The Power Of Your Inner Voice

When I was younger, much younger – say, 18 years old – I was a tall, slim blonde, excelling at grammar school. The world was my oyster. I breezed through my A-levels, passed with flying colours. I got accepted to several top universities. People told me, at 5ft10 in stockinged feet, I should be a […]

Badass Superstar

Back in July this year I was on holiday with my mum at my parents’ villa in Alicante. I awoke before dawn, as is my habit these days, and lay there in my bed, listening to the sounds of the countryside: a dog barking; cicadas buzzing in the trees; a cockerel heralding the new day. […]

Mum’s Not The Word

  As the country, nay the world, descends into maternity mania once again at the arrival of yet another blue-blooded baby, our newspapers and newsfeeds awash with the details as if the arrival of a child was something unusual in a world already buckling under the strain of 7 billion humans, spare a thought for […]

My Article for The Metro – ‘My Label and Me: Infertile’

Grant Melton Photography I was recently approached by the Metro, a popular newspaper distributed across London and the home counties, to write an opinion piece on being labelled ‘infertile’ and how that label has affected me and my sense of self-worth. It is not easy to put yourself out there about such a personal topic, […]

You Never Know True Love Until You Have A Child

“You never know true love until you have a child.” The woman glanced back over at me, peering up through heavy-lidded eyes, drugged in an oxytocin fug. Her blissful state as she gently rocked her tightly-swaddled newborn back and forth in her lap was at odds with the searing words rolling off her tongue, burning […]

World Childless Week

  Argh! It’s happened! My newsfeed is full of back-to-school snaps! 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦Well, fear not, Non-Mums, because next week is our week : Stephanie, founder of World Childless Week, and I recorded this video chat last week to tell you all about it. I was a tad nervous, so please forgive the babbling and ridiculous over-use […]

Like a Shoe in a Tree

You know when you’re walking down the street and you catch sight of a battered plimsoll wedged in a tree…or some other random piece of clothing residing somewhere it shouldn’t? If you’re anything like me, you’ll glance at it curiously, wondering for a moment what the story is behind it, how the offending item came […]

PTLS: Post Tubal LIE-Gation Syndrome

Last month I was in hospital having an operation. I was left to wait until almost 6pm for the procedure, despite it being boiling hot, with no aircon, and I’d been Nil By Mouth since 7am. During that time it was just me, alone in a room, with my notes. Of course, I read them. […]

Let Life Happen

Once upon a time there was a woman. We’ll call her Little Miss Organised. The woman had a life plan, and was happily ticking things off her wish list in the order they appeared: study hard, pass exams, get a job, meet a man, fall in love, buy a house, get married, travel. Tick, tick, […]

Around The World In 180 Days

My name’s Sam and I have a confession: I’m a travel addict. Seeing the world, embracing new cultures, meeting new people – it’s my favourite pastime. So when I found myself at one of life’s crossroads aged 31, I decided it was time for another adventure. Only this one had to be my biggest trip […]