went to the hsopital. But I would have twittered it if I was on Twitter at the time.
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