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Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Third Blogaversary: It's Time to De-Lurk

Well, it's about that time again! Happy Blogaversary to me! Or, Happy Birthday, Anthro Doula Blog!

Every day hundreds of people visit my blog from various places around the globe (amazing!) and I have no idea who you are! Some people come stop by once, but some of you stick around or return again and again. I really appreciate that! I know most of you don't comment, and that's OK. I'm not a big blog commenter myself, unless I really feel like I have something I need to say.

But on this, my third blogaversary, I'd really love it if you would de-lurk (or in other words, say hello!) Let me know a little about yourself. Why do you read? How did you find me? What are your favorite topics? What would you like to see?

I really appreciate the feedback!

Photo source

When I started this blog three years ago, I really didn't know that I would keep it up this long. I also had no idea that so many people would come to follow it! I really appreciate you, whether you follow on Facebook, twitter, or directly to the blog.

At the moment, I am excited to have more than 170 Google Friend Connect followers, 680 Facebook fans, and 2,443 twitter followers.

I am averaging 255 page loads per day, and I had about 1,154 first time visitors this past week. Recently, you have come not only from the United States and Canada, but also Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Cambodia, India, Brazil, Portugal, Sweden, Ireland, Germany, Spain, Iraq, Pakistan and the UK.

A lot has happened in the past year. I've gotten another year of grad school under my belt, and the end is in sight. I've worked on community projects related to the March of Dimes and to also breastfeeding. I've met some amazing people in MCH and public health. I've been a certified doula for over a year now, and added CLC!

I've also had a real life local doula client hand me a print out of one of my blog posts at our doula interview (completely without knowing that it was my blog)! That was pretty thrilling. It's kind of like coming full circle, in a way. And makes me feel like the information I put on this blog is helping women!

It has also been a great way for me to share the things that I learn, read, and experience.

Thanks for celebrating with me!

- Anthro Doula

11 comments:

  1. Hi! Happy blogaversary!

    You also have a frequent reader from Finland (that would be me). Although I use a RSS reader, so I'm not sure how that shows up in the statistics.

    I read your blog because I'm intrested in the subjects that you cover in the posts. I'm a mother of a really great one year old and expecting our second child, so posts regarding birth and breastfeeding interest me. I don't remember where I found your blog, maybe while searching about attachment parenting during my first pregnancy.

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  2. Hi,

    I am both a fellow anthropologist AND a future midwife... So I love the way you write!

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  3. Oh Happy Birthday to your sweet Anthro Doula Blog!
    I hope many years will come you in your blogging career!

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  4. Yay! Thanks Quiviya :)

    @Anonymous - Wow, I'm so excited to have a regular reader form Finland! Thank you so much for letting me know!

    @Dorothy - so fun to have a future midwife/anthropologist here!! Please comment - I love to hear what my peers think.

    And thank you so much, Lea!

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  5. I'm a PhD grad student in (paleo)anthropology. I forget how exactly I found you (Twitter probably - that's still where I follow you). My dissertation considers how hominids gave birth in the past, so I'm interested in biological aspects of childbirth and also the parts of childbirth that are cultural (such as having a doula!). I love hearing about your doula activities, especially how you overcome issues you run into. Even if your blog topic isn't directly related to my dissertation research, I keep the bookmark around because it's interesting reading.

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  6. I'm a fellow anthropologist (non-practicing) from North Dakota. I recently started following you on Twitter and Facebook. I've been trying to conceive for two years now. When it finally happens, I want to be prepared to give birth on my own terms. We don't have many midwives around here, and no doulas, so I will have to be my own advocate. The more information I have as far as best practices, the more comfortable I will be putting together and following a birth plan that involves minimal intervention.

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  7. Thanks, Caroline!! Thank you for following along :)

    @Kara - best of luck - I'm glad that you are able to find some information here!

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  8. Emily, I trained as a doula about the same time you did and I found you while searching for an article(I believe). It was fascinating to go through my first few births right after you did. I'm also on the path to be an IBCLC and CBE plus a mother of 5, so I rarely have a moment to comment.:) Thank you for keeping up on this blog, I love to read your insights and experiences. I follow ALOT of birth and breastfeeding related blogs, but yours is one of the most complete and well balanced. Thank you! :)

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  9. thank you SO MUCH, Karen! It is so good to hear that people actually appreciate my blog - keeps up the motivation to keep posting :) Thanks for being a regular reader!

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  10. OK, I decided to de-lurk. I moderate the facebook page Black Feminist Anthropology, and while ago now I was searching for articles to put on the site and I came across your blog. I had been on my breastfeeding (advocacy) journey for just a little while, so that is also what caught my attention. Happy Blogaversary. :)

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