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!

Google led me here several times.
I started googling "mumsnet" on purpose as you can access the boards without actually signing up to MN.
Signed up due to mostly feeling lonely. I change UN regularly as im very good at being outing!

I wish I had found MN years ago. I think I still would have been happily married if I had found it, instead of the shit show that became my life :(

Haha Lobster did you ever go on the ivillage Relationships boards? That was some kind of forest of handmaidens. I got loads of "advice" on there and never any indication that my XP was a bastard.

It was MoneySavingExpert's Old Timey board that first pointed out that what I was describing wasn't normal. Then I came on MN expecting it to be like ivillage and posted how excited I was that DP had decided to stop drinking cold turkey

Of course all of MN went something isn't right here...

It alarmed me. I'd never really considered that my relationship was that bad. Lurked on some Relationships support threads (I can still recite the opening line to one 12 years later) and eventually left, with MN support. Spent a long time supporting others on Relationships as well. After a while toned that down after a really intense experience with a troll!

MN totally changed my attitude towards men, relationships, self-respect.

Google search, something to do with Victoria sandwich cakes, which brought me to a hysterically funny thread about a lady making one for her local village fete.
Wish I could find that thread now.

I googled, found MN and realised I had what I found out was "buyers remorse" . I read many threads about ppl regretting buying their house on the boards and the advice across the posts was give it time. I did, 3 years later I love living in my house, I was just scared of the big mortgage (For no good reason!). I've stayed on MN, I love it and at nearly 50 I've learned so much about life!!

I can't remember! iVillage first, then baby centre. Then found mumsnet and netmums - mumsnet was funnier. Often had me crying with laughter in the middle of the night when feeding my PFB. She's 11 now

But have changed username and accidentally made new accounts when changing phones

My daughter got pregnant at 17. I stay now because as a 52 year old de facto parent of a 5 year old... I need all the help I can get :)

Came for the Litter Tray, stayed for the feminism

On maternity leave, DD was tiny, I was searching for some baby-related advice (can’t remember what) and stumbled across Mumsnet. I remember my first post was asking if it was ok to post on a thread as I had no idea how it all worked. Everyone was very welcoming. Think it was Lou33 or Twiglett whose thread I gate-crashed. Think they both went in the big mouldies exodus.

I was in a panic when I found out I was unexpectedly pregnant when my first baby was only 4 months old. After lots of googling I came across some similar stories on here and joined up and asked for advice, before my poor husband even knew I was pregnant again!

That was about 4 years ago, and it has all worked out ok and I'm still here after being calmed down by some great mumsnetters who told me it would all be fine!

When dd was born i googled everything and mumsnet would often come up. Ages without a proper account tho.

I think it might have been something to do with Googling stinky washing machines?

And then I stayed. Don't have kids, don't want kids, no interest in kids, but it was refreshing to find a female space on t'interwebz.

I came for advice about OPKs and stayed for the drama of AIBU.

I found it while desperately googling various breastfeeding problems i was having with my first dc. Soon I was adding 'mumsnet' to my search words and soon after that 'tiktok' because there was this amazing poster with that un who was a breastfeeding consultant and gave the most brilliant advice and support to people. I think I must have read practically every bf thread she was on and I credit her with the fact that I successfully bf my two dc despite a number of initial issues and lack of support in real life. If you're reading, thank you so much Tiktok.

The Education Board did it for me.

I followed Mumsnet Madness on Twitter for about a year, fascinated by the absurdity, ended up here properly.

A link to penis beaker came up on essentialbaby, an Aussie parenting site and I had to find out wtf was it about
Stayed cos it's interesting and lively

@BertieBotts yes! There was a board called Coping with Infidelity and that's where I mainly hung out, so to speak. In fact IRL I met someone on the board and we're still friends now. She ended up coincidentally moving quite close to me. It certainly had a different feel from the Mumsnet of today 😀

@thatscurvydogbeard TikTok helped me with bf too. Posts about it would say "heres a handhold until tiktok comes along". So knowledgeable. I bf for over 3 years after a rocky start! Thank you Tiktok!

Coping with Infidelity!! Says it all :o

MN would never have a board encouraging you to stay with a cheater. It would be called "LTB" and it would be empty :o

Yep I was google elective c sections and how to get one because I found my first birth experience traumatic in spite of physically being told it was a good birth by MW etc , I received amazing advice even down to which consultant I would see!

Then I found a section on MILS - and that was and has been my main support because my in laws have threatened my marriage many times over the years and have been the only cause of problems in it.

I found it when researching ways to get away from my violent ex husband. Posted on the Relationships board several times (several user names ago!) and it's safe to say the posters on my threads really got me through it. I find it great, in general, for all sorts of info but generally read Style and Beauty and AIBU now!

I’ve been here on and off for coming up to 10 years now. My midwife gave me some info for the Bounty forums, saw both netmums and mumsnet mentioned on there. Came here and never left!
I’ve had times since then where I’ve been quite active (frequent namechanger) and times where I’ve not read or posted for months. But it’s comforting to know it’s just here when I need it.

Came here for the relationships board, was going through an awful time and there were a bunch of us that were at the same phase. It really really helped.

Stayed for the Westminstenders and all the very clued up people who contribute to that corner of the site.

Also stayed for the lack of swear filter

Was googling X number of "dpo" to read about pregnancy symptoms before we knew that we have male factor infertility. So started on the conception threads, now slowly but surely moving onto the infertility ones as we're going down the Ivf route next year.