"It felt like it took a long time for me to find my husband. I spent my 20’s doing what can best be described as ‘faffing around’. I was a party girl, I loved having a good time, I was an adrenaline junkie and really felt like I LIVED my 20’s."
Read MoreFriday find: a Thunderclap that we can all support
We have teamed up with World Childless Week and delighted to share this Thunderclap with you. Do sign up to get behind this fantastic event and don't forget to share!
Read MoreInspiration: interview with Kerry, organiser of We Are Many Nomos.
'm a huge fan of Kerry's work. We met through Gateway Women and she took on the epic task of organising the only conference for childless men and women in 2016... and she's doing it all over again this year. She kindly spared a few minutes of her precious time to talk to Walk In Our Shoes about the event which is being held in Birmingham on Saturday 14th October, 2017.
Read MoreNew gallery entry: Natalie
Natalie wrote to me last month and spoke about her hopes for IVF with her partner Tea. She talks about their journey and their hopes and dreams
Read MoreInspiration: joining forces
If the battle for IVF funding divides us which it did this week, then finding our friends can unite us. I make no secret about how much I admire the work of those who frequently stand up in much higher profile places that I do, and talk about their journey. The article in the paper and the video have exposed my story more than I anticipated. The comments were unnerving although not unexpected and nothing I hadn't heard before. It's merely a public extension of what I know many of us experience in daily life. But it still hurts.
Read MoreTwitter chat
This is very exciting! Post IVF World, We Are Many Nomos, Childless Voice, Voice of Infertility are all getting together with Walk In Our Shoes to do a Twitter chat tomorrow at 8pm BST! It's friendly, fun and a great way to learn about each other and we hope you too! If we can trend then we'd be delighted. Please do join us and share this post far and wide, and come along. Free feel to ask any questions too.
Read MoreFeedback makes me cry
So who wants to engage with a site like this. Walk In Our Shoes is the bit that sits beyond the 'moving on' and gives you a helping hand to get that story out. Shout about the utter shit of it all and then help you to pull it back together by giving you hope by being together. But it can feel like breaking a secret can't it?
Read MoreFriday Find: World Childless Week and a twitter chat!
Walk In Our Shoes is very supportive of any event that raises awareness of involuntary childlessness so we're pleased to bring you news of two events.
Read MoreInspirational wellness: why Walk?
If 30,000 women are seeking IVF treatment annually, and the sector is worth £500million, there should be a voice that provides a space that shows the next steps and unites us. A space that is a safe space for one in ten couples who struggle to conceive to speak out. A resource that could help one in five women who will remain childless through circumstance for life, put across their thoughts? Words which can be shared to explain why ‘just adopt’ is not a simple process, and can be open to all genders? My proposal was to use design to provide a social solution and so this is Walk In Our Shoes.
Read MoreIVF funding cuts
There is an assumption that IVF is a luxury and this has been said to me many times. That children are not essential for living. For us, a luxury is a holiday, a nice meal out or a concert. Luxury is not handing over the best part of my bank balance, raging headaches from hormone treatment, bruised skin from 120 injections or spending two weeks panic stricken waiting for a positive pregnancy test that may never come. Children are not essential we agree, but solutions to painful infertility problems and the option to be try to be a parent are an ethical right and surely have been since IVF was created.
Read MoreTurning a negative comment into a positive
I do my best, as I am sure you all do, to find a balance. One of the inspirations behind Walk In Our Shoes is a best friend who is a mum and has been a constant support, in fact we've had a few posts in our gallery that talk about the relationship between those who are involuntary childless and parents and in the main, I genuinely believe that parents do understand more than we think.
And then there are those who don't.
Read MoreNew gallery entry: CJ, Ed and Mary
I kept meaning to write. I didn't think I had story to tell really but we think we do. I hope you will publish it. I was married before to a man who was lovely but I think I lied and I feel bad about that.
Read MoreFriday find: let's find our friends
In my journey I have met some wonderful men and women whom I am proud to call friends and offer some great service and skills. I think it's very important to share those details. Every site and group I've belonged to, offers something different but with the aim of connection, support and care. Almost every site operates for free, like Walk In Our Shoes and behind the site is a administrator who is more than likely to have been through the same as us and digs deep to support others. They deserve a share and a round of applause for the work they do.
Read MoreFriday find: Summer Festival of Change, 6-13th August
I have been following some of the speakers at this festival - Katherine Baldwin, Sarah Adefehiniti and Dr Mark Williamson - and this festival looks like a very exciting event that I'm hoping to get to. #summerfestivalofchange
Read MoreInspirational wellness: growing
I don't know that involuntary childlessness is the tree we have to cut down and the rose is our strength but nature has a funny way of surprising us.
Read MoreOne Million Lovely Letters
Watching amazing @jodiannbickley and her One Million Lovely Letters . She was speaking about a couple who wrote to her after they had a scan at 6 months and were told there was no heartbeat for their first baby. The mother wrote to ask if it would be okay. Jodie's response is incredibly moving because she knows that sometimes it's not okay which is very important.
Read MoreInspirational wellness: new routines
In the months after IVF I found triggers in unexpected places.
Read MoreThe importance of belonging
In the midst of the chat last week, several mums came online to talk about setting up their own business group.This week we talked about motivation and what motivates you. Naturally parents said their children and I paused for a moment.
Read MoreInspirational wellness
Mindfulness and meditation are great resources to calm minds and bring order
Read MoreRecommended read (and an exhibition!)
Anne Atkins was educated in science by her father. In 1825, she married John Pelly Atkins, and took up an interest in plant collecting and botany. In 1839, she became a member of the Botanical Society in London.
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