When my daughter was three, she told a man at the bus stop — completely unprompted, with the full confidence of someone stating a perfectly obvious fact — that she doesn't have a dad. She has a donor.

He was reading his newspaper. He looked up, blinked, and said "oh, right." She went back to her snack.

That was it. No drama. No confusion. No sadness. Just a small person telling her story in the same matter-of-fact way she'd tell you her name or her favourite colour.

She turns six this week. And in her whole life, there has never been a moment where she learned she was donor conceived. Because she has always known. It has always just been her story.

If tonight's 60 Minutes got you thinking about egg freezing — read this first. A solo mum by choice breaks down the real statistics, costs, and the questions most women don't think to ask. Honest, warm, and made for women navigating this alone.

Here's something that stopped me in my tracks when I first heard it.

Your eggs take around 100 days to fully mature.

Not overnight. Not in the week before your cycle. One hundred days. Roughly three months.

Which means the food you eat, the supplements you take, how you sleep and how you manage stress right now — today — can directly influence the egg quality in your next cycle. Or the one after that. Or the one your clinic retrieves at your next egg collection.

That's not meant to scare you. It's one of the most empowering pieces of fertility information I've come across. Because unlike so much of this journey, this part is something you actually have some influence ove

There’s a moment that happens for a lot of women — usually late at night, usually after another bad date, another pregnancy announcement, or another birthday — where the question quietly appears:

“What if I just did this on my own?”

And then just as quickly comes the second question:

“But how would I even know if that’s the right decision?”

Because deciding to become a solo mum isn’t just about getting pregnant.
It’s about deciding what kind of life you want to build.

And that’s a much bigger question.

Preparing for birth can feel overwhelming for any parent.

But when you're doing it as a solo mum, there are a few additional things to think about.

Not because you can’t do it — thousands of women do this every year — but because planning ahead can make your birth experience far calmer and more supported.

Many solo mums say that once they started thinking about birth preparation earlier in pregnancy, they felt much more confident about what was ahead.

If you're pregnant and preparing for birth on your own, these are the key things worth thinking about early.

For many women considering solo motherhood, choosing a sperm donor can feel like one of the biggest decisions of the entire journey.

And in many ways, it is.

But if you’ve started researching donors, you’ve probably discovered something quickly — there’s a lot of information, and not all of it actually helps you make the decision.

Donor profiles can include everything from eye colour and height to personality traits, hobbies, and long medical histories.

It can feel like you’re expected to choose the genetic blueprint for your future child.

But the truth is, when it comes to donor conception, there are far more important questions than whether someone plays the piano or likes hiking.

If you're trying to decide how to choose a sperm donor, these are the questions that actually matter.

Choosing to try to conceive as a single woman is one of the most courageous decisions many women ever make.

For some, it’s a decision that grows slowly over time.

You might have spent years hoping to meet the right partner before starting a family.
You might have realised that waiting any longer could mean missing your chance to become a mother.
Or perhaps you’ve simply reached a point where the desire to have a child feels stronger than the desire to wait.

Whatever has brought you here, the journey to becoming a solo mum by choice is filled with hope, excitement, and sometimes a few surprises.

Because while fertility clinics explain the medical side of the process, there are many parts of this journey that no one really talks about.

If you're considering trying to conceive on your own, here are some of the things many solo mums wish they had known earlier.

International Women’s Day Reflections: Gratitude, Progress, and the Women Walking Beside Us

This year, International Women’s Day felt different for me.

Not louder.
Not more celebratory.

Just… deeper.

After travelling to Sydney to speak on the Seeking Spoon panel at the All About Women Festival at the Sydney Opera House, surrounded by conversations about modern motherhood and the evolving ways women are building families, I came home feeling something I hadn’t expected.

Gratitude.

Not just for the opportunities in front of us today — but for the generations of women who made them possible.

There’s a moment many mothers experience that almost no one prepares you for.

It doesn’t happen the day your baby is born.

It usually arrives later — quietly, unexpectedly — somewhere between routines, responsibilities, and exhaustion easing just enough for you to finally hear your own thoughts again.

And the thought sounds something like:

Who am I now?

Not in a crisis way.
Not because you regret motherhood.

But because everything has changed — including you.

If you’re considering becoming a solo mum, there’s a fear that almost always surfaces — often before anything else.

How will I afford this?
What if I can’t make it work?
What does life actually look like financially without a partner?

If this is something you’ve been quietly worrying about, you’re not alone.

