I'm a childless woman, yet I felt no maternal urges whatsoever. The prospect of years of broken nights and nappy changes holds no appeal for me.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
I have no maternal instinct whatsoever. Motherhood holds no interest for me.
In my late 30s, I flirted with the idea of having a child without necessarily being in a steady relationship. But I've never had a strong maternal urge, and then I got cancer of the womb - luckily caught at an early stage - so that put paid to that.
I realized relatively early on that I had no desire to be a mother whatsoever. I actually love children, but specifically other people's.
I wasn't ecstatic about being pregnant - I wasn't somebody who actively wanted kids. Certainly there were no fantasies about nappy-changing.
I wanted to get a taste of what it would feel like to be a mum. I've always had a strong maternal instinct and ideally I would love one of my own.
I didn't really inhabit myself until I was in my 30s. And motherhood is an epic event. You can't help but be altered by it - and it is important to be.
I don't want to let my life as a woman pass me by. There's a time to work, there's a time to be young and crazy, and there should be a time to enjoy motherhood. I'm actually looking forward to that.
Obviously, I'm suffering from lack of sleep, but it truly is a blessing to be a mother.
The urge that most people feel to have kids is the exact same as the urge that I have to not have kids. I do not want to raise a child.
I love motherhood. I certainly wasn't aware of any mothering instincts until I had babies. I wasn't a person who desperately wanted to have kids, but you don't get it until you do it, and, suddenly, this nurturing instinct exists.