How do you continue to parent your child after they have died? One of the first things I noticed after the death of Isaac was the silence. The past two years had been filled with laughter, music and the occasional tantrum. Then all of a sudden, it was just so quiet… Isaac was an outgoing, … More Once a Mother, Always a Mother
Five months ago, my son died. As I write these words and read them over and over again, they are so incomprehensible that they might as well be in a foreign language. Again and again I read them, unable to grasp that they relate to me, that they form part of my story. These words … More Five Months
This week in Australian Parliament, the member for Canberra, Alicia Payne, addressed a question to the Prime Minister: ““Women from the Yass Valley are currently forced to travel an hour to Canberra or Goulbourn to give birth. As a result, a number of women have been forced to give birth on the side of the … More PM’s Solution to Roadside Births? Upgrade the Highway…
Failure is a feeling long before it becomes an actual result. It’s vulnerability that breeds with self-doubt and then is escalated, often deliberately, by fear (Michelle Obama, Becoming). I was super confident when I was in high school. In fact , I was Miss Susie High School. You know, the annoying over-achiever type. President of the … More Fearless Girl
One in four pregnancies end in miscarriage. Almost every article I have read about miscarriages, and believe me I have read a lot, mention that statistic somewhere in the first few lines. But I think it bears repeating – one in four pregnancies end in miscarriage. The reason I think it is worth emphasising is … More How to Talk About Miscarriage
415 days. A little over 59 weeks. That is how long, from the day I found out I was pregnant, to the end of last week, that I spent pretty much 24/7 with my newborn son. 415 days. Nine months of carrying him inside of me wherever I went, and five precious, but all too … More The Working Mama
There is this song that I can’t seem to get out of my head. By Australian band The Waifs, it goes “I miss you like my left arm that’s been lost in a war. Today I dream of home and not of London anymore. I’m in London still…” I don’t live in London, I never … More I’m in New York Still…
Over the last week, social media has come alive with women posting the hashtag #metoo. Started by activist Tarana Burke in 2006 and promoted by actress Alyssa Milano in the wake of revelations that over 40 women have accused Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual abuse, the idea was that “if all women who had … More I Shouldn’t Have to Feel Lucky I Have “Only” Been Sexually Harassed
Dear New York, I remember the first time we met. It was a freezing December night, a Tuesday and already well past midnight. I had just flown in from California – a last minute trip to see some friends who were in town for New Years Eve – and wasn’t ready for the bracing cold … More New York, I Love (Hate) You
Sarah Yvonne 