Its the most rewarding job in the world but undoubtedly the hardest being a parent has never been easy. Being on call 24/7, the complete lack of time to do anything for yourself, fretting about finances and childcare all add to the stresses and strains of parenthood. And thats not even taking into account that this life changing experience comes complete with sleep deprivation, a seemingly non-stop diet of CBeebies and moments of self doubt when every parent asks themselves Am I doing the right thing for my child?

Which is why family and friends are such a vital lifeline for new parents providing, as they do, practical and emotional support when its needed most. But as a nation, more and more families are becoming geographically dispersed. Which means that for some new mums, leaving the workplace to have a child can lead to them feeling incredibly isolated. A quick glance at the busy bulletin boards at parent community website Netmums highlights the dilemma faced by so many.

It is so surprising how little support there is in the community for mothers and young families, writes one Mum. I found it very hard to find a network of support and it must be doubly hard if you are shy or lacking in confidence. My family are 200 miles away and there is no-one I can turn to for an hour off.

While another mum from Edinburgh said: I feel privileged, rewarded and challenged staying at home to look after my two children (one toddler, and now a new baby) but it can also be isolating, lonely and frustratingly boring

According to Sally Russell, co-founder of Netmums, these responses are typical. Isolation is a huge problem and its one of the reasons we set up Netmums. People tend to move away from their families much more than they did even a generation ago which means theres far less support for new parents.

Traditionally, support for young families came from the extended family. Grandparents, sisters, cousins and aunties often lived in the same towns and villages; but increased migration and social mobility has eroded this natural support network.

Netmums surveyed 2,000 grandmothers to find out just how much things have changed since they were young mums. The survey found that just a generation ago half of young families lived near their extended family. Today, that figure has dropped to a third adding to concerns that more and more families are having to care for their children alone.

Which is where Netmums comes in. Set up in 2000, it has grown from a small group in Harrow, near London, to a nation-wide community made up of more than 210,000 people and some 130 local websites. This community network for mums, dads and carers enables people to get in touch with other parents in their areas and to tap into a wealth of information on issues such as childcare, post natal depression, troublesome toddlers and teens, and even where to find a decent plumber.

The sites status as a leading community web site was underlined in 2002 when Netmums won Best Newcomer at the National eWell-Being Awards, which recognise the use of ICT in delivering social, economic and environmental benefits. It was following this success that Netmums hooked up with BT. BT has been supporting Netmums ever since.

This tie-up alongside other sponsors including Early Learning Centre and Nick JR has helped Netmums become a fantastic success. But how do you measure success? One way might be to count the number of awards or plaudits that the site has received. Then again, success could be gauged by the impact its made to peoples lives.

People such as Alison from Epsom, in Surrey, who wrote that Netmums has been a lifesaver for me helping her make new friends after she moved to the area. While Emma from Rotherham is equally as enthusiastic. Shes met a new group of friends after asking if anyone in her area would like to meet up. The response proved she wasnt alone. Netmums has helped give me a bit of life back for me and my little girl, she wrote.

For these mums, the internet and Netmums has provided the social network that just a generation ago would have been provided by the communities in which they were born and raised. Thankfully, these examples of burgeoning online communities arent isolated - and most heartening of all, neither are the mums.

www.netmums.com