Becoming A Solo Mother By Choice: "This Isn't a Consolation Prize"

<p>Becoming a solo mother by choice is increasingly common, yet for many of us, it’s still something we haven’t encountered personally or know very much about. It’s a topic I’ve wanted to explore on Reset for a long time, so I’m delighted to be joined by Michelle Smith, founder of Ova Acupuncture, women’s health and fertility practitioner, and soon-to-be solo mother by choice.</p><p>What if finding a partner and becoming a mother didn’t have to happen in that order?</p><p>After a significant breakup at 29, Michelle began asking herself two separate questions: did she want a relationship, and did she want to become a mother? Realising that motherhood was the priority gave her the clarity to stop waiting for the traditional order of partner first, baby second, and begin creating a family on her own terms.</p><p>Michelle takes us inside the emotional and practical realities of becoming a solo mother by choice, from deciding to pursue IVF and choosing a sperm donor to preparing financially, building her village and planning for motherhood while running a business.</p><p>We discuss:</p><ul><li>How Michelle knew solo motherhood was the right path for her</li><li>Why dating had started to feel like an interview for the role of father</li><li>The different options available for donor conception</li><li>How she chose her sperm donor and the letter that sealed her decision</li><li>The IVF process and the approximately $30,000 she spent on her fertility journey</li><li>How she plans to explain her child’s donor conception from an early age</li><li>The family, friends, community and paid support forming her village</li><li>Preparing her business for maternity leave and returning to work</li><li>How becoming a mother may shape dating and relationships in the future</li><li>The financial planning and practical conversations worth having</li><li>Why this decision is not a consolation prize or a Plan B</li></ul><p><br /></p><p>Michelle speaks with so much confidence, honesty and joy about choosing motherhood. This conversation is both a practical introduction for anyone considering solo motherhood and a powerful reminder that our lives don’t have to follow one prescribed timeline.</p><p><br /></p><p>As Michelle says, she hasn’t given up on love. She simply decided she was ready to become a mother now.</p><p><br /></p><p>Follow Michelle:
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/michellesmithhealth/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.instagram.com/michellesmithhealth/</a></p><p>Read Michelle’s Substack, Solo Motherhood:
<a href="https://solomotherhood.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://solomotherhood.substack.com/</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Learn more about Ova Acupuncture:
<a href="https://ovaacupuncture.au/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://ovaacupuncture.au/</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Follow Reset:
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/resetwithashcam/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.instagram.com/resetwithashcam/</a></p><p>Follow Ash Cam:
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/ashcam____/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.instagram.com/ashcam____/</a></p>