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Original poster

Has Mumsnet had a direct impact on your life?

125 replies

Spopssas · 24/04/2023 23:19

I had a thread on here once, and the advice I received was absolutely life-saving. Financially and emotionally. A Mnetter abroad saved my bacon by giving me banking advice - I shall always be grateful to her, although to this day I have no idea who she was.

OP posts:
miniworry · 24/04/2023 23:51

Yes, lovely MN'ers who replied to my post about a cheating/gambling partner whom I had put up with for 3 years gave me the strength to LTB and realise my self worth.

I'm now married to the most wonderful man and have a gorgeous little girl.

Will be forever grateful! 💞

thebaneofmylifeisacat · 24/04/2023 23:51

Aw thanks she's doing good. 👍👍👍

RandomCatGenerator · 24/04/2023 23:51

Yes. Pregnancy thread was such a source of light and companionship and advice through COVID.

Original poster
Spopssas · 24/04/2023 23:54

peachgreen · 24/04/2023 23:50

Yes. Three times.

I posted on AIBU when I was in the throes of PND, basically saying I didn’t love my baby. I was expecting – and almost hoping for – a kicking. Instead I got amazing support and gently pointed towards professional help which changed my life.

I posted when DH was taken into intensive care and when he subsequently died. Mumsnet kept me afloat during those times when everyone else was sleeping. There was always someone here.

And through Mumsnet I made the most incredible group of friends (hi Jan Babies 2018!) who have propped me up through the worst of times. They are amazing.

I so agree with the 24 hour support. Someone is always up. Just one or two supportive posts at 3am, 4am can save you from the worst despair.

OP posts:
SweetSakura · 24/04/2023 23:54

Yes, helped me realise that my relationship was horribly unhealthy. I will be forever grateful to the women who enabled me to find the strength to leave

Youdoyoubabe · 24/04/2023 23:56

Yes! It got me my first dishwasher and I got to meet Cod.

I used to find some threads achingly funny and do still laugh out loud now from time to time but it is more of a trawl through.

It has made me appreciate my husband more than I would probably, when I read how some behave.

Also I have learnt that if someone thinks they are not being unreasonable they usually are.

I have learnt a miriad of acronyms. Between Radio 4 and Mumsnet my lifelong learning continues.

I usually use it for entertainment and getting advice. I do give out a bit of professional advice when there is call for it but different name for that so I think I give and take.

Original poster
Spopssas · 24/04/2023 23:59

CreamTeaThievery · 24/04/2023 23:28

Yes - a lovely mumsnetter talked me through the process of getting a non molestation order against my ex, helped me with the forms and gave me the confidence to turn up at court unrepresentated and secure a non molestation order without question from the judge.

That woman changed my life and I will always be grateful!

That's wonderful. The stranger on here who helped me did similar. I learned so much and am still standing today. Happy.

OP posts:
TheSingingBean · 25/04/2023 00:00

Hello peachgreen, good to ‘see’ you again - I remember reading your posts when your DH died. I hope you’re doing ok.

Mumsnet has made a huge difference in my life in three ways:

understanding dog behaviour and training, inspiration to lose weight (mainly intermittent fasting) and helping me work out what I think about gender identity issues. I’m grateful for what I’ve learned and received.

APurpleSquirrel · 25/04/2023 00:00

Yes, I've read so much great advice about all sorts of things that I've then put into practice or learned about.
In fact based off a thread a few weeks ago about someone finding they had skin cancer, it prompted me to see the dr about a concerning skin lesion. Thankfully benign, but I'm glad I actually did it.

Original poster
Spopssas · 25/04/2023 00:03

Youdoyoubabe · 24/04/2023 23:56

Yes! It got me my first dishwasher and I got to meet Cod.

I used to find some threads achingly funny and do still laugh out loud now from time to time but it is more of a trawl through.

It has made me appreciate my husband more than I would probably, when I read how some behave.

Also I have learnt that if someone thinks they are not being unreasonable they usually are.

I have learnt a miriad of acronyms. Between Radio 4 and Mumsnet my lifelong learning continues.

I usually use it for entertainment and getting advice. I do give out a bit of professional advice when there is call for it but different name for that so I think I give and take.

In awe! I loved Cod. She commented all backwards on a thread I had in 2007.

OP posts:
thebaneofmylifeisacat · 25/04/2023 00:10

Such a lovely thread op.

CC4712 · 25/04/2023 00:14

I found advice when my GP wasn't doing the basic fertility tests I was asking for when I'd been TTC 12mths

Further support when my 1st pregnancy (4yrs TTC at that stage) was found to have Trisomy 13, patau syndrome.

