Thank you for reading this one Orla. It is my most popular piece to date and I am delighted to get be part of the childfree movement, helping to reduce the stigma and highlight that opting out of mother hood is a valid choice.

I'm so sorry your sister said such a thing to you. Unfortunately, that is such a common comment to those who are childfree or childless and it really isn't helpful. Men don't get told that they don't know what it feels like to be a man unless they have had a child. There's a huge gender bias going on here.

I could not lead the life I do if I had kids and I imagine you would be the same?

Here's to having the choice and living authentically. :-)