Copy of message sent to /r/babybumps to inquire about birth story project

 

subject: subreddit for grad school project

to /r/BabyBumps/ sent 1 month ago

 

Hi there!

This fall I am taking my first grad course for an MPS in Art Education with a course called Informal Learning. I am also spending A LOT of time in r/babybumps preparing for #2 due April 1st.

For my class we have a final project coming up this December where we are to focus on an informal learning site. I have been reading so many birth stories here, and feel that they are a great source of knowledge for mothers-to-be. As part of my project I was thinking it may be interesting to create a subreddit dedicated entirely to birth stories where women could share their stories not only when they first have their child, but at any point (for example, I could share the story of my first, before I was an avid babybumper.) Also, women could contribute to the "library" by xposting stories they may have already submitted to r/babybumps. It may even be nice to have certain guidelines for titles so that women could easily search the stories to find certain aspects of the birthing process they are interested in.

Anyways, I am not too familiar with how creating a subreddit works, but I thought I would touch base with you to see if this is something that would even be possible here, and if you think it would get any traffic. Any feedback you have for my would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much, and I look forward to hearing from you!

 

Example of message sent to various subreddit moderators to request permission to advertise

 

 

subject: /r/birthstories

to /r/daddit/ sent 1 month ago

 

Hi There!

I created a subreddit /r/birthstories for the final project in a graduate class I am taking this fall. The class is about informal learning, and I am hoping to use the subreddit to show how people learn by reading these stories. (I know I've learned a lot, even as I'm going into my second pregnancy) I would like to encourage members of r/daddit to contribute to the birth stories library because I hope to have a variety of perspectives in the collection. I just wanted to check in with you to see if it would be alright for me to advertise it here? If so, could I post a few times over the course of several weeks to be sure it is noticed and gets some traffic? If not no worries, I just wanted to check with you first!

Thanks so much and I look forward to hearing from you!

 

Example of posts put in various subreddits to advertise /r/birthstories

 

Please share your birth stories (old and new) on /r/birthstories! (self.beyondthebump)

submitted 1 month ago by BirthStories

 

Hi ladies!

For a grad class I am taking this fall and in preparation for my second baby, I have created the subreddit/r/birthstories to act as collection of these amazing tales. My hope is that it will give people the opportunity to preserve their stories as well as learn something in reading the stories of others.

If you have already written a birth story on reddit or elsewhere please consider xposting it to /r/birthstories! Also if you have a story from previous births that you haven't shared, please consider sharing it now!

This subreddit is not limited to stories by mothers, either. I strongly encourage partners, grandparents, siblings, doulas, midwives, doctors, or anyone else who has been able to witness labor and delivery to share their perspectives.

Please share stories of all kinds, because in honesty is where true learning will thrive. My hope is that in reading the variety of stories, women who are expecting will learn some things to prepare and encourage them. Additionally, I hope that outsiders and women who have already gone through it will take on the understanding that birth is a completely and unique experience. Your story(ies) can be as general or as detailed as you like, writing casually, formally, or artistically. Please follow guidelines when creating your titles so that the library can be more easily searched.

I would love to hear any feedback you have about this project, so don't hesitate to comment here or message me. Thank you all so much and I look forward to reading your stories!

 

Copy of message post in /r/babybumps to request volunteers

 

 

Update on /r/birthstories and calling all October/November bumpers! (self.BirthStories)

submitted 1 month ago by BirthStories

 

In just one week we've accumulated over 40 stories and have 150 subscribers! Thanks so much for your contributions! Please continue to xpost old and submit new stories to add to the collection!

As I created this subreddit for a graduate school final project, I want to investigate what kind of learning is achieved from reading these stories.

If you are expecting to have your little one in the next 5 WEEKS please consider volunteering for my project! If you volunteer, I will send you a brief survey by the end of the week, then ask you to read at least 5 of the stories in our library, then after your birth I will ask you to follow up with another brief survey and testimonial. All in all it should take less than an hour out of your life (I know they are already--and soon will be even more--busy!)

If you are interested in volunteering please reply to this thread or message me at /r/birthstories[1]

Thank you so much for your support with this project, everyone! I look forward to working with volunteers and reading more amazing stories!

 

Example of message sent to participants to complete pre-survey

 

/r/birthstories Pre-survey

sent 1 month ago

 

Hi there!

Thank you again for participating in this project!

Please complete this survey at your earliest convenience.

When you have completed your survey, please read at least 5 birth stories from the /r/birthstories library.

I will contact you with the post-survey at a later time. After you have given birth and when you have some free time, please complete the post-survey.

Thank you again, and I wish you the best of luck with your upcoming birth and baby!

 

Example of message sent to participants to complete post-survey

 

/r/birthstories Post-Survey

sent 26 days ago

 

Thank you again for taking the pre-survey for the /r/birthstories project! So far things are going so well! We have 230 subscribers and over 60 stories in our library!

You may or may not have given birth yet, so I am sending you either positive labor vibes or positive new mommy vibes! After you have delivered, I know that you will need some time to recoup and get the hang of your new little one. Whenever you have some free time, please take the following Post-Survey

I will be combining the data from this survey with the data from the pre-surveys. To finalize my project I will create a website dedicated to /r/birthstories. Here I will keep the collection of stories from reddit as well as an analysis of the project and how it answers the central question: How can reddit function as an informal learning space for expectant mothers?

I will send you a link with the web address as soon as it is fully functioning. Although the generalized data will be published, none of your personal information will be. Additionally, I strongly encourage you to share your birth story at /r/birthstories when you have a chance to get it down.

Thank you immensely for contributing to this project. It has been such a pleasure to work on this, and I look forward to what I will learn from you all in the coming weeks! Take care, mommy!!

 

Example of congratulatory comment sent to participant after giving birth

 

BirthStories 1 point 10 days ago (1|0)

Wow!! What a truly unique experience. Thank you so much for sharing and please feel free to copy this to the/r/birthstories library whenever you get the chance. Congratulations mommy!!!

 

 

Click here to view Pre-Survey

 

Click here to view Post-Survey

 

(please note that these surveys have been disabled)

 

 

For reasons of privacy I will not be sharing data collected from surveys.

 

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