Article first published by HuffPost UK Presenting a baby to the world is a moment of pure, unadulterated joy. It’s a time of celebration, of pride, doting and wonder. Parents beam, despite the exhaustion, their worlds having changed after creating, and now cradling, new life. There’s unconditional love combined with sheer radiating happiness. Strangers smile … More When it keeps on happening to others
Following on from proudly receiving the Blogger of the Month accolade, for Fertility Smarts, it was an honour to work with them and be featured on their inspirational and supportive website. For anyone living with infertility, or those supporting someone through this struggle, I’d highly recommend taking a look. Article first published by Fertility Smarts. … More Redefining strength after infertility – An article for Fertility Smarts
Mother’s Day. To most of the world it’s merely two words made up of ten letters. Just another day to be found amongst the calendar year of special occasions. For the cynical, it’s a feat of commerciality, offering overpriced bubble bath and glittery cards. For the optimist, it’s a chance to honour, to praise, to … More Mother’s Day – Two words. Ten letters.
In a world where a film about periods can simultaneously win an Oscar and be described as “icky”, it’s not surprising to find mixed attitudes towards talking about reproductive and gynaecological health. Yet these are real issues which need to be understood and more widely discussed. In the UK alone, one in seven couples are … More Let’s talk: The Reproductive & Gynaecological Health campaign 2019
Award winning Laura Lexx is fast becoming a household name in the world of comedy. Fresh from performing a sell-out show at the Soho theatre, London, Laura’s is the latest big name to join the talented crew at NextUp comedy, with an hour live special of her five-star rated, one woman show: Trying. I’m always … More Trying, with Laura Lexx & NextUp comedy
No one ever wants to fail and, when we inevitably do, it’s not something we enjoy. But why would we? Failure is distressing. It batters our self esteem and leaves us doubting our own worth. And it niggles; what if? what could? what now? It preys on our minds, constantly, ravaging our mental health and … More Beautiful people do not just happen
IVF is a full-time job. The appointments are endless and if it’s not the appointments, it’s the reams of paperwork. If it’s not the paperwork, it’s the procedures. Then there’s the medicating, the scans, the blood tests, the research, the injecting. And if it’s none of the above, it’s the emotional trauma, which is always … More Heartbreak, hope and hormones in the workplace
Four years ago, last week, my son was “defrosted”. This was the culmination of years of trying to conceive, multiple cycles of IVF, miscarriage and repeated heartbreak. Yet, with thanks to advances in reproductive science, he was created in a petri-dish, vitrified, thawed and is currently a very happy and active three-year-old boy. Medical science … More Frozen, fortunate and fighting
“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear” – Mark Twain. Thank you, my husband, for finding the courage to raise your voice with mine… I’m Hugh. One half of an infertile couple. The infertile half. I’m not much of a blogger and not usually one to write much at all … More The other side of our story, by Hugh
It’s exactly five years ago, today, that I peed on a stick, to see whether we were pregnant, following years of “trying” and our first round of ICSI. I remember waking early, huddling in my parents’ freezing cold bathroom, peeing, then waiting. Waiting for that second pink line to appear. Waiting to see whether our … More An unexpected ray of sunshine
The Cuckoo Mama 