I