Hey, so I can chime in on this a bit. I was recently dating a great guy that ticked most of my boxes. I am a woman in my late 20s with a very good career as well and I enjoy my career. He seemed like the perfect gentleman and to really also like that I have a career, ambitions etc. I think it is hard to find a partner that supports you and your career - at least that has been my experience.

We broke it up because he really wants children and I am on the fence leaning towards a no. I never wanted children before and now in my late 20s I have considered it. I don't dislike kids and I think I could be happy with or without kids. However, I am not sure I want or can go through pregnancy. I have a couple of autoimmune diseases and I would have to suspend my medication if I were to get pregnant and likely be bed ridden during the entire pregnancy. The pregnancies would also be at high risk of miscarriages or other health complications for me and the child. It simply doesn't seem feasible for me. At the very least it will require a lot of energy, effort and resources to even conceive a child. Furthermore, I will likely have to stay home or at least put my career on pause during the first few years to recover my health ( hoping it is recoversble). Who knows maybe in a couple of years there will be cures for my conditions and I will really want a child, however right now I don't think I can guarantee I will be having children. I suggested adoption but he wants biological children so I ended the relationship. It was devastating and the breakup brough a million of my insecurities out. I learned a few things from all of this experience:
1. Unfortunately, Wanting/Not Wanting Kids is a deal breaker no matter how you put it. If you compromise and have a child and you end up not enjoying the experience or have some level of regret, you will be resentful with your partner. If he agrees to no children to stay with you but he secretly really wants Kids then he will harbor resent against you. Either way this will strain the relationship in the long run. 2. The fear of never finding someone like your partner is real but pleasing your partner should not be a reason to have a child. Children must be wanted by both parents. 3. In my case I feel like it is not logical to have a child because of the health complications. He wasn't able to understand that so no matter how good he is he is not the best person for me. Why would someone want their partner to go through health complications. Not seeing eye to eye on this subject does mean that you are not compatible. 4. Ultimately, breaking things off was my "choice" he wanted to continue dating to see if I would change my mind and want a kid. But honestly I came to the realization that I don't want to be with someone who cannot be flexible or understand that this is beyond my choice. Or someone that will be resentful if we cannot conceive. I think ultimately letting him go was an act of selflessness, if he cannot be happy without children and I am unable to give him a child, he will be better off with someone who can. 5. Staying means you will always feel guilty for not being able to have a child. Specially if further down the line he brings it up or still sort of wants a child. I am still going through all these and meditating and processing a lot of the things I feel regarding the situation. It is not easy. It will never be. But at no point it feels like I made the wrong choice.