Why did you start using mumsnet?

[BexR]

For me it was pregnancy advice and support. It was one of many forums I visited but I soon found it was the most active and more on my wavelength.

Then I stuck around for breastfeeding advice. Then the relationship board was a huge support to me during an awful separation.

Lately it's more general interest, getting a dose of company during this shitty lonely time.

Interested to know if my mumsnet journey is typical!

I came across it at work as I used to work in a graphic design studio doing healthcare messages for doctors waiting rooms.

Got pregnant with my first child and liked the info so decided to sign up!

I got really confused between netmums and mumsnet for a while though, thinking they were the same site.

I was on ivillage back in the day :o

Isolation & loneliness on maternity leave.

My dm died when I was 5 months pregnant, my dp, friends and sisters all worked and I had the baby blues.

Thank you Mumsnet

Someone I used to chat with on msn mentioned it (it was a little while ago!) to get advice on a specific issue I had at the time.

Because I needed advice about my ex for access reasons.

I found it by accident and it's helped me deal with lots of things.

Important, not important and I've stayed because people are usually kind. Get the odd twat bit mostly people are nice and want to support other people.

I'm sorry @Mintjulia that's so sad.

To share resistant eaters info when mumsnet first started, then rejoined for grandparent guidance

A friend sent me a link to the lemon drizzle cake thread and I was hooked.

I had just been diagnosed with depression and the doctor wanted to prescribe citalopram, so I googled for experiences of it and lots of search results were from Mumsnet. I eventually ended off sick with the depression and lonely and turned to Mumsnet which helped me feel less alone and I've been here ever since.

My GP recommended it! She said it was great for advice and also entertaining during night feeds.

It's a mostly nice place I think. You get the odd dickhead but people usually shut them down pretty quick.

My ex left me with a mortgage I couldn't pay.

The advice on here saved me from being bankrupted.

After a miscarriage. Still here 7 + years later.

I joined because of the Zombie.

Fuck knows.

And im still here fuck knows why.

Came for relationship advice, stayed for AIBU

From the "cancel the cheque" thread getting into the press

Oh, I stayed for the quality of the threads, at least how they used to be. I don't post as much these days.

I am still here now because I am living abroad and it's so nice to have this little slice of ordinary Britishness.

I was looking for childcare at the time (many moons ago)

Getting ready to TTC, joined the conception board, learned all sorts about ovulation dates, mucus and 2ww. Joined anti-natal boards with both DC and still here. It's fascinating to hear about other people's lives and it has made me grateful for my DH.

Christ. 🤔 I think it was the feminism, but it may have been the wacky antics of AIBU.

I joined the day I got my first BFP, asking for line eyes. He's 2 now

Adoption UK 'improved' their message boards and made them absolutely unusable with giant blue bubbles everywhere and peculiar sub-boards.

I came across a controlled crying thread when I was PG with DD (11 yrs ago ) and was just completely mesmerised by the passion and vitriol - it was pages and pages and felt like reading a play.

I use the search function a lot - especially for looking up random medical symptoms, find it often more useful than just googling - and you can always tell when you come across a thread from 2005 kind of era - lots of posters know each other and there’s a lovely considered and humourous tone.

It’s harder to find the humour nowadays, I find but every now and then there’s still a cracker, and I stay addicted mostly because it gives me a sense of people ‘being there’ when I’m struggling with loneliness or feeling shitty.

The relationships board was like a good friend during the separation. I could message any time and get a kind voice in response. My real life friends were great but hadn't experienced what I was going through.

I dont really mention it in real life partly cos i worry I'll be identified, but also cos people seem dismissive about it and think it's a "nest of vipers". That couldn't be further from my experience.

I joined up a few months after having my baby. I needed advice and support. Also, I could look at MN on my phone during short breaks while looking after DD, which gave me something to dip in and out of.