Calling all lurkers! This is YOUR week: prizes to be won!

[RebeccaMumsnet]

AHOY! LONGTIME LURKERS!

We know you’re out there and we long to welcome you into the light. If you’ve been reading the boards for a while, but haven’t quite plucked up the courage to jump into the fray - or simply haven’t been able to settle on a username from your longlist - then this is YOUR week.

We’ve created a new topic - Newbies’ corner, especially for you. We’ve updated our ‘getting started’ guidelines in your honour (and even put them into video form, to make things easier still). We’ve come up with a guide to Mumsnet’s acronyms, so you’ll be spared the embarrassment of having to ask what a BFP is, or what you’d be doing if you LTB. We’ve summarised the key things you need to know about Mumsnet in a handy infographic (click here to discover exactly how many teabags we get through a week in MNHQ), and gathered the most legendary threads in the site’s history in one place, so you can do your background reading.

We've got a clutch of offers available exclusively to de-lurked MNers - and as if all that isn’t enough, we’re also offering spot prizes to those of you who make their your first post this week. Yes, really! So if you want to be in the running for

-two pairs of Kickers and £100 vouchers from <a class="break-all" href="http://track.webgains.com/click.html?wgcampaignid=185523&wgprogramid=10431&clickref=competitionthread&wgtarget=www.tower-london.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tower London

• a midweek family break for four at Crieff Hydro
• a Benefit beauty hamper worth £200
• a beautiful bouquet of flowers from Bloom and Wild
• tickets to the Ideal Home show
• Audible are giving all new members five free books

among many other prizes, get posting now.

And! We'll be awarding all stalwarts who extend the hand of friendship to newbies with your very own halo emoji, to say thanks

So come on folks, don't be shy: venture on below and tell us what you think of MN, and we'll pop your name into the lurkers' hat to win some fab goodies. Happy posting! MNHQ

Obviously I type really slowly! Stupid phone

@guerre

Megan- POAS! (politely, means do a pregnancy test!) There's a whole topic for conception, including lots of people that have PCOS, cysts, all kinds of things. Look at the top^ go to topics, conception, make a thread. They will probably tolerate kisses on conception board, but the rest of MN may not [pointed stare]

Ooh- yay- I got a halo!
Well, I have a new name...

Hello - first time poster - I've finally been brave and joined up!

I've followed on FB for years and have learnt more from mumsnet than I learnt in school!

I don't read all the FB posts but I do read the ones that interest me (things to make in a sandwich toaster - eggs? Who knew?!?! )

I can guarantee tho that at least once a week there's a post which cheers me up and makes me absolutely cry with laughter.. Currently reading the 'what made you laugh this week' and have been howling with laughter at the thread.

So that's MN for providing me with more joy and happiness than Prozac!! 😁😉

Hello my name is Teacupkat and I am a lurker! There that's the first step on my road to recovery!

Now I've admitted to being a lurker, I can say that mumsnet has been fab while I was going through the adoption of my wonderful daughter. Big love to MN ❤️

Pearl's- your name is fab!
Welcome teacupkat- congratulations on your DD

hello First post for me too after a few weeks of lurking. Love reading the posts but at the moment would be a bit nervous about posting anything as some people can be quite judgy and black and white about issues that are quite clearly grey!! The amount of answers telling OP to LTB is quite shocking !! However I may get braver soon!!

Eeeeek! Lurker here too!
I use MN loads for advice on anything from product recommendations to how to approach potty training. Great sense of camaraderie but can get a tad intense on some of the boards (AIBU etc).

eilisohsix...what does LTB mean? Yes, I'm that new!

Hi fellow lurkers - I've always ended up on Mumsnet while googling things but this week was genuinely going to join....and then I saw it was Lurkers Week and realised there must be someone watching me!

Really grateful for all the advice I've (passively) received on here and for all the posters who have unknowingly held my hand

LTB is leave the bastard sometimes said as joke (he ate my bar of chocolate) but also used on serious threads

Mindy - Leave the bastard!!!

Thanks Smurfy 😊

I have used MN for a little while now but wish I had found it sooner! I think it's great for those parents who might feel isolated and can't get out much (this is how I felt when my daughter was very young) as you can peruse the website for advice whenever it suits you. Even though I have used the website and forums for a while I think I will still find the list of acronyms useful. Thanks!

I,m just coming along to say hello! I ,m not really shy in real life but have not lurked on Mumsnet too much! As my name suggests I love reading and have joined the 50(in a year)book challenge. I do enjoy reading the credit crunch thread, they seem such a friendly and supportive bunch.

I lurked for a very long time before I made my first thread a few weeks ago. I was quite proud that I got responses. Mumsnet is no longer the scary place I thought it would be, although that being said, the amount of times I write a post but can't quite press send is far too much.

So I'll take this challenge!

Welcome, welcome all you lovely lurkers

Please do ask us any questions about MN and we will happily point you in the right direction and thanks to all of the posters who are replying

Hello MN
I've heard good things about this forum from my friends and thought I'd investigate for myself. I am neither a parent, nor am I trying to become one any time soon, but I have questions! (so many questions) I hear this community is quite supportive in that sense. But first, time to do a bit of browsing.

Is there any particular etiquette to be aware of beyond the politeness thing?

Hey girls! I'm new and super confused please help if you can !!, yesterday it just randomly dawned on me that I haven't had a period I have never ever missed one in my life, I checked my app and my dates and it turns out I'm 14 days today overdue I took a home test yesterday and I got a negative, we are trying however I have some systis on my ovary I don't feel pregnant then again I haven't been pregnant before lol phoned the doc and he said to try again next week has this ever happened to anyone? And we're you pregnant help please !!! Xx

Hi Megan, Try posting your question in Conception Pregnancy or maybe General Health Each of these topics has a "start new thread" link to click. I imagine the advice would be to test again with a digital test i case of error :)

I'm a daily lurker.

I did make my first comment on a post the other day though :-) I'm feeling all proud and stuff. Although it was about sanitary products

I lurk here for a daily laugh. And oft read fat balls. It cheers me up no end.

I love to lurk - is that wrong? Often I feel dubious about whether the poster is real or not.

Hello... I have posted before, but not for a few years... I come on here every so often when I want to find out things - like when Outlanders will be on next, the sort of thing I just know I'll find the answer to on here :)

I've been lurking since I was first pregnant - my daughter is now 7 months old... Hello everyone!