Any other new mumsnetters on the block

[bubbly]

I may get thrown out on my ear for this but I hope it will not be taken the wrong way.I've been doing this for a couple of weeks now. I admit I lurked for a bit and that was the difficult bit - 1) I wasnt sure what I could contribute and 2) I wasnt sure there would be much point. Does it feel to any other new bods as if there is a core group of people who only talk to each other. I like what I read but are there other lurkers new people made reluctant by the seeming exclusivity of it?

Welcome to all you new Mumsnetters!!!

We were all new here once, don't feel put off, once you have made your first few posts you'll feel like an old hand. I just remember the saying - you can please all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time but you can't please all of the people all of the time - and bearing this in mind someone may disagree with you or you with them and I think the first time this happens it is intimidating as in 'real life' we perhaps would not just come out and say what we feel, we would know the person and know if our comments would upset or hurt them, also you lose a lot of meaning when something is written down rather than said outloud and sometimes things read harsher than the author intended, however there are some subjects that need slightly heated debate and I find it facinating to read others points of view.

Oldiemum, I really wish you had started a b/feeding thread, b/feeding is something that many on Mumsnet have strong views on but there are many very helpful Mumsnetters who may come across as signed up members of the Militant B/feeding Association who you will find had many problems establishing b/feeding or perhaps b/feeding only clicked with their second or even third child. Many as well who decided b/feeding was not for them and also those who mixed fed. Please if there are still questions you need to ask start a thread about it, you may even find the odd midwife or BFC out there who will offer excellent advice. All the best.

BTW I once had my hair permed and I was just like Crystaltips (until I washed it that was)!

Sorry I have rambled haven't I? (Happy endophins from my workout this evening!)

Soyabean, I have promised DH I will restrict my evening logging on to one or two evenings a week, hmmm not doing very well so far and I am only supposed to log on once during the day, but then I don't watch nearly as much rubbish TV as I used to, only problem is you can do other things whilst watching TV, I haven't yet mastered the art of ironing and Mumsnet together!

Demented my dh works in the evenings so once the little darlings are in bed I head for Mumsnet...Its true that I watch less crap TV but yes, cant iron and surf at the same time.

I'm a new addict too. It's great to know that whatever is on our minds we can let rip. There's always someone who has had a similar experience, or has something to say. We are all in the same boat, just trying to make the best of things. My dh is at this moment asleep on the sofa, so the conversation is a bit onesided at the mo. Must go to bed now. Nite nite peeps.

Only been on this site for a couple of weeks. I LOVE it It is very addictive.Sorry but I can't live without MUMSNET.Housework neglected of course. Who cares? It is worth it.

i know i keep saying to myself just 10 mins - yeah right!

Gosh!
Ninja wow 5 weeks that great. Hope you are not feeling too poorly or too tired.I really remeber the thrill of being pregnant for the first time. Now I am sadly not a new Mum (have three kids!) I'd like to say I was young but unfortunately feel very old and jaded particularly at 5.30 on a Saturday norning after celebrating the end of the week on a Friday.
Soyabean my computer is supposed to be doing my VAt return too but it keeps geting diverted to mumsnet.Everytime my business partner leaves the office I find my fingers slipping.
I've addedto the mumsnet diet thread (its cyber dieting - really great)what really attracts me is the anonymity which enables you to be really honest.But some of the ones on war .religion and health issues I find quite overwhelming. I actually find time quite tight as well.
It' good to know there other other new members out there though I shall persevere.....

Demented, I only log onto Mumsnet once a day, it's just that I never log off...

SoupDragon
Agree with others here that we were all newbies once - welcome aboard and get posting! It is possible to have been here for ages and still find some of the hefty threads a bit scary, so please don't let that put you off. I steer the Sobernow course and tend to avoid getting into the heated stuff
Jimjams, have you really, truly only been here EIGHT WEEKS? Your good advice is everywhere!

Jimjams, I think the warped time tunnel of mumsnet makes you think you've been here less than you have Its just so-o-o-o easy to waste hours and hours chatting and I know you've helped me with your direction to the rare illness websites. It's the best thing to have come out of mumsnet - and I must thank you again!!! But I do now have to divide my time between both these sites now, so i do no work at all!!!

Work? OMG! I'm meant to be tidying up and ironing some work shirts for DH! Prise me away from this PC someone! please!!

Lots of us are newbies, but I for one am well and truly addicted (first discovered Mumsnet sometime in Jan). I don't open all the posts though - I don't know how anybody manages to read them all! Mind you I only have access to the internet 3 days a week when at work (although I might have to consider going full-time if my addiction gets any worse).

