In thinking that HVs, Midwives, GPs, etc should 'suggest' MN?

[kevlarbrassiere]

Met an old friend today for lunch.

I was updating her on my dc's and getting updated on hers.

She wanted to know how I had coped with the trials of my dc's issues, and I said that reading MN threads were a life saver.

When I originally discovered for myself that MN existed, I couldn't believe that all the doctors, midwives, etc., hadn't suggested parenting fora (forums?) to me as an informal 24 hour support.

AIBU to think that maybe they should suggest MN (and the others) to parents who are struggling, or lonely, etc.?

Worraliberty "I wonder if they recommend Netmums because their patients are less likely to be called a Cunt?"

I think you have basically nailed the reason, and worded it perfectly.
(Personally I'm happier to be called a cunt than a hun, though )

I've never been on NM GetOrf....I'm not sure they're ready for me

Oh god you and me both Val

Yep, definitely just pointed out the difference Worra, there are those that find the C word offensive and those that find the H word offensive. Two catagories, two forums, job done.

My University teacher suggested MN as something to read when doing an Early Years module. Also suggested other forums too. Mainly to see parents qpinions of childcare, education etc.

I signed up and had a look, NEVER have I used MN for Uni but I loved what I found (AIBU/Chat etc) and have been here for a few years.

My HV tried to recommend NetHuns, think I told her politely where to go. Agree with Birdsnotbees. I've found out so much just by (mostly) lurking on here, and it's one of the first places I look for (obviously non serious and life threatening) 'advice'- being able to find people who have experienced similar things and find out what happened, it's just about being more informed/having a range of ideas to try really, I don't think you'd follow everything to the letter!

This site helped me through my mc, ttc and pregnancy with DS- short of my DH I'd say MN alone got me through the horrible post-mc period as it wasn't something (at the time) I wanted to shout about in RL and my close friends didn't have a clue.

i generally fidn threads to read through Activ Convos, so i get what you mean about the topics.

I do know someone IRL who I tried to recommend MN to, and she said that she thought they wer all a bit mean and bitchy.
[oops]
but then she's an incredibly nice person so that's probably ehy.
me, i'm just a bitch, and this site suits me (whell, it does now i'm used to the constant swearing! )
but in terms of baby stuff - she's got the same opinions as me (well, lots of them anyway, some i'm still thinking about) - BF, homebirths, slings, co-sleeping , all that hippy parenting

(i can't type though)

but then she's an incredibly nice person so that's probably ehy

Bring her before us...I'll light the candles and get the goat's blood

This is funny because our HV and MW have leaflets for the netmums website! I remember someone said it's because of the "bad reputation" mumsnet has.

I guess I made my choice

Worra

Certainly, much of the advice and support I've had on here has been far superior than that of some RL professionals. Neverthless, I think that for MN to gain an official seal of approval would be to rob it of its very soul. In order for HVs and MWs and GPs to recommend MN, they'd have to co-opt MNHQ into ensuring that all the harsh, dodgy, salacious and flippant advice was moderated out of each thread. And that would really take the fun away. We're all intelligent people here, and if we really wanted the official party line on homebirths or potty training or dreadful MILs, we'd google to the relevant informational site rather than asking on here...

My local baby clinic has NM leaflets. Maybe MN should be mentioned for a more balanced set of recommendations, after all the Bounty packs which are pushed onto everyone contain some heavy advertising for their website and Bounty is just shocking.

That's so true Breastmilk

People will find their way here regardless anyway

Yeah turkey You made your bed - now lie in it.

I just never 'got' Netmums. I felt chlostrophobic with 60 BFF's! trying to give me advice and quoting me, calling me hun etc.

Here I just get told YABU - get over it

I actually have found MN really helpful and supportive like SQ though I don't think there are enough geeks like me on here . But I agree that it should be a general recommendation for parenting fora not just NM or MN.

think this survey might prove interestign to some of you!

Doesn't the NCT website have a link to "their" forum which comes straight here?

I do think that parenting forums in general should be recommended as a source of support. Then people can google and look through a few and hopefully find one they like. Most forums come with a disclaimer saying to remember most other posters are just parents, not experts, and even if someone claims to be an expert there's no way of proving that online. Some sites even delete medical advice if they find someone posting it (other than "see your GP" or whatever). I think the moral support and the sense that you're not alone in all this are invaluable. Plus things which are subjective like discipline techniques, just different people posting what works for them is usually helpful to see some new ideas you might not have thought of. Of course someone might post something horrible like "You should just beat them and lock them in a cellar" but on moderated sites this is unlikely to remain and on self-moderating sites like mumsnet you tend to get various people jumping on the offending poster.

I got here through Google, searching for some reassurance to bleeding I was having in a (doomed) pregnancy 5 years ago. I found a wonderfully supportive community devoid of fakeness and full of well-informed advice and opinion. I've been here ever since. So it is possible to use MN as a resource centre- I suspect that it turns up high in most google searches because of the high volume of traffic and updates and I can't be the only one who's arrived here that way.

Also the decent spelling and lack of twinkly stuff.

I got here through a link on another forum that was ripping the piss out of MN

I think I must have lost my way back

I find the suggestion that "new mums" are too delicate to cope with MN deeply offensive.

I think there's nothing wrong with HCPs promoting the use of fora for support - which is not the same as advice - especially when in today's society parents can be really isolated and lacking family support.

I joined as a new mum and you lot were unfailing in your support and help as I struggled with 5 months of colic hell. I was so bloody alone that if it wasn't for having this place to come to and vent I fear for how I'd have coped. There's nowhere else like it. My HV certainly wasn't volunteering to come round in the evenings and keep me company.

It is very, very rare to see anyone post for advice on here and get a real flaming unless they deserve it for being a twat.

My local antenatal MWs suggest that everyone (first-timers included) use MN and Kellymom for advice on breastfeeding.

worra

I do recommend MN - particularly to struggling, isolated mums with little support.

Personally, I wish I had found MN earlier than I did (googling some Bfing problem or other - I had a fine selection of them. TikTok sorted me out ).

It takes a village to raise a child - in modern times I think fora are the village.
And yes, you stay where you like it. NetHuns made me itch, but I know plenty of women who like it.

Different strokes, and all that...

YABU. I was SO anxious with DD1 that I sometimes think "Thank God I wasn't on MN then!" it would have fed my insecurities so much. I bumbled through just fine.