We were all just trying our best to be the mothers we had envisioned ourselves to be, all of us dedicated to our babies and desperate to get in control of the huge scope of our responsibilities while buckling under the invisible pressures of society

Motherhood and ADHD have reshaped my life in ways I could never have anticipated, and the lessons from this journey stay with me all year round. If I had to rank the life events that reshaped me most profoundly, becoming a mother would be number one, and receiving my ADHD diagnosis number two. Neither defines me entirely, yet both sent me on journeys that helped me understand who I am—and who I used to be.

I’m overjoyed to be a mother at 50, balancing my career with the rewards of parenthood (even though it’s not always easy), after welcoming my son three months before my 48th birthday - the culmination of a journey through nine IVF cycles.

My own childhood was quite negatively marked by stress, poverty, and a lot of really awful serious fighting. For a long time, I was too scared to have my own children in case family life turned out to be like that. Eventually, age and distance and love made me suddenly desperate for children.

When I fell pregnant with my fourth baby, my relationship was already breaking down. At just 10 weeks pregnant, I became a single mum of three and pregnant.

My story is one of absolute heartache, where everything that could go wrong, did go wrong, from conception, to pregnancy, childbirth and dealing with the traumatic aftermath. However, it is also about hope, love, strength, resilience and miracles.

I was 26 years old when I started IVF and although the journey was difficult emotionally and physically, it was the best thing I have ever experienced as it led me to falling pregnant with my son. My miracle baby - something I had wished for all my life.

I was discharged. At home, I spiralled. The intrusive thoughts were everywhere, and I became increasingly distressed.

I wanted to fade away and the only thing that seemed to keep me visible was Luca growing inside me.

It takes a village to raise a child. It takes two to raise twins.