A question I need answered
I actually have a serious question to ask of you all. Because it effects you and how you view this site.
You see, now with 2 littles at hand, I find I’m having a hard time keeping up with 2 blogs. (Who woulda thought right?) I’m finding thought that both topics (fertility and baby raising) are very important to me and at the forefront of all I do each day. The reason I have kept them separated is the fact that I know when I was in the midst of having empty arms I didn’t really care for checking out peoples sweet babies and hearing all about them. It hurt. It stung. I never want anyone to feel like that, so I’ve left that part of my life out of this blog.
But, it’s getting harder and harder to keep things separate here. In the fact that it’s more for me to do and it’s harder to “market, advertise, and basically get both of them out there”.
So what I’m asking is this. I want your HONEST opinions. Does this need to be kept a fertility only blog? Would you feel comfortable visiting me here if I posted about the things I do over at Raising Peanuts? What about if I was able to find a way to have them on the same site, but kept somewhat separate? (fyi – if you know someone who can do this for me-let me know!) Please take a moment and leave me a comment if you would. Leave it annonymously if you’d like.
Thanks!
About donielle
Donielle is an amateur herbalist and natural momma to two littles (with another babe in heaven) after struggling with infertility. She has a passion for nourishing nutrition, natural living, and spreading the word on how food truly affects our health. Her blog Naturally Knocked Up focuses on fertility and reproductive health and her book on natural fertility will be available in June 2012. She also runs a local blog (Grand Rapids Natural Living) and is active the local community in order to provide the area with resources and information for natural families.
Donielle,
I appreciate your sensitivity to those of us with "empty arms". I subscribe to both your blogs in my feed reader, so I get both kinds of info anyway. I know for myself, if I'm feeling especially vulnerable to the masses of expecting mamas and new babies I seem to see EVERYWHERE these days, I'll just skim a post and skip over it if it hurts too much to read at that point. To a large degree I like to read the pregnancy/baby type posts and enjoy them vicariously through the families who have been so blessed. But maybe that's just me. I really appreciate the info you share on this blog.
Blessings,
Mrs. H
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I haven't had this hardship, so I can't comment from that point of view, but maybe you could just make this your "main" blog and when you post about your kids, just have a post that has a link to the other blog?
I hope you are able to figure this out…I do think it is important to think about those ladies who are hurting…although it is going to be hard to know what hurts each person.
blessings!
(still inwardly laughing about that cod liver video blog!)
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Long-time reader, seldom commentor here
It's true that some women suffering from IF have a hard time hearing about babies and the full arms of other mothers, but on the flip side I (and many others I know and have heard from) appreciate hearing from women who've gone through IF and come out the other side with victory. So I think there's certainly a way you can combine your sites and still minister to others with IF in a sensitive and helpful way.
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Welll….. I have kids so mixing healthy living stuff with kid stuff is totally fine with me.
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Also a reader, but seldom commenter, for a few months now.
I don't subscribe to your other blog, but i do still read a number of blogs where folks have babies. Usually, however, if i read a blog that has babies/children, it is someone with whom i feel i have a connection (i.e. we comment on each other's blogs).
I'm reaching the point where i'm starting to think God is calling us to a child-less life. That's not easy, & i'm struggling to accept it, but it IS life & i can't go thru it with blinders on for babies & children are everywhere.
The only time that i've really had a HARD time with a blog & babies is one that i read regularly. She talks mostly of health & simple living & her children are rarely mentioned, except as an aside such as "I believe this to be the healthiest way to do things with our kids" or something similar. So when she very casually mentioned recently that she is PG with her 5th child i kind of lost it for a little while as it just seems so unfair. But that is my life & i have to accept it, & am praying God will give me the grace to do so.
I most likely will continue to read your blog no matter what your change, & while i appreciate your sensitivity, i accept these issues as part of my life to handle. If you switch to the other site, however, please note it here so that i'll know to change the Google reader thingy.
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I am a reader who typically only reads this blog because I am one with "empty arms" and enjoy reading your advice and encouragement. However, as some have said already, I subscribe to plenty of other blogs that feature kid pictures and stories on nearly a daily basis, so 99.9% of the time (when I'm not having a very low day) I go virtually unphased. So, personally, it would not bother me if the two became merged into one, simply because although there are days when I get tired of hearing people say, "It took me this long, but I did conceive," at the end of the day I can't deny that it is encouraging. Hope this helps!
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I appreciate keeping them separate. I had a miscarriage in January and though that was a long time ago, the pain is still very real. There are days where I feel like I could read your other blog, but it's a nice relief on the days when i'm hurting to know this site will be refreshing and hopefilled. but i completely understand that it's a TON to keep up w/so whatever you decide i'll probly read anyways!
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I, for one, have come to the place where I can simply rejoice with others. (Probably because we're starting the process to adopt…) but regardless, I don't mind hearing both things together.
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right now I read this not for fertility information, but simply for healthy-living tips, so as my current self – expecting soon – I would not mind if the two were merged.
BUT
As myself 7 months ago, I think that it would have been very emotionally difficult to read a blog for health information to increase my fertility and to see pictures of babies or read about baby things. Some days I would have been encouraged: 'see this works'. Other days it might have made me discouraged: 'how come I'm failing?' (not that infertility is a failure, but to me at least, and to many others I think, it feels like it)
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I guess my comment is somewhat redundant in that I read pleanty of blogs all about kid-stories and usually they make me laugh and make me happy….but I initially sought your blog to find others who were experiencing the same heartache I am.
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Donielle,
Thank you for caring enough about your readers to ask this question.
Generally speaking, I would not have a problem with you combining the two blogs; however, if there were a way to differentiate somewhat between those posts that are only kid centered versus those that are only health centered, it might be helpful. Maybe some kind of picture at the top of the post or something that if it's a 100% raising kids post, would indicate that, and if it's a 100% health post, could indicate that.
This would be helpful for browsing as well because if someone really doesn't want to have to hunt to find just your information on health and nutrition or just your posts on kids, they could more easily distinguish between the post types.
just a suggestion!
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Well, it is nice to see that someone has made it through a period of a lonely womb and made it out victoriously. So, I personally like hearing when you are having a child. But, reading about someone who is having lots of fun with their new little one hurts sometimes. Especially when you want to relate so badly but you can't. But, if they were on the same website in different sections, that might work. Thank you for your sensitivity!
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Just found your blog. We have been ttc for 17 months and this is really helpful. I think your reasons for keeping them separate are really good, but it is really your decision. It is pretty easy to skim over the stuff that is too painful. We do it everyday!
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Okay, so I was subscribed to your blog, and now since you joined them, it won’t come up in my reader anymore. I can’t find the RSS feed address on your website anywhere to re-subscribe either, is it not available anymore? Please help, as I would like to continue to read your blog.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Kelly
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donielle Reply:
October 25th, 2009 at 11:22 am
@Kelly,
For some reason my original feed won’t update (grrr!) and I still can’t figure it out! Here’s the new RSS feed:
http://www.naturallyknockedup.com/?feed=rss2
and it’s on my to-do list to add to my new site. Thanks for finding me again! I miss my readers!
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