Vipers' nest? Come counter our hissy rep with your stories of Mumsnet Niceness

Oh and fwiw, I'm a big girl and I don't need some uninformed outsider to protect me from other posters. I found that side of this week's events patronising frankly - as if a couple of celebs who are pissed off that some on mumsnet take a view on their life choices have more say than a colourful collective of women and men of all ages, political persuasions and life experiences. So there.

Well, just today I was feeling a bit nervous about the prospect of exercising again and started a thread about running and whether I would be ridiculed. It's an example of Aibu at its finest-turns out I won't be ridiculed by anyone on mumsnet anyway and I instantly had advice on sports bras for the well endowed runner. Can't link-useless- but it's active.

And I love the honesty here-you can generally trust what people say to be the truth.

love it, the support and especially the humour. Who could stay down when there's a yoni thread to read

I suffered terrible fear and trauma after the birth of my first child, even though it was called a text book birth, and I suffered nothing out of the ordinary, a small tear, all very short compared to most first timers.

However I felt my luck had been used up and I was terrified that if that was a good birth - what if something went wrong? I really wanted an ELC but even then was un sure what that entailed.

I found MN by sheer chance when pregnant and all the information I needed to speak to the consultants, the facts, figures, arguments, were on here then amazing threads about how to prepare and cope for after the operation, the people who recovered v quickly those who had it harder.

All of it for me meant I welcomed my second DC into this world much calmer and informed than I would have been without MN. I would have been lost without it and think there are very many wonderful ladies on here.

the thread where mumsnetters all over the country hunted down spiderman jammies so three boys could have matching ones for Christmas!

So, so many wonderful threads. I think all the "big" ones have been mentiones. Pink Peter, Mile for Maude, Ailidh, OJ's dh, Trinity's dh (who by the way I still think of as being able to ride a bike with no hands) and the collective cleaning and sorting help she had afterwards. The woman looking after a tiny breast fed baby when the mum went into hospital. She needed to get her hands on some formula as the poor baby was getting hungry and she had nothing to give him. SO many more, I could go on forever!

MN is supportive. If someone is having a tough time then a bunch of women will appear at her door with chocolate, wine, buckets and mops.

MN isn't just about big, well known threads though. There are small pockets of support too, the ante and post natal groups for example where some of us have made good, long term friends. The student parent threads where when deadlines looms you can arrange to go and write 500 words and meet back at a given time for a 5 min chat, compare progress and get a kick up the bum.

sorry if it has been mentioned, but I have been off-line for a couple of days, and i have just read Trazzles thread about her little boy with cancer and then saw this one. If that thread wasn't the epitomy of all that is good about mn I don't know what is.

I joined mn 10 years ago. I was living in central asia with a new baby and no other ex-pat mums nearby.

Several times mn saved my sanity as I asked basic questions, received kind helpful answers and actually felt I wasn't so isolated and alone in this whole parenting thing.

4 mc in a country where mc is treated with a shrug of the shoulders, sent me to my keyboard to find people to hold my hand and tell me I'm not an idiot for crying, and to ask the practical stuff.

As I have hit the hard bits of parenting, mn has helped as I have found others who have hit the same hard bit and can give support (AARRGGHH yes we have been there too) and gentle advice (time to change tactics). And sometimes, just made me laugh.

And some of the cutting edge viper stuff? Well, it has made me think, and sometimes change my mind, got me out of my comfort zone and forced me to understand other peoples shoes a bit.

I don't post a huge amount, mainly because there are so many wise people on here who get there first and say things so much better than I could, but the support, advice and humour is fantastic.

DS is 19mo and even just through mainly lurking I have found invaluable advice about bf, weaning, sleep etc, far more useful than any baby book as there is such a range of experience and opinions.

Well, small in the grand scheme of things, but...

MN helped me find my doula, which enabled me to face DD2's birth positively after a horrid time with DD1.

Slightly cryptic, but I was able to help someone out with something quite small, but which they couldn't afford and was important. She didn't ask, but I felt I could offer.

MN has helped me find somewhere I can talk about feminist issues without being considered a nutter. And to vent my frustrations on RL experiences.

You're never alone with Mumsnet.
If you need a hand to hold, someone will arrive to help.
If its a kick up the arse you need, someone will be there to give it to you.
Mumsnet is a beacon of light and hope when everything around you is falling apart.
Viva Mumsnet.

This place and all you, yes, YOU wonderful ladies out there are my saving grace.

I find MN invaluable, whether it be for support, or just to come for a laugh and forget about 'life'.

I wish I had known about MN when I had my DCs, especially when I lost my little boy. I have a feeling I would not have felt as alone and as much of a failure as I did back then. However, having been on here a few years now, and having 'talked' about what happened to me and my family, has made me see that I am indeed not alone, or a failure.

I have also learnt loads about many varying topics, and I think that the people here and advice offered has helped shape me into a better person.

I came on here when DS was born 8 years ago as I was expressing breast milk for him, exhausted by the process and worried about milk production.

I received practical and supportive advice and have stayed on ever since.

MN has been part of my life as a mother. I don't have a mother in my life to lean on for support, so in many ways it's done the job for me:

Relationship support - it gave me strength to see that my life, wants and needs matter as much as anybody else's.

Stately homes - to talk with other people who have toxic parents and realise I am not alone

Practical advice - I don't have a lot of RL friends with kids who understand the importance of settling in at school, party invite issues and wanting to do the best for the children in your life.

