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Original poster

How did you discover Mumsnet and what was your first impression?

67 replies

Meid · 16/05/2003 10:49

With all the talk recently about changing Mumsnet, not changing Mumsnet, old Mumsnetters, new Mumsnetters etc. I was just wondering how everyone discovered Mumsnet and what was appealing about it to stick around.

I discovered Mumsnet about a year ago - recommended by my SIL. My first impression was how useful this website could be to me.

I was instantly hooked on the variety of things being discussed and comforted to find people with in similar situations to my own. I love it when someone comes up with a piece of sound advice and the next post is someone else saying they had tried that and it didn't work for them. And I am intrigued to read parenting problems that don't yet apply to me - I think "I now know how to deal with that when we reach that stage"!

I would say the things that appealed to me in the first place about Mumsnet are still very much here and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

OP posts:
JanZ · 16/05/2003 16:01

I've just checked when my first posting was - 17 August 2001, about "Breastfeeding after mastitis". And like so many others, I got a complex about my postings being the kiss of death!

Jimjams · 16/05/2003 16:06

Just checked my first posting June 01- didn't post again until November 02!! Weird that was pre-autism days- it's a whole lifetime ago. Actually I wish I had posted more becuase I would have been saying things like "for goodness sake vaccinate your children, homeopathy pah, and MMR perfecly safe". You could have followed a screech to a halt and total u-turn on so many issues.

tallulah · 16/05/2003 18:48

Like some others, came here from Raising kids & was impressed by the way posters here seemed more supportive. (Of course that was before I started posting on the more controversial threads ). At least there is some chance of expressing an opinion here without being totally shot down in flames, as happens regularly over there.

tallulah · 16/05/2003 18:49

Forgot to add, I also like the way I can see whether I want to read a thread without having to go into each one.

ZsaZsa · 16/05/2003 18:49

I ave fallen upon this site an now I cannot get off

Tinker · 16/05/2003 19:01

CAM is very posh and lovely. Found this site after reading a Mother's Day article by Kate Kellaway in the Observer - she came on and posted for research and got answers from Bugsy and Tigermoth I think. That must have been over 2 years ago but I didn't post until about Aug 2001.

Chinchilla · 16/05/2003 19:20

Yay!...do I get a gold star Carrie, for enticing all the RK people to Mumsnet with my comments there?

Edgarcat, there is no need to be embarrassed about the Telegraph - it moght be a Tory paper, but it has a brilliant crossword!

lou33 · 16/05/2003 21:16

I just did a check and July 2000 was my first posting.

meanmum · 16/05/2003 21:32

I was recommended by a friend (male). I'm dying to know which name he and his wife use but haven't figured it out yet. Don't really want to spoil the surprise so haven't asked either.

So glad he did recommend it to me as I find it gives me so much and not just in terms of parenting but also a release from work and life at times.

EmmaTMG · 16/05/2003 21:44

We got a PC for Xmas last year and as I desparate for another baby so did loads of searches on baby stuff, double buggies being one of them. Mumsnets and her 'Find the Best' came up on one search and I've never looked back.

By the way, we bought one on the buggies featured on the 'find the best' when DH decided he wanted another baby too(22 weeks ago now) so Thanks for the info Mumsnet!

Eulalia · 16/05/2003 22:35

I think I found Mumsnet at work so that is a looong time ago, ie more than 4 years ago (has it been going this long?) I found quite a lot of stuff when I was supposed to be doing research work. If that is wrong then it would be about 3.5ish years ago and it would have been from another website. I am certainly one of the first few folk on here. How do you find your first post?

lou33 · 17/05/2003 00:52

I just did a search for me Eulalia and looked at the posting dates. Might be an easier way though I haven't found it.

WideWebWitch · 17/05/2003 10:08

I searched on Google for "how to set up a babysitting circle" and got Sitters and from there, mumsnet. That was about eighteen months ago I think and I've been hooked ever since. I wish I'd had it first time round, I really do. It's comforting to know that someone will always have already been through almost any problem and be willing to share their solutions with me. I love the long discussions and good laughs and I've made some good friends here, on and off board. I think most of the things (well, people mainly, actually) that originally attracted me are still here. I used to be a bit scared of Scummy though and I'm not now...dunno why Scums, I just was, weird huh?

