How old are you and how long have you been on Mumsnet?

[Memba]

I'll start... I'm 51 and I've been here 15 years.

I was thinking recently that Mumsnet has got older but maybe that's because I hang about in different corners (Higher Education instead of Pregnancy for example!) or click on threads that are relevant to my life now (pensions anyone?). I love the wide range of life experiences shared in general Chat and even AIBU.

I still remember my first thread when I was pregnant with DD2. Her nuchal scan showed a high risk of Down's and a friend suggested I hop onto Mumsnet for some advice. I was absolutely blown away by the kindness and support I received.

I know some topics can get a bit heated but I do hope newbies today get similarly warm reception.

How long have you been knocking around?

I've been here on and off since 2015, when I had hyperemesis and found support. Lots of name changes since then and I even got in a snit and deleted my account once (and re-registered a year later lol). It's weird how many regulars we seem to have lost over the past few years. Maybe they've just all started regular NCs as well. I can't seem to let go of this username though LMAO.
I'm 37.

I had DS1 in 2008 but my younger two were born 2018/2021.

The culture of the antenatal threads has changed massively. They tend to start on MN when everyone is in the very early stages of pregnancy, then very quickly a few people say they don't use MN that much and is anyone interested in a whatsapp thread or FB group - this is started, some people stick to MN until 12 weeks but generally once everyone has passed the 12 week milestone, people migrate and it tends to be wholly on the WA/FB. It's because that allows much easier sharing of photos plus it's more private. My 2008 club had a FB group but we still stuck mainly to the MN thread only using FB to post photos. The FB group never became the primary thread. Actually I have checked and am still in it but nobody has posted since 2015!

MN used to feel private in the olden days but I think people are just more aware now that literally anyone could be reading threads and working out who you are. Especially with tabloids figuring out that there is interesting article fodder etc. Although I don't think that's ever happened on an antenatal thread, people just aren't as comfortable with it any more, which makes sense. Things change.

There was once a time when people were categorised as either pre- or post- Penis Beaker.

I don't know what year that was though so no idea which I am, I only read the thread in 2023 though after someone linked it, because I never saw it in Classics and I CBA to go looking for it again to check. 😂

I lurked for a long time after we lost our first child as I wanted company but didn't want to contribute (and MN is great for that) and I only started posting after DS was born when we had feeding issues.

Thanks @BertieBotts that makes a lot of sense. I was definitely less concerned about posting stuff that made me identifiable in real life when I first joined (and had a username that was pretty much my actual name!) Now I'm much more careful!

53. Think I joined on about 2007? Had some truly wild times on here over the years! But that was all a long time ago. I'm far more sedated nowadays.

Sedate not sedated.

55

joined 20+ years ago but left around 2006 and rejoined fairly recently

41, 16 years!

Very on and off. It’s a love/hate relationship with MN. The bad comments put me off but the help and advice has really helped over the years and many children I’ve had.

19 yrs here.

Hi ssd !

Age somewhere in my 50's.

Stopped remembering 😆

I'm 37 and have been here for 12 years.

I don't have children.

I came to MN when I was looking for procrastination while writing up my PhD. I found a group of intelligent, critical, hilarious and kind women, and just stayed.

I kind of dipped out for a few years - only lurking every few months.

Then around 2018, I noticed weird conversations happening in the world around what has now become "The Trans Issue". I came onto MN to see if anyone had also noticed this, and I found the feminist boards and the ridiculously well-informed, clever, rational and reasonable women that live there who've helped me absolutely no end to make sense of and navigate the issue, and to have some very sensitive conversations about trans issue at my workplace.

I'm 58 years old and I've been on here for 20 years, name change constantly. Probably not missed a single day reading at least something. Don't post often, my first thread ever was about my very premature twins and preschool/primary concerns. They're now both coming up to 22 and about to finish university! I often struggle to get my head around that in terms of where did those years go.

More often on the elderly parents or health threads which is bloody depressing!

I'm 42 and I think I've been here since about 2006, so almost 20 years (!). I don't have kids but have always enjoyed the array of discussions.

49

Been here about 12 years

53

Been here about 20 years.

Late 40's been here for 18 years under many different names. It really has changed over the years, and dare I say it's become a caricature of itself. When my kids were young, I did use it for advice. Now I just mostly find it amusing & I believe 90% of it is made up.

Just did a search on my old username and found posts from 2002

I'm 59 and joined about 12 years ago, I think.

28, recently joined

58 and been here on and off about 18 years under many different names.

60, been a member for about 18 months- 2 years I think. I had not heard of MN before I retired. I discovered it and joined because following retirement due to ill health I am desperately lonely, and miss the day to day chat and second hand drama I got from work. I am also autistic and, although I have tried, I have not been able to make friends in real life, so this is a bit of a lifeline.

31 been on about 5 years

44, and 18 years

been here 20 years late 40s

@ErrolTheDragon where do we look for our ID numbers? I have also Ben here about 19 years, I’m in my fifties and came over here from baby centre UK.

This, word for word.
Came from Babycentre permanently in 2006, but had been a non-posting member since 2004. I think by then the ID numbers had gone as the site had got so big.