This Christmas Eve, as I stuff three stockings with brightly wrapped gifts and set them around the tree, I'll be deeply thankful and picturing the trio of excited faces that’ll greet me in the morning. Spending Christmas with your children is always magical, but for me and my husband, Louis, 46, it’s more than that – it’s a miracle. Only a few years ago, we thought we’d never have one child to spoil – never mind three.
I’d wanted to be a mother since I was a child myself, and when I met Louis online in February 2013, I was very clear about my intentions for our future.
‘I love kids and can’t wait to have a family,’ I admitted one evening. I wasn’t sure how Louis would react. He already had a daughter from a previous relationship, who was 10 at the time – what if he didn’t want more children? To my relief, Louis grinned.
‘I’d love to be a dad again,’ he said.
By the end of 2013, I’d moved from my home in Luton to Louis’ place in Barrowin-Furness, and we started trying for a baby straight away. But six months later, nothing had happened.
Heartbreaking loss
‘Do you think something is wrong?’ I asked Louis anxiously one evening.
‘I don’t know,’ he admitted. We booked an appointment with our GP, just in case, who sent us for an ultrasound scan.
‘You have cysts on your ovaries,’ the sonographer said, explaining it could be why I’d had difficulty getting pregnant, and that I’d need more tests.
The news came as a shock, but as I was scheduled for another appointment in a month’s time, I also felt a little relieved. At least now we knew what the problem was.
Denne historien er fra November 18, 2019-utgaven av WOMAN'S OWN.
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Denne historien er fra November 18, 2019-utgaven av WOMAN'S OWN.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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FAST & THRIFTY DINNERS
Filling family meals to save you time and money
ARE VIRAL FITNESS TRENDS WORTH THE HYPE?
Keen to know if the workouts she sees online can actually make her fitter, Rachel Tompkins, 44, gives them a try
GO OUT OF SEASON
While some European cities seem to go into hibernation over winter, others just get better in the colder months
MY LIFE IN MUSIC
Monica Cafferky, 55, reveals how certain tunes bring back special memories
THE DECISION THAT CHANGED MY LIFE
After trying diets without success, Breanne Concannon, 31, was left feeling hopeless
MY TOY ΒΟΥ KEEPS ME YOUNG
For Trish Hughes, 44, the thrills of being married to a man 20 years younger is worth all the judgement
'THAT'S NOT MY BABY'
Lying in the hospital bed, my husband Michael had tears of happiness in his eyes as he showed me a photo on his phone. 'Here she is,' he said proudly. 'This is our beautiful baby girl.'I stared at the photo and shook my head. 'No, that's not my baby,' I said. 'There must be a mistake.'It was August 2010 and I'd not long before had an emergency caesarean. I'd not had a chance to see Winnie when she arrived as she'd been whisked away for tests because she was nearly two months premature.
CAUGHT IN THE ACT
Hayley, 45, has her son to thank for crucial evidence
'I'D LOVE TO DO EASTENDERS'
Loose Women's Linda Robson on the daytime show, dating and her next career move
Beckhams INSIDE THEIR PROPERTY EMPIRE
We take a look at the power couple's posh pads
