Women who don't want children speak out against external pressures

Lifestyle blogger Stina Sanders on why parenthood isn't for her

Words by Stina Sanders

According to fertility experts, 25 is the age that we should all get pregnant. Yes, you read that correctly. Twenty five.

Straight after uni, when we probably don’t have our careers in place and not a penny to scratch our arse with. Brilliant! Thanks for adding to the pressure experts! *wraps self into duvet and hibernates*

I obviously understand what the experts are saying. I know my eggs are disintegrating as I type this and yeah, that’s kind of scary when you think about it. But I’m not thinking about it.

In fact, I don’t care.

If I ever do have children, it’ll probably be by mistake and not planned. Come on, don’t pretend you weren’t a mistake...

I like kids. But I don’t love kids. And I definitely don’t put pressure on myself to even want them, despite believing we were put on this planet to reproduce. Personally I would rather live my life to the full than run around after some little person, asking where they put their other shoe.

I’m happy to feel no urgency to have children, regardless of what professionals are telling me to do.

I’m sure one day my internal clock will explode and my want for children will completely change. But there is also a big part of me that thinks it won’t happen, and I’m ok with that.

Do I get broody? Yes. But I also occasionally fancy Simon Cowell. It’s something that comes in waves and then I remember that I’m far too busy to even worry about my fertility. Pressure from society, especially doctors, should not be a reason why us girls should panic. When the time is right, you will have children or maybe you won’t. The one thing that we should not do is rush or feel that we’re missing out. Seriously that’s just silly.

At the end of the day, I may not be able to Botox my ovaries, but at least I can Botox my face…and stay up drinking until 3am not having to watch a baby monitor!

I don’t want children in my twenties and I’m willing to risk my fertility for a few more years, simply because, I’m not ready.