I have tried other messageboards and found them much more cliquey. I think everyone has that feeling at first, but once you dive in, that all changes. Just look at how much talk you've generated, bubbly!

LIL AND JIMJAMS Could you please post the rare illness sites on this thread.Thanx.

Welcome to Mumsnet, Bubbly! Don't worry about the site being 'cliquey': I think it can sometimes seem a bit like that at first but everyone is very nice (honest!!!). There are quite a few members who have met up in 'real life', if you know what I mean (not me, unfortunately) so I suppose they might know each other better. Personally, I love this site and have been posting for about a year, with telephone bills to prove it Its always great to see new members.

And BTW, I often have nothing to say but it doesn't stop me adding my bit!!!

doormat you need to search around for the specific illness you are looking for, use the search facility and keep trying, as the names of the sites don't always match the disease exactly, but there are loads of illnesses covered..

dir.groups.yahoo.com/dir/Health___Wellness/

Good luck, let us know if it helped

I think there's less chance of mumsnet being cliquey the more people post. In the 'old days' - all of 18 months ago - I could read the majority of posts so I might remember that so and so posting on an mmr thread had 3 daughters, a penchant for chocolate gateax, worked as a teachers assistant and thought the monarchy should be abolished. Now with the growth of the site, I really don't know who I am speaking to half the time, so how can I be cliquey?

Of course I recognise some old faces, but I don't know if many other posters are new or just infrequent visitors here. And I've noticed that lots of older posters have changed their nicknames anyway, just to muddy the waters further.

Sometimes I don't post on a thread simply because I would be repeating things I stated a few months ago on a similar thread - I don't want to bore the pants off anyone.

I remember lurking here before posting, just because I hadn't sussed how to log on properly. It did feel like entering a party in full swing, but I was so pleased to get an instant response to my first message - can still remember who is was - Tigger.

Hi - I know what you mean bubbly - I've tried to join conversations a few times but then they seem to tail off and I have felt that my contributions were not interesting enough. I have become a lurker again as I still enjoy reading the threads as there are loads with good advice. I'm probably being a bit sensitive as have always felt like a bit of an outsider - maybe I'll try again or even ask for some advice myself on of these days!

I am relatively new to this too but have found it really interesting to read the various threads and informative too. Think this is an excellent site - plenty of mutual support and good sound advice, long may it continue.

I'll echo what has already been said ( see I'm not afraid of repeating ad nauseum for no good reason !)
I certainly felt like an ''outsider'' when I first started on Mumsnet - and for a long while I was an infrequent visitor so carried on feeling so and I think it is inevitable that almost everyone will feel 'put out' at some time - (viz Tigger's thread about 'stopping threads'! How many of us have thought that at one time or another!?) but it is certainly true that, if it is a clique, it's one that welcomes new members, at least if you let us 'get to know' you by posting regularly - so just let go and give yourselves up to the addiction!
ps Jimjams - I think of you as an oldie too - it just shows how quickly that can be the case if it really is a matter of weeks that you've been around!

I'm sure I posted about an hour ago - where did it go?

5 weeks to go that is (all going to plan and it seems to be)

I now only look at active topics (top of the page), unless I want to find out about something specific, and that saves time. Also if dh is watching football I feel justified to put on computer! He would say that the more time I'm on the net, the less clutter I create so maybe it's saving me housework!!

Don't feel I can be judgemental - how many times have I had to compromise in my life - but I do like seeing other opinions.

About being scared - first time I plucked up the courage to ask a question (about preparing for sore nipples) they put it on the front page - how embarrased was I!!

Aaaaggghhhh - just checked back on the "How to stop a topic" thread and I'm the last poster on there! Somebody else please post here or I'll know I'm the phantom thread-stopper.....

I joined about a month ago, and even there seems to be a few people that know each other quite well, I've not been made to feel an outcast, infact quite the opposite. Whenever I've had questions to ask, no matter how stupid someone has allways tried to answer which has been really helpfull. Then again, maybe they do consider me a lurker and I'm oblivious to it.

Thanx LIL, I went to contact a family and found very rare hypothalamus disorders. I have a ds5 with severe developmental delay.Trying to find a diagnosis.You know what us mums are like got to do it ourselves and need to know the ins and outs of a ducks backside

bubbly, I've been here for a couple of years, and I still mainly lurk. I never feel that I can add much to the good advice given by others, and also, I'm not really much of a touchy/feely person, more of a 'kick up the arse and get on with it person'IYKWIM, so I always think that what I say could be taken the wrong way. So unless it is a fact that I know, I tend not to get involved, and NEVER get involved in the bust ups!!