Come and share stories about positive support you've had from other women :-)

Oh god, yes, I'd totally forgotten about lovely, caring women in the nursing profession. I was in hospital (fairly) recently with a kidney infection and didn't know that it's standard practice to inject everyone on the wards with an anti-blood-clot drug. In the stomach. I'm really, really afraid of needles, even just in my arm :( The nurse who did it was very kind, she closed the curtains for me when I asked for privacy, and she apologised for making me cry (and seemed to genuinely feel bad) and held my hand, and promised to come round earlier if I was still in the next night, so my mum could be there () And then later on another nurse came round just to talk to me, she was on the end of her 12 hour shift and wanted an excuse to sit down I think but noticed I was a bit upset and asked if my friends were saying lovely things to make me cry (I was looking at my phone trying to get MN to work!) - actually, I was so in shock that I hadn't bothered to text anyone, so nobody knew I was there except for DP and my family. She sat there with me for about ten minutes, and then went off to get me an extra lunch box so that I could have the kit kat out of it (and was suitably annoyed when the kit kat turned out to be missing!)

I wish I'd had either of their names, because I wanted to send them a card and just say "Thank you - it made such a difference that you were kind." I think I really underestimated how horrible it is to be in hospital and be SO out of control and not have a clue what they want to do to you next. I found it incredibly frightening, and I've never been scared or worried about hospitals.

I'd agree with MN. As someone on another thread said, a lovely nest of vipers. :)

Some others I've remembered include the nurse who gave me my first smear. I was terrified, and she was so matter of fact and chatty that she took my mind off of things.

My doctor who is amazing, and who has supported me through depression and infertility.

The nurse who held my hand during my HSG.

The group of women with whom I had group therapy some years ago. They inspired me to realise it was okay to be a woman and not have a partner - and that you could still live a fantastic life.

I'd have to say MN too.

It has made such a huge difference to my life. It's helped me see things from other points of view, has provided support for me when needed and I've met some lovely women. It also introduced me to feminism (though the building blocks were all there).

None of my friends are parents, so sometimes I feel lonely, and MN has helped me find people who've been there, done that and know what it's like. I hope when my friends do have children of their own, I can pass on some of the MN wisdom to them.

Artex you've reminded me about the MW who delivered DS1...I'd wanted a homebirth, but two days before I was due, I tested positive for glucose in my urine sample, and my MW said she'd rather I came in to hospital to have him, as she was worried about potential risks of shoulder dystocia etc.

I was in bits, but she promised me that I'd be treated as a 'homebirth transfer' and would be able to return home ASAP after delivery.

When I went into labour, we called the unit and they sent her to my house - just as they would have done if I'd been having my baby at home. She followed me to the hopsital in her car, and stayed in the delivery room with me for the whole nine hours, never leaving me.

I did end up with a shoulder dystocia, and it was horrible and violent and hugely scary, but the first thing she did afterwards was give me the BIGGEST hug and tell me how happy she was that he'd been born safely in the end.

I have never been so grateful to another person as I was that day. (I even ended up with some weird form of 'trauma bonding' and sent her a big long letter telling her how grateful I was to her for getting DS1 into the world safely) and I was in bits the day she signed me over to the HV at 2 weeks postpartum.

She was just wonderful.

Oh, Memoo. I don't know why, out of all the things on this thread, but that kind anaesthetist story makes me want to cry :)

I have so many male friends who I love, but I was reflecting the other day how very much we usually talk about THEM, and how there are only a few I would really be able to go to with a problem and expect to be heard and helped.

I have had the most wonderful support from many different women my whole life.

At my absolute lowest times it has always been my female friends who have pulled me through. They have been there in the middle of the night. They have held me when I cried. They have shown me such kindness and strength too. They have imparted many words of wisdom that have inspired me and helped me throughout my life.

I struggled with pnd after dc3 and shut myself away a lot but on one occasion I had to visit my GP. Sat in the waiting room I was filled with anxiety and could feel the panic rising in me. This older woman who was on the other side of the room very subtlety move closer to me and starting asking me about dd, did I have any others, what were their names etc. the distraction calmed me down. She was so kind in the things she said to me too and by the time I went in to see the doctor I was completely calm. When I came out she had gone but I'll never forget her.

The other thing that really stays in my mind is when I was in hospital having dd. I had to have an emergency section and was terrified. Throughout the operation the female anesthetist stroked my head. It sounds so trivial but that small action made me feel safe, calm and looked after. I can't even remember what she looked like but i'll always remember the touch of her hand.

When I was breaking up with my ex, and I had become competely dependent on him, two of my female friends were the ones who just opened my eyes to the fact that I was a capable person who could do things in her life no matter what became of the relationship or my (stressful) job. One rang up and said that her DP was happy to go and stay at a friend's house for a night/a few nights/ a few weeks if I wanted to stay with her in their tiny flat. The other just gave me what can only be described as a Good Talking-To about my capacity to be independent and live my life. Obvious things perhaps but things that it is easy to lose sight of at times.

My local feminist group is also wonderful. We do a lot of chatting on facebook (within our closed group) and if I or anything else posts about being harrassed in the street, or worse, or asks a question about issues at work etc, the way others are ready to sympathise and be helpful and suggest things is just marvellous.

I would just like to echo all that poster have said about finding support on MN. I posted for a while in the one parent families board and joined a long running tearoom thread. The women there are the loveliest most understanding people ever (and they still loved me when my second dc was born!)
Recently I have been job hunting because I need to leave the place that has been my home for the last eight years as it has become extremely violent and unsafe. I still haven't got one, but MN posters there and others on this board have held my hand at appropriate times, proof read my job applications and sympathised when it hasn't gone well. You know who you are - I love you lots.

