How, and when did you discover Mumsnet?

[grentfeldwall]

I discovered it in March 2020 when someone on Twitter shared a very batty picture of the Trending sidebar. Loved it here ever since!

Would've been in 2014, when I was desperately searching for reasons why baby DD wouldn't sleep! Found a thread about babies who only slept for 30mins at a time and felt like I wasn't alone.

Back in 2010 when I was having a miscarriage of first pregnancy. Google sent me this way…

went on to have twins and we had a particular issue with pregnancy that most people wouldn’t have heard of and found a small group of us in the same position.

Still here 14 years later!

About 2002 when my DCs were small. A friend recommended it and it was very ‘cutting edge’ for its time and one of the only places to get on-line advice (apart from Netmums, or Nethuns as it was nicknamed).

It was also very, very funny less of the keyboard warrior-type comments and several well-known posters whose advice was always spot on. If posters couldn’t say anything nice they moved along without the need to make a snarky comment.

The advice I received on the relationships board changed my life for the better and was massively supportive, so I’ve since tried to pay it forward as much as I can.

In the days of old the funny or made up sounding threads used to run and run and make it to classics! MIL bashing has always gone on and some do sound batshit but a lot are judged harshly IMO - they’re not awful, just different to their DIL (and her mum). I’ve got sons and some of the bashing made me fear ever being a MIL! It was a good education though as I know what not to do!

I’ve still never heard anyone say “no is a complete sentence” and I’m sure certain things only happen here and not in real life!

When Adoption UK inexplicably killed off it's message forums by a redesign that they didn't consult on and no one wanted. Would have been circa 2012 or so I guess.
MrsDevere had a massive thread about a 'gymbalow' in her neighbour's back garden and it got me hooked.

2009 when I was snowed in!

About 2008. I was doing my Masters, planning on getting married, and I really wanted a baby. I got sucked in by the feminism and the wonderful sensible-but-funny relationship advice. I remember going to marches like Million Women Rise and meeting some brilliant people. I got to know lovely people like BoF and Reality and AnyFucker, and lots of people who are still my friends. I think I grew up with MN really. I was not yet 25 when I joined and I am 41 now.

About 15 years ago i was on Boards and someone on there copied a thread about a major wedding drama which was unreal. It took up 3 complete threads on here and was absolutely hilarious. The OP came back a few times over a period of 2/3 years with crazy updates.

2008 and I think it was mentioned in a Guardian article. Cod was still all over it, and I went to local meet-ups the first couple of years.
Been here ever since and have learned some truly positively life changing things. Have had to name change a few times though due to ending up saying too much about myself when I do one of my rare posts. Can’t imagine how many thousands of hours it’s been

Me too!

I started reading and lurking on MN when DH and I first started ttc and we're all joyful and expectant. Sadly I had a load of pregnancy losses before being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. I finally signed up and started posting on a pregnancy thread when pregnant with DD several years later.

The support and advice I got here was so very welcome. I had fuck all support in RL, and absolutely no idea what I was doing as a parent.

One of my pregnancy thread-mates started the famous cutted up pear thread, and I always feel honoured to have been there 😂 🍆👋

'I'm Angela Hernandez"
Back whenever that was. Dont remember how or why. But got hooked on Classics and spent many hours laughing at my desk when I should have been working.

2004 when ds1 was breast-feeding and I stumbled upon an extended breast-feeding thread.

I loved the cutted-up pear thread.

I always forget it is a MN thing and not some universal truism about life/toddlers, that everyone should understand.

2007 second baby and googled something. Mumsnet came up and that was that.

I was a new mum, very young only 20 with a tiny baby. It was my DS first vaccines time and I had gotten home and couldn't figure out how to use a syringe to give him calpol. I was really distressed and worried about not giving him it. Quick google search, found Mumsnet and asked and a parade of mums helped me and gave me loads of advice for post vaccines. I was embarrassed so I had the thread deleted after I wish I never had it removed as so many lovely mums came to my rescue and no one made me feel silly. I'm forever grateful to every single one of them!

I was looking for help for my dd who was very unhappy in year 7. She’s 30 in two weeks!

2003 just around DD was born. I think I saw a little item in Good Housekeeping

Came 15 years ago for the TTC & pregnancy advice, stayed for the stillbirth bereavement support / infertility support & eventually SEN parenting support.

But mainly I am here for the CF threads, and information about where to find genuinely waterproof raincoats.

2006 I was working nights in a hotel. On break we used to sit around and read out the aibu threads. There used to be some really good ones. I was also pregnant at the time with my eldest so I checked out the rest of the site and stayed.

I was watching a tv show on channel 5 about outrageous news items or something ( lighthearted ones) and ‘ penis beaker ‘ was mentioned. I also heard Steve wright mention it too and decided to join.
About 8 years or so ago? Not sure.

2003 when pregnant with DS and had awful HG. I had to finish work earlier than planned and MN kept me sane. Not to mention in the early days of him being born, toddlerdom, school dilemmas, teenage troubles and to now, having an adult child living at home... All hail MN!

I was looking for NetMums but took a wrong turning…

I’ve been here since 2002 was on quite a few parenting forums back then. Even met up with a few. Mumsnet was nest of vipers and all talked about washing being darked on .

I’ve been here since 2002 was on quite a few parenting forums back then. Even met up with a few. Mumsnet was nest of vipers and all talked about washing being darked on .

Midwife recommended netmums and I misremembered the name.