Every woman — partnered or not — thinks about the financial impact of having a child. The difference is that when you’re considering solo motherhood, the responsibility feels more visible. More real. More confronting.

And that doesn’t mean you’re pessimistic.
It means you’re thoughtful.

If there’s one thing solo mums hear all the time, it’s this:

“You’ll need a really good village.”

And while that’s true, it’s also wildly unhelpful if no one explains what that actually looks like — or how to build one that genuinely supports you.

Because a village isn’t just people around you.
It’s people who show up in ways that actually make life easier.

Whether you’re pregnant, newly navigating solo motherhood, or a few years in and feeling the cracks, building the right kind of support can change everything.

Valentine’s Day has a funny way of sneaking up on you.

Suddenly there are hearts everywhere, themed snacks at the supermarket, and reminders that the day is supposed to look a certain way.

But here’s the thing:
Valentine’s Day isn’t owned by romantic relationships.
It’s a day about love — and most of us have plenty of that already.

As a solo mum, Valentine’s Day can be whatever you want it to be.
Low-key. Over the top. Just-for-the-kids. Just-for-you. Or a joyful mix of all of it.

This is your permission slip to celebrate love — without rules, pressure, or comparison.

If you’re single and somewhere in your 30s or 40s, chances are fertility has crossed your mind — even if you haven’t said it out loud.

Maybe it’s a quiet thought that pops up late at night.
Maybe it’s something you avoid Googling because it feels overwhelming.
Or maybe you’ve already started asking questions, but the answers feel confusing, contradictory, or far more dramatic than they need to be.

Here’s the truth most women don’t get told clearly enough:

You don’t need to panic.
But you do deserve accurate information.

One of the questions that comes up surprisingly often for solo mums-to-be is:

“Who will be with me when I give birth?”

Sometimes it’s asked with curiosity.
Sometimes with concern.
And sometimes with an assumption that you must have someone there.

But here’s the truth that doesn’t get said often enough:

You don’t need a partner to have a supported, empowering birth.
And you don’t owe anyone a role in one of the most intimate experiences of your life.

Choosing a birth partner as a solo mum isn’t about filling a gap.
It’s about deciding what will help you feel safe, calm, and supported.

There’s something about your child starting school that hits differently.

You think you’re prepared. You’ve done childcare. You’ve done daycare bags and drop-offs and milestones. And then suddenly, you’re standing there in the school uniform aisle thinking, How is this my life now?

The first year of school feels like a big deal — not just for your child, but for you as a parent. There’s excitement, pride, nerves, logistics, and a surprising amount of admin. And if you’re anything like me, there’s also a quiet desire to do it “right”… without completely losing yourself in the process.

After going through it myself last year, here are the things I genuinely wish someone had told me before that first year started — the practical stuff, the emotional stuff, and the things that just make life easier.

The start of a new year has a way of bringing big questions to the surface. If you’ve been quietly wondering whether solo motherhood might be part of your future, these seven questions will help you get clarity — without pressure, panic, or rushing yourself into a decision.

The start of a new year can feel quietly overwhelming as a solo mum.

Before January has even properly begun, your mind is already racing ahead. You’re thinking about how you’re going to get through the rest of the school holidays, what the juggle will look like when your child starts prep or moves up a year, how you’re going to afford excursions and uniforms and all the extras that seem to pile on so quickly.

You’re thinking about work, money, and whether you’ll ever get on top of things instead of constantly feeling like you’re catching up. You’re wondering how you’ll fit in a holiday, or even a proper break. How you’ll balance everything without burning out. How you’ll make sure you don’t lose yourself in the process.

And underneath all of that, there’s often a quieter fear:

I don’t want this year to feel like another one on the treadmill.

The quiet week between Christmas and New Year is the perfect time to pause, reflect and reconnect with yourself. These five gentle questions will help you gain clarity, confidence and direction for 2026 — whether you're a solo mum, TTC, pregnant, considering solo motherhood, or ready to step into a new chapter with more purpose and joy.

Christmas Day as a solo mum can be joyful, grounding, simple or completely chaotic — and the best part is that you get to choose how it looks. Whether you’re pregnant, TTC, celebrating with kids, navigating family dynamics or spending the day your own way, here’s your gentle guide to creating a Christmas that feels good for you.

Christmas can bring awkward questions, outdated opinions and well-meaning but uncomfortable comments — especially if you're a solo mum, pregnant, TTC or considering going solo. This guide gives you practical scripts, humour and simple ways to handle tricky conversations with confidence, calm and boundaries that protect your peace.