During different stages of motherhood and marriage I have dipped into Forces Sweethearts, and now Living Overseas. It's just nice to know there are people in similar situations having the same feelings as you.

It's turned me into a more patient, understanding person. I read about 50% more threads than I post on, and find them very informative. I have much more rounded opinions because of them. I have better opinions of women too, actually. Both my parents were misogynistic, I went to a college with only 6 girls. I have a fishwife's mouth and sense of humour and love the humour I find on here.

It's also good to know that I'm not the only lunatic in this world getting excited about Christmas in September, or foaming at the mouth over a piece of camping equipment.

I was incredibly touched to be nominated for a Christmas gift last year and all for knitting some squares... little did Mumsnet know that I had had a really tough 18 months at that time following a redundancy, in all honesty I was at risk of losing my house... and that note made me sob like a baby. For some reason my luck took a turn for the better, a two month temp job spun out to almost six months and they are currently looking to create a permanent role for me.

I cannot tell you how chuffed I was when one of my gifts was based around sewing from a button necklace and bag charm to a fancy pins... I cried again. Over the last few weeks my knitting and crocheting mojo has returned and a bunch of squares are growing on my coffee table ready for posting.

Thank you everyone, from my SS to the peeps who make me laugh out loud and splutter at my screen or those who make me shout at it for being unreasonable... I loves you all

Giraffe and Expat - and everybody who supported , helped prayed whatever . It was amazing , moving, sad.
The pink balloons.
Recently lemon truffles whos husband sadly died . The posts on those threads were really lovely.
The first secret santa that went wild. I remember somebodys husband taking a slide in his van up north or something!
The friendships that have formed with people you have never met. AntiNatal / Post Natal NOv2008 were/ are a wonderful bunch .
Little Italy now 26,000 +posts it all started with somebody asking for a true Italian chicken broth recipe. Can't beleive that we have posted 26,000 posts of nastiness.....
My first laugh was a old timer posting that maybe the spicy chinese chicken for dinner was a bit too hot when her dd ran through the room shouting ' ouch ouch my bottom is on fire.

I've been on mumsnet for over 6 years now. Sometimes I use it a lot sometimes less so.

I've had wonderful support when my dad was very ill in hospital, help with ideas for promoting dh's work (self employed builder), support with pnd, postnatal threads, I think ds4 was a live homebirth thread, wonderful mumsnetters have sent me things, i was nominated for the christmas appeal and was so touched by the kindness of strangers, more recently the postcard thread which I think has already been linked.

Mn is often the first place I turn, people don't always agree with me and vice versa, I don't always get the answer I want but I do always, without a doubt get help, support and advice.

Mn has been a wonderful source of support and friendship for me for 8 years. Have met some amazing women and witnessed so much genuine kindness, generosity and humanity on MN.
The good on MN far outweighs the bad.
Have got the MN love back again recently

i was discussing this earlier after i saw www.baby.co.uk/mum_stories/20130410-does-the-school-gate-bitch-fest-really-exist/

ive seen the odd snipey comment but my personal experience, its been positive xx

Actually there are a lot of cliquey arseholes. However, about 18 months ago I was having a horrendous time at work, 7 months pregnant and unable to sleep and katiemiddleton (hr expert) answered me at 3am and I will never forget her kindness. Thanks Katie, and fwiw I just took vol red with a massive pay out and started my own business because I got my confidence back.

Yy this is one of the loveliest threads I've ever read on MN. Lets save the personal thoughts on how HQ can do it better for another thread and keep this one on topic.

I'm not a mum (Sadly, things didn't work out). I have godchidren and nieces and nephews. I would not be your typical MNer.

But I have asked for advice and a friendly ear about times in my life where it wasnt all plain sailing, and name changed for it, so it would have been like a first posting.
The replies made me weep, the fact that total strangers took the time out to offer support and just listen/read.

I've posted re frustrations with a course I am doing, looking for suggestions for an idiot proof guide/book to one of my modules. Again a lovely total stranger sent me her textbook for the bewildered and refused payment or postage.

I asked for advice on where to buy Nambarrie teabags in London. No one know, but a lovely Mnetter has actually gone shopping and posted me some.

This place has a wide range of personalities, some are cranky and difficult vipers, most are lovely.
Overall, its like a big family. You'll get told some home truths if you are being an idiot but when things go wrong, you just get enveloped in a big (woolly) hug.

Personally I don't see why a thread can't evolve a little, after 300 + posts after all ? But that's probably partly the way my mind works ... Just JugglingFromHereToThere (with perhaps a touch of attention deficit)
But sure, I was enjoying the "on topic" posts too, so as you were !

'Mumsnet is my google when I want to not only know about something, but to get real user feedback sort of thing?' - yes, I agree. I have found out about so many things here. Saved money, found resources ... whenever I am in doubt, I try here first. That is always my defence when my husband and children complain about me hogging the PC - 'if it wasn't for Mumsnet ...'.

I don't often see NetMums quoted in the press. I wonder why? I think Mumsnet has become lazy shorthand for a snarling middle aged, middle class, SE england, loud, smug mum with iterestingly named children.

I'm not sure I agree with defending MN tbh. Let them think what they like. But:

I remember a lady with stomach pains who was refusing to go to hospital. She was nagged and nagged on here until she went to A&E and diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy.

And, oh my God - Boilerwoman. I had forgotten Boilerwoman. I wonder what happened to her. She was in dire straights and was posting for support daily on here for ages.

And the lovely mumsnetter who turned up at p p p p Bird Land to witness a M'netter's two-timing boyfriend being stood up, so that she could report back to us all.