How to use the message boards

All messages which have been edited will indicate that a change has been made.

Mark as read
Clicking the mark as read link at the bottom right hand corner of the board will clear all the envelopes which appear next messages you haven't read. Once you have clicked the link it will disappear but it may take the envelopes a few moments longer to go away. You may need to refresh the page a few times.

This feature is specific to the membername you are logged in with at the time you 'mark as read'. If you return to the board while not logged in or logged in with another membername the envelopes will be visible to you again. Once the envelopes have been cleared it is not possible to get them back. The link will reappear the next time a new message is posted.

Search
Enter a word or phrase into the search box to find all messages that have been posted to the board on a specific topic during the past 12 months. It is not possible to search by membername.

Advanced search
In addition to the basic search feature outlined above you will also find an Advanced search link on each board. Advanced search lets you search the board by membername, by message number, search for topics across all our boards, search within a specific time-frame and back to the beginning of the board's creation.

Making the most of advanced search:
Find messages Containing all of the words: An exact search pulling all messages which contain every word listed by you.
Containing any of the words: Will pull all messages containing a selection of the words listed by you.
Containing the exact phrase: Will pull message which contains a phrase exactly matching the one you have entered.
Answering the question: Will pick key words from a question you ask and pull relevant posts. eg How to stop a baby crying? In this case you will be presented with posts containing the words 'baby' and 'crying'.
Using the Boolean expression: This is a way of constructing a complex search using the words 'and', 'or' and 'not' to include or exclude certain information.

Example: apple and orange - will pull posts containing both apple and orange.
Example: apple or orange - will pull posts containing the word apple, posts containing the word orange and posts containing both words.
Example: apple not orange - will only pull posts containing the word apple and will exclude any posts which also contain the word orange.

Board archives
The archives contain all messages posted before April 2003 when iVillage's message boards lived in a different software platform. The archives are closed to new messages so you can read them but can't post a response.

Send to a friend / Invite a friend
To send a copy of a message to a friend click Send to a friend in the purple box in the top right hand corner of the board. You can also invite a friend to a message board. Click Invite a friend and iVillage will send an email with a link to the message board to your friend.

Staying safe online
Chatting on the internet is a good way of finding information and support and is a great way of making friends.

It does pay to be cautious, however. Although you may feel comfortable with the group of friends you have made you should always remember that anyone can read what you post online.

Here are some simple steps to help you to stay safe online:

Choose a membername which doesn't reveal your real name, or use any other details that could personally identify you or your children. If you wish to create a new membername you can do so here.

Keep personal details personal. Thousands of people read the message boards but never post. If you post lots of details about your life, work or town then people may be able to piece together a picture of who, and where, you are.

Use the Member to Member email service in your board settings if you wish to take your friendships further. Do not post your home address, email address, IM details or your telephone numbers on the boards as they might be seen by people who you'd rather not see them (including people who send spam). iVillage reserves the right to remove posts containing the above information if it feels it is necessary.

If you decide to meet up with friends from the internet, take sensible precautions. Meet in a public place, take a friend with you and make sure someone knows where you are going and when you will be back.

Work out how you will get home before you leave the house and take a map of the local area and the number of a reputable cab company with you. Never arrange to meet anyone if you are under 16.

When posting on our message boards treat other members with respect. You may not always agree with the opinions or the advice you are given but we ask that you challenge the opinion and not the poster. For more information about how to behave online please read our Rules of play.

Reporting a message
If you read a message on our boards that you believe violates our Terms Of Service, or which you would like to draw to our attention for any other reason, please click Report this message. You will find this link at the bottom of every message.

Contact us
For general comments or questions please email us via www.ivillage.co.uk/feedback