And MP I understand completely, I am very socially awkward and find rl friendships quite difficult. MN has really opened my eyes to how good friendship can be.

MiseryPlop, it was lovely, and you are soooo nice!

LRD, thank you x

My partner has bipolar which is thankfully now under control. But when things were really really difficult, a woman who is an acquantaince/friend phoned up for a chat - I hadn't spoken to her for months. When she asked how I was, I got really tearful and started to tell her some of the problems. She drove over and took me out for coffee and let me blub and tell her my woes. It made a real difference at a difficult time.

I've witnessed some amazing support on MN for various causes.

My NCT group have been really supportive and helpful to each other, we all parent differently, have different backgrounds, incomes, ages, but everyone has been unendingly supportive.

I used to post on my birth month group here, and one day I was having a crap time with XP and read on the thread that by complete coincidence they happened to be meeting up the next day at an attraction local to me. A MNer met me at the entrance (despite me being late ) and gave me a voucher for 2-for-1 entry. Because I was alone, I accosted a random woman in the queue and split the voucher with her. She was so grateful that I'd saved her money, she insisted on accepting only the £4 I had in change towards my share of the ticket (which was around £10) and disappeared into the crowd. I had a lovely day with the ladies from the group and one of them was so lovely to me when I ended up in tears about XP :(

Also, a local sure start toddler group where most of the parents are "rough and ready" but very kind and inclusive. The La Leche League group where I have met what I feel are lifelong friends and regularly spend time with, the female seminar leaders at uni who are always supportive and happy to take time after seminars to chat. The school gate mums are lovely too.

Chiming in to support what Oracle and others have said - MNers are a truly awesome bunch of women, especially my regional contigent :)

I don't have a huge number of friends, as I have struggled with anxiety/social phobia issues for most of my adult life, and am useless at most forms of communication. The internet, though (in particular MN and FB) is perfect for me as I can 'get to know' other women in a way that I just can't do in RL. Then, by the time a meetup comes round, I feel able to go and join in, and be myself, and know that I won't be judged or whatever.

Friday just gone was one such occasion - I met a lovely MNer on the train with her charming DS, and we went off to meet at least 10 others at a museum. It was honestly like meeting up with a bunch of friends from a toddler group or similar, I knew these people through the posts we make on here and on FB, they really did feel like 'proper friends' rather than hairy-handed Internet truckers

It meant so, so much to me to be able to leave my 17mo DS2 asleep in his buggy with them, while I took DS1 to the toilet, and know that they'd look out for him despite only having met me once/twice/in some cases, never before. Their children were so lovely with mine, too - DS1 is a shy little chap but he had such a great time, and is asking when we are doing it again!

Ive had incredible support over the years from the TTC boards, and now, there is a small group of mners who are just wonderful. last night, I was VERY upset, and they were just lovely and supportive.

I've always thought of myself as a mans woman, Ive never had many true female friends. Now I see what Ive been missing out on.

My MIL, when I had ds I was so, so ill. I went to stay with my PILs for a month so I could 24/7 care and help. she helped me in and out of the bath. looked after ds so I could have a lie in. held my hand when stitches were removed. she was and is wonderful!

and advice from MN as well - seems I take that for granted

before having DS I went to an NCT group and one woman there showed me in detail how to latch on. Despite the face the advice and help I got from the NHS was good, I still think that was the single most important factor in my easy breastfeeding ride. I don't know her name!

I used to post on a fertility board and the women there were incredibly supportive and understanding.

There are amazing women on MN, some of whom have given me advice and support in a particular area.

My oldest friend is a constant source of inspiration and encouragement. She always tells me how lovely I am, and what I can achieve. I try and do the same for her, she's no idea how fab she is!

I think when MNers put together a blanket it's a wonderful way to show someone that they are loved, and part of a community. Despite it's squabbles, MN is a community and I love it.

I was mid-break up and in a bit of a muddle over it all. It was also coming up to my birthday and I was planning a night out. Was packing up some stuff ready to move out of our flat when the phone rang. It was a friend I hadn't spoken to for a while, randomly ringing up for a chat. I surprised myself by bursting into tears at the sound of her cheery 'hello'. She asked me what was wrong and I gave her twenty minutes of snotty, confused ramble about what a mess everything was.

The next morning she arrived at my door with an overnight bag. She had rearranged her life at short notice and come down from Leeds to London for the night, so that she could come out for my birthday and also give me a hug for real. We had a brilliant laugh and it meant so much that she just dropped everything and made time to see me, even though I wasn't exactly having a huge life-defining crisis or anything but was just a bit all over the place :)

The one that springs to mind is the night I phoned the NCT helpline when DD1 was 3/4 weeks old, I was really struggling with bfeeding, DH was being singularly unhelpful (he was trying but doing totally the wrong thing) and the most wonderful lady from Colchester was there. I wept down the phone as this lovely lady completely understood, didn't judge, just tried to help. I know that was what she was meant to do, but these ladies are volunteers aren't they? And she was there for me at 10pm when I was a total disaster area, and needed someone to tell me I wasn't a failure and my baby would survive even if we did have to move to FF.

I've had great support from my friends over the years (which I like to think I give back!) but that one always sticks in my mind as she was a total stranger, i don't even remember her name, but she saved my sanity that night.

An NHS run parentcraft group introduced me to 4 women who I met every Friday for 3 years after the birth. We shared everything. They got me through some horrible times and gave me some fun happy memories.

Three female acquaintances picked me up and dusted me down after a traumatic abusive relationship. No intrusion, just quiet calm listening and hugs and love. I cannot thank them enough. It was like being mothered and I needed it