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Forums and Chats

Sharing your experiences with others helps both you and the other person. Talk about what happened during your pregnancy and hospital stay, and once you got home, with others who have been there, or are there. Austprem's main purpose is to provide support and information to parents and caregivers of babies and children born prematurely and this happens mostly on the Discussion Forum. Chats are another time when people share their experiences and give some "real time" support, as well as have a bit of fun!

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Forums

Austprem Inc. runs three main Forums:

Austprem (almost 600 members)

"Premature birth, babies and beyond..." The Austprem Forum is where you can share with hundreds of other Austprem members from all over Australia. It is a fantastic support for those on their NICU or SCN journey, for those who are home and for those whose children are older and headed for school, and beyond.

Austprem - Pregnancy Support Group (about 150 members)

The Austprem - Pregnancy Support Group is available to all those who are considering or experiencing another pregnancy after a preterm birth, and to those who are at risk of giving birth prematurely.

Making the decision to go ahead with another pregnancy can be very difficult, and although no-one else can make that decision for you, the opportunity to share with others who are in similar circumstances can be helpful. Hear from those who decided to go ahead, and maybe from those who didn't. Share your pregnancy with those who understand how important it is to reach each milestone. Have them celebrate as you become more pregnant than you were before. Receive support from those who understand your desire for reassurance.

This group provides valuable day-to-day support for people in a unique situation.
If you have a particular condition of pregnancy that led to your previous premature birth, or that may lead you to give birth prematurely, you might wish to take a look at the During Pregnancy section where you can find some more information on specific problems, including personal stories and links to other websites and support groups relating to the different conditions.

Prematurity in the Press (almost 100 members)

The Austprem Prematurity in the Press Forum provides abstracts and summaries of articles and research papers about prematurity allowing interested members the opportunity to read about and discuss these issues.

You can read the Prematurity in the Press forum (just click the link!, and then click on "Forum" on the left hand side of your screen) without first subscribing to the group, but will need to join to post (send a message), or to receive the posts via email.

(member figures as at April 2007)

These Forums provide an opportunity for you to share your stories, questions and support with others who have had similar experiences. They are a great environment for sharing what you have been through. The collective experience of the members of Austprem is vast and often you will find someone who has been in a similar situation to you, and can tell you how they survived, or you might be able to support someone who is experiencing something you have been through already. Medical advice is not given, but reassurance and a listening ear are available at all hours of the day, and night!

If you would like to join the Austprem, Austprem - Pregnancy Support Group and/or Prematurity in the Press forums, you will need to:

register with mc2 (if you haven't already)
log in from the mc2 Home Page
type 'Austprem' in the 'search mc2' box (top left of your screen)
click 'join this group' beside the name of the group you wish to join (joining is FREE)
you will also need to register as a member of Austprem Inc. if you haven't already (also FREE)
make yourself familiar with the Groundrules
wait for your Welcome message!

You can read the Prematurity in the Press forum (which has an emphasis on current research into prematurity and its effects) without first subscribing to the group, but will need to join to post (send a message), or to receive the posts via email.

If you are already a member of the Austprem, Austprem - Pregnancy Support Group and/or Prematurity in the Press forums, log in here, then select the group from your list of communities

Chats

Everyone is most welcome to come along to Chats. They are a fun way to catch up with people; without having to get dressed up or find a baby sitter. Some Chats are fairly light hearted, others are more challenging. Special topic chats are sometimes held, topics are advertised with the Chat reminder on the Forum. Where possible, professionals with experience on a particular topic are available at these Chats.

To Chat, you just need to be a member of the Forum that is hosting the chat (usually the Austprem Forum), then simply login and click on "Chat" from the options on the left hand side of your screen.

Chats are usually held on Thursdays and Sundays at around 8:00pm (AEST). Reminders are posted to the Forum the day before the chat.