So says Verena who has bravely shared her story with us about what it's like to see others become pregnant through IVF and how this can affect the views of society.
Read MoreA look back
In between watching the Muppets Christmas Carol and having a sob at the Snowman and The Snow Dog, I put together a small video and though I'd share it here with you.
Read MoreHappy post Christmas!
It was only as I posted about my Christmas in the closed community of Gateway Women that I realised how I have started to take ownership of Christmas. We've once again spent the week by the seaside, this hasn't always worked for me but I did a few things that helped and I wanted to share them here.
Read MoreRobert's Christmas
Do you remember Robert? His story was one of the most popular that I have published and I had a lot of lovely email and comments on social media. I took Molly, my dog, to meet Robert a few weeks ago and we chatted about the impact of his piece and how he was keeping. He wanted to share more about his latest plans.
Read MoreWishing you a peaceful Christmas
I send thanks and love wherever you are for your support this year. If you've read a post, talked to me on Twitter on @ChildlessHour (which is running on Boxing Day if you'd like to join us) or Facebook, joined the Walking Forward Inspiration Network then you've made a difference to me. Thank you!
Read MoreLoneliness and Infertility, written for the Jo Cox Foundation campaign on loneliness
My experiences of loneliness come from involuntary childlessness. I am a mother to unborn children, after fifteen years of try to conceive and 6 rounds of IVF treatment. I have recurrent miscarriages. No amount of medical intervention or alternative treatments can fix that....
Read MoreMeet Juliana
Hello, I'm Juliana and I haven't had children because I haven't met a man I thought would make a good dad. The first bloke I met, I moved 200 miles to live with him even though my dad warned me it wasn't a good idea. I was in love so I went anyway...
Read MoreBoden: Wear it like a mum.
Boden have a campaign going at the moment. It's called 'Wear It Like a Mum'. The messaging is '...as in on your own terms, in your way, how YOU like. Your style, and how you wear it, is something to be championed - because being a mum is title to be proud of.' Ouch!
Read More#mincepiemoment
Making a change now may help redirect society into taking better care of those who find themselves alone for any reason. Christmas can be a tough time for anyone who is involuntary childless...
Read MoreHappy healthy entrepreneur
I am still around! It's been a very busy week with lots of really nice comments coming in following the Cambridge Digital Awards and helping World Childless Week with the 2018 branding and The Childless Not By Choice magazine with design advice. I've also set up an exhibition related to my postgraduate degree and ran a book launch! Thankfully life is a bit quieter now and I'm busy back to printmaking and going to life drawing sessions which I am loving so much. Now cast your mind back to the lighter days of September. I spoke with a very inspiring business owner, Sarah Swanton during this month. She's the #happyhealthyentrepreneur
Read MoreAbout a dog
Throughout my childhood my grandparents had dogs. There was Penny, Pixie, Lulu, Topsy and 12 puppies born to their rescue dog mum, Lady. As kids my cousins and my brother played with them and took them for walks. Christmas was particularly memorable for dressing up dogs in tea towels and having them pose as nativity animals. When I think about growing up, four legs feature as much as humans, even though my parents never had one themselves (not for the want of trying on the part of my brother and myself).
I suppose it was always inevitable that I would have a dog but I didn't think it would be in such sad circumstances. I worried that I'd resent it for not being a child and being the 'plan B'.
Read MoreNational Fertility Awareness Week: #IVFGoldStandard Thunderclap
You've read my blog posts, now let's do one thing that will make a difference. Create a thunderclap across social media to show much these means to us. Here's how...
Read MoreTessa Broad, 'Dear You' book review
With trepidation I began to read this, curled up on a sofa as the rain fell in Cornwall and quietly conscious that I'd picked it up a few days after the anniversary of a late miscarriage. It's testimony to Tessa's compassionate and warmth that carries through every page, that I carried on reading.
Read MoreNational Fertility Awareness Week: #TalkFertility this conversation is important
#TalkFertility Be honest, if you'd had a child naturally, would you know what to say to someone who was infertile if you took away all you knew? We have to lead the way in quashing the ignorance, even if that hurts sometimes, a make it easier for our tribe
Read MoreNational Fertility Awareness Week #FertilityFellas
I'd like you to meet Dave. He's rather special because we met him through his work and a conversation with Mr S. He really wanted to share his experiences as a man in his 30s coping with the diagnosis of infertility.
Read MoreNational Fertility Awareness Week #IVFis40 what does this mean to us?
It’s 40 years since 10 November 1977 when Louise Joy Brown – the world’s first IVF baby - was conceived. Today Fertility Network UK are commemorating the anniversary by sharing #IVFis40 facts, milestones and memories, including when IVF does not work.
I was in my parents kitchen and heard that Louise Brown had been born. I thought that was weird - does she look like a test tube, how do you get a baby out of test tube?! This was before I knew about the facts of life, and I went back to annoying my brother probably. Either way, it was a bit of news that passed me by mostly.
Read MoreNational Fertility Awareness Week #IVFGoldStandard why it matters to you and me
This week it's National Fertility Awareness Week and I write this post with a heavy heart because where I live we have no funding and we are failing on the IVF Gold Standard. This means that anyone who wants to go through the doors of Bourn Hall, the founding place of pioneering treatment must pay thousands per cycle to do so. If you're a reader of this blog, then you'll know that my husband and I spoke out in the local press about this.
Read MoreNational Fertility Awareness Week 30 Oct – 5 Nov 2017
This week I am going to be joining Fertility Network UK and many others for National Fertility Awareness Week. I'm also one of the #FertilityFaces, proud to contribute my photo to this vital awareness week.
Read MoreTips on how to support an involuntary childless friend this season
That's a crap title but I wanted to get your attention as someone who perhaps has children or has chosen to not have children. I am sure that it's hard knowing what to say or do when you have a friend who is involuntarily childless. I often think of how much I'd hate to be the person having to cope with me when I was at my lowest. This piece was written during World Childless Week but wasn't posted until now as I think it's more timely. I hope it's useful.
Read MoreWalking Forward Inspirational Network
We have over 60 members in our network and it's growing each day. Nicci Fletcher from Voice of Infertility and CNBC magazine and I are kept very busy and we love this. The group is all about support. Lately we've had a vote on branding, talked about our ideal location and we have skills swap too, trading all manner of talents. We would love you to join us.
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