ScummyMummy · 17/05/2003 10:38

Perhaps it was my scarily incisive wit and general air of evilness? I am dead flattered that I scared the witchy one!

Janeway · 17/05/2003 14:10

ds was searching online for product information (can't remember on what - perhaps nappies) and found reviews on mumsnet - I read these then looked around the site and found the threads. I've been dropping in here since August 02(ds was about 6months then). As a first time Mum I found all your stories and help realy reasuring, and was pleased that I could even help some other mums who babies were a few months younger than mine.

The range of knowledge and topics on here continues to astound me, though I sometimes feel as though I'm one of the old mumsnetters now as I see new threads appear on old topics and manage to post links back to the previous thread.

54321 · 17/05/2003 15:09

overheard some mums at local toddler group and name so easy to remember I looked it up. It's so user-friendly as they say and the topics and advice is right up my street (as they say!). If it wasn't so easy to use I wouldn't be able to keep looking in whenever I get a few mins or at weekends when I usually get a little longer. Always feel a bit guilty though that I should be doing things on my action list/with the children!

Lulu41 · 19/05/2003 10:58

cant remember how I heard of it but think its great - dont often post but read advice from others avidly, ocassionally you get threads that wind up but thats good too - so going to miss it when I go on maternity leave no PC at home sob sob!!!!

breeze · 19/05/2003 15:09

My friend had been going on about mumsnet for ages and it was one of the first sites I checked when we got the computer. I remember starting a thread bascially asking if I was a terrible mother for going away for a week with my DH and leaving DS behind. I don't know what I really expected but received lots of advice all saying go for it. I did and we are going away next month.

eidsvold · 22/05/2003 07:55

I actually found it as part of a search on cradle cap - and found it to be informative and interesting.

spacemonkey · 22/05/2003 08:13

lou33 recommended it to me last year. My first impression was that it's always interesting and a source of great advice - and I still think so.

SueW · 22/05/2003 12:15

I'm trying to put together some positive comments about mumsnet to put on the stand next week at the NEC and I wonder if anyone would object to my taking their words from this thread?

So far I have:

it's always interesting and a source of great advice - spacemonkey

going to miss it when I go on maternity leave no PC at home sob sob!!!! Lulu41

It's so user-friendly as they say and the topics and advice is right up my street - 54321

The range of knowledge and topics on here continues to astound me - Janeway

it gives me so much and not just in terms of parenting but also a release from work and life at times - meanmum

I love the clarity of it - JanZ

I'm hopelessly addicted - SoupDragon

I think I learn something new everytime I visit - nerdgirl

I sadly felt drawn to post and stop lurking after my little boy died. Mumsnet was just amazingly helpful, and has really got me through some tremendously difficult times. - Bobbins

I was instantly hooked - Meid

I like the feeling that I'm not alone when ds does things that I don't know how to handle - whellid

I don't have many friends who are parents and I don't always want to ask my family for advice. Mumsnet is a godsend! - ghengis

If anyone objects, please let me know. Cheers

Original poster
Meid · 22/05/2003 12:35

Oooh I'm very flattered because I started this thread! I think it is the only thread I've ever started that kind of went somewhere!

OP posts:
hewlettsdaughter · 22/05/2003 15:51

I read about mumsnet in The Guardian a while ago - have only been here for a couple of days but already I can't stop refreshing the Active Conversations page...

KeepingMum · 22/05/2003 16:13

I can't remember how I found mumsnet now, but read for a long, long time before I posted. I thought you all seemed to know each other really well and hate that whole new girl thing. I post on another board as well, but when I talk about them to dh mumsnet is referred to as the middle-class mums one as opposed to the other. Not saying which I feel more comfortable on, but quite like the anonymity of mumsnet sometimes.

oxocube · 22/05/2003 16:22

Lou33, I think my dh stumbled across this site too and directed me to it. Can't in Heaven's name imagine how, though, as he's none too keen on babies and stuff (constantly asks me how/why we have 3 ) it is wonderful though. I feel I have made so many friends though Mumsnet. Love it!

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