Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Junk Mail

One of my girlfriends has been going on and on about the e-mail service that she signed up for during her pregnancy. She loved the weekly updates, friendly reminders, and details on the inner workings of her baby. The e-mail newsletter also included a helpful "What To Pack For the Hospital" list and "Birthplan" template, both of which she used.

Now that the baby is born, she loves the weekly updates for developmental milestones, coupons for formula and diapers, and links to on-line boards where she can "talk" with other new moms with babies just the age of hers. She even got a discount coupon for a free massage through this wonder-site. I must admit, it all sounds very wonderful.

For the past two weeks, she has been urging me to sign up. And yet I resist.

Why might that be?

Because I am still getting these weekly e-mails from my first pregnancy. Two years ago, I innocently signed up for the exact same service, thinking how great it would be. And it was great. Until I lost my baby. I politely e-mailed the address listed for unsubscribing to the list, to no avail. I tried a second and third time on that route. The e-mails kept coming.

I tried finding a way to contact the site another way. I sent e-mails to other addresses in the contact section. No such luck. I finally e-mailed their sitemaster, begging for me to be taken off their list, explaining that by this time, I had lost two pregnancies. I got a form letter back, thanking me for my interest in their site and congratulating me on my pregnancy! No matter what I tried, I was still assaulted by the e-mails, which such cheerful subjects as "Week 24 in Your Pregnancy - Viability!" I finally contacted a moderator for one of their bulletin boards and pleaded my case. She was sympathetic and offered to contact the site for me. But the e-mails kept coming.

So now, I get messages for my two year old's development. And coupons for Gerber Graduates. And articles about "When to Start Potty Training." I'm sure these things will be very helpful for me someday, but not right now.

So, even though I am feeling positive about this pregnancy, I still don't have the courage to sign myself up for another round. Just in case.

13 comments:

infertility just sucks said...

Are you kidding me?

Please name the service that is so insensitive to its target that they do not have proper email management tools that comply with Federal CAN SPAM regulations.

In fact, feel free to report them and CC them on the matter so they know about it! They certainly qualify as criminal according to the act.

https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU01

infertility just sucks said...

Actually, use this URL since that one is broken -

http://tinyurl.com/3s4va

Anonymous said...

I don't blame you. I would be steering clear!

Natalie said...

I'm still getting these from when we first started trying - uh, just a little naive there?

I think like you I'd be scared to sign up for real...

K @ ourboxofrain said...

That really sucks, Katie. I'm shocked they're so nonresponsive. That said, I know women who miscarried who not only get the emails but also get product samples in the regular mail, which might send me over the edge. I managed to get the week by week emails to stop, but still get the random tips ones periodically. And I'm definitely not signing up again.

Polka Dot said...

Mine finally stopped after our m/c last year, but I couldn't tell you when. After several e-mails and unsub clicks, I finally marked their e-mails as spam and for a while they were shuffled there.

I hated getting those things.

Samantha said...

That's inexcusable of that company to continue to send you mail after you've requested to be removed. It does violate laws too, although doesn't stop much email. It's certainly not like you're the only person who's had a miscarriage too, it unfortunately happens more frequently than we'd like to think.

Maria said...

Wow, that is seriously just wrong and horrible. How inhumane for you to be tortured every week for two years.

I keep getting updates from what to expect and I know I can change it, but why bother until I actually get pregnant. For now I just send their emails to my spam folder.

Kathy V said...

I think any woman who signs up for those things and then miscarries is not likely to sign up for them again. I was getting the weekly reminders in my inbox but I was able to stop them from coming. I can go and do the research myself if I want to know that my baby is the size of a grapefruit this week. Even though things are going well for you, I understand why you want to steer clear. You can link to sites that tell you what you need to know without getting it in your inbox. Besides at what point do they stop? You can have junk e-mail updates until the child turns 10. 10 years of junk e-mail updates. No Thank You!!!1

Maria said...

PS- I finished the game...finally.

Tracy said...

Ugh. How utterly aggravating. And a bit illegal, isn't it?

Jen said...

That is completely insensitive and irritating. Like you need that constant reminder.

Sunny said...

I thought about suing them! I was just reminded that I have a 9 month year old. NOT!

When I get pregnant again I won't sign up for anything. It isn't worth it to me.