Further support when I had my 3rd MC and then rounds of IVF. Sadly no children, but I have a happy life and have come to terms with this- equally by reading stories from other childless people

I saved £XXX's from the advice on a scheme to get a derelict property back to livable- which we now live in 😀

Hawkins003 · 25/04/2023 00:15

Yes, I talk about myself too much at times, although it has helped shape and improve my knowledge and understanding

IntheSnowySnowyMountains · 25/04/2023 00:16

Yes - I googled 'why does my bra hurt' and found MN through the Bra Intervention threads, which were a thing around 2014. Went up 3 cup sizes and felt so much better! Since then, great advice on my marriage, friendships, pets, FWR and health - and just knowing someone's listening in the middle of the night or on Christmas Day.

DyslexicPoster · 25/04/2023 00:17

Kittykatchunjy · 24/04/2023 23:22

Yes, about 18 years ago, great advice on getting my DS statemented

Same for me ten years ago! I had my first meeting with the senco and it played out like a script. My son was in a independent SEN school school five years after I posted and has just been predicted some grade 9 results in year 10. Utterly life changing for him. I could never ever repay that advice but I try to every day since. Unfortunately not on the SEN boards anymore but on local FB pages

SemperIdem · 25/04/2023 00:18

Yes it has.

The support I have had from women I will never meet in real life, has over the years, absolutely changed my life for the better.

I’ve been around over almost 15 years now, and there are still posters I never see now, but think of often.

I have been advised and supported on so much. Had my arse handed to me a few times too!

SmoothSeasDoNotMakeGoodSailors · 25/04/2023 00:25

This nest of vipers got me through my divorce and life after. I will always be grateful.

SpuytenDuyvil · 25/04/2023 00:26

FWR opened my eyes wide. The brilliant brilliant women who write there educated me about trans issues. I am eternally grateful, if much more uncomfortable in the world.

Hawkins003 · 25/04/2023 00:27

Apparently to some mumsnetters I'm the conspiracy theorist, alcoholic, at least that was said tonight.

To be honest this is the best site by far

IHateLegDay · 25/04/2023 00:29

It's opened my eyes to the behaviour of many men and made me really appreciate my DH who is a total star!

thisisasurvivor · 25/04/2023 00:30

I was about to spend up to 5k on a case re jurisdiction of my child and my abusing bastard ex

The case was clear cut but I had no idea what to do
How to navigate

Some very clever ladies went through so many details with me

I am so blessed for the help I was given

Whichwhatnow · 25/04/2023 00:40

Yes. Some years ago I was in an abusive relationship and posted a thread that was essentially a cry for help. One very well known and respected poster basically belittled me and then started talking about me to other posters (things like - oh one of THOSE women, she'll never leave him, don't waste your time etc etc). The thing is I hadn't even posted anything particularly indicative of not leaving him. In fact I was already making plans. I just

I actually thought that poster was really good at giving advice etc so I don't know now if I just caught her on a bad day? However my self esteem was so low that her saying that actually contributed massively in me deciding I wasn't worth more and staying with my ex.

And before anyone says that's ridiculous, you're probably right, but back then I had no IRL support and this was my sole outlet.

SpringCherryPie · 25/04/2023 02:27

It’s helped me by

  • distracting me, I’m quite isolated and having to go through a second divorce so just being able to chat about random anything was great.
  • Toughening me up. Sometimes I’ve had such support it’s been amazing. Other time, I’ve post for example about some very tough situations as a step mother and been crucified by women who weren’t step moms. Like any ‘group’ there are norms such as LTB which get very good support, but not quite social norms like being a step mom.
  • I actually kind of valued even the criticism, as to be honest I needed to toughen up in life. Was I being unreasonable? I questioned myself hard about a lot of life decisions, and now am really grounded. Not everything we do is going to be met with widespread positive reinforcement from a site like Mumsnet. Sometimes this is a good reflection that we need to reconsider our actions, sometimes it’s not. We need to know the difference.
GobbieMaggie · 25/04/2023 02:32

No, of course not.

MariaRemindsMeOfAWestSideStory · 25/04/2023 02:36

Yes, but not in a positive way. I posted on here about something very personal. I had posted about an argument I had with a stranger and then went into some personal details of another traumatic incident to explain my reasoning.

This was my early days of MN so, very naively and foolishly, wasn’t aware that the DM takes stories from here. Because the argument I posted about was very specific, people who knew about it immediately recognised me from my the DM post and then came and found the thread on MN, where, as I say, I shared something personal. As a result, people who I would never share this information with found out very personal things and it turned me into a hermit for a few months.

As a result I am now super cautious about what I post.