Joining an online pregnancy or parenting community

Baby and Bump is a thriving online community with nearly 30,000 members, a whopping 11,000+ of which are regularly active. It revolves entirely around the use of a discussion board (or forum) split into easy to use categories. But what's the verdict?

ADVANTAGES:

1.) Number of Members - This high number of members means that there is always somebody online to chat to, and your thread will probably get seen and answered quite quickly if you're looking for that all important information.

2.) Diversity - The members are very diverse with regard to location (predominantly USA and UK), age (from young mum to gran) and gender (there are even some men on there).

3.) Ease of Use - The forum is split into sub-categories that make it very easy to find what you are looking for, and incorporates a handy search function for when you want to be that little bit more specific.

4.) Features - The forum makes clever use of popular features like buddy systems, journals and private messaging to keep its members interested.

NEGATIVES

1.) Information - If you're looking specifically for information then you're only going to get personal accounts, there are no articles or pages as the site is just one big forum.

2.) Impersonal - The size of the forum can make it a very impersonal experience at times because its hard to get to know so many people. Unless you've been an active member for quite some time in a particular board then people are unlikely to know who you are.

Bump and Beyond is a very new community that is based around an informational website with an embedded forum and networking system. It's very easy to use, has a pleasing layout, and lots of informaiton. But what do we think of it?

ADVANTAGES:

1.) Tons of information - The website is split into categories such as pre-conception, pregnancy and newborns and each category contains useful tools, articles and other information. There's even information on things like benefit entitlement.

2.) Easy to use - The website has a very simple and easy to use layout with a fantastic navigational system. Everything is categorised and then organised accordingly.

3.) Integration - The community is embedded directly into the main website, so the journals and private messaging features are actually sitewide rather than being limited to just the forum. Again this makes it easier to use, and it makes the features a bigger part of the community.

4.) Features - The site has a big emphasis on features such as groups and networks, journals and private messaging. Rather than relying on discussion board threads to provide these features, they are already integrated into the website.

5.) Diversity - The site features members who are both male and female, young and old.

6.) Personal - The site is quite new and therefore has much fewer members which means that everybody knows everybody else and its easy to get to know each other.

7.) Welcoming - The site welcomes all groups of people including teen parents.

NEGATIVES:

1.) Size of forum - The site is quite new and has only just begun to incorporate a community which means it has less members. Great if you want a personal feel, less so if you want something answered.

BabyCentre is also based around an informational website with the addition of a community and member system. The layout is very easy on the eye and there is lots of information available. The verdict?

ADVANTAGES:

1.) Tons of information - This website is one of the best in terms of articles and information, you can probably find everything you want to know here.

2.) Design - The design of the site is very easy on the eye which a bonus if you're spending a lot of time on the site.

3.) No. Members - There are tons of members, which means that it is a thriving community and you will find plenty of people to talk to .

4.) Features - The site has some fantastic features including a week-by-week pregnancy guide, baby names and journals.

DISADVANTAGES:

1.) Ease of Use - The navigation could be improved, it can be quite hard to find what you're looking for without using the search bar.

2.) Impersonal - The sheer amount of members means that it can be quite difficult to get known and get heard, not so great if you're trying to make lasting friendships.