In recounting her own quest for parenting advice and camaraderie, one of our colleagues, Archana Bhat, illustrates this unflagging volunteer spirit:

“Are they amazing? Or slightly crazy?”

These questions swirled in my head when I was pregnant with my twins and had just joined my local multiples group, Eastside Mothers of Multiples (EMOMs). Let me explain. When you are pregnant — with twins at that — everything seems overwhelming. I actually was scared of Babies R Us for the first six months of my pregnancy! I didn’t recognize half the items in the store, and the choices for raising baby were almost too crushing for me.

Then I joined EMOMS. When I got access to their message boards, I was so happy to read stories from other moms, who themselves had once been clueless about twin boppy pillows, breastfeeding multiples, and purchasing two of everything instead of one. A member nearby even called to reassure me, talking to me at length about my pregnancy and what to expect in the upcoming months.

Post-pregnancy, I attended the bi-annual Toys & Togs Sale and came home with tons of gently used toys, clothes, and strollers — all for the bargain basement price of $100! The sale was run better than any corporate event I have ever been part of, with enough rules and regulations to ensure a smooth sailing day for buyers and sellers alike. I then realized that the women of EMOMS are nothing short of amazing.

I left that sale deeply inspired by the club, and feeling as though I should give back for all that I had received. I emailed the existing technology chair and asked if I could help out in any way. She immediately replied, “Can you find us a new member site?”

In my search, I lighted upon Big Tent, and EMOMS soon launched on the site in Summer 2007.

Almost all the moms in my club were incredulous that I took on such a Herculean task with young kids at home. But that’s when I realized I had become the “EMOM” archetype that had once puzzled me — the seemingly tireless, always passionate mom. By adding the responsibility of securing a new group technology to my plate, I actually reduced my stress, and gained a mentally challenging outlet to counterbalance the other forces in my life. While raising twins as a stay-at-home mother is hard, my refreshed outlook enabled me to appreciate the wonderful moments of parenting bliss that punctuate the usual chaos.

In the end, EMOMS got a brand-new functional web platform, and I got way more than I anticipated: my freedom, my sanity, and a new network of friends and support.