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

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.

What if finding a partner and becoming a mother didn’t have to happen in that order?

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.

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.

We discuss:

• How Michelle knew solo motherhood was the right path for her
• Why dating had started to feel like an interview for the role of father
• The different options available for donor conception
• How she chose her sperm donor and the letter that sealed her decision
• The IVF process and the approximately $30,000 she spent on her fertility journey
• How she plans to explain her child’s donor conception from an early age
• The family, friends, community and paid support forming her village
• Preparing her business for maternity leave and returning to work
• How becoming a mother may shape dating and relationships in the future
• The financial planning and practical conversations worth having
• Why this decision is not a consolation prize or a Plan B

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.

As Michelle says, she hasn’t given up on love. She simply decided she was ready to become a mother now.

Follow Michelle:
https://www.instagram.com/michellesmithhealth/

Read Michelle’s Substack, Solo Motherhood:
https://solomotherhood.substack.com/

Learn more about Ova Acupuncture:
https://ovaacupuncture.au/

Follow Reset:
https://www.instagram.com/resetwithashcam/

Follow Ash Cam:
https://www.instagram.com/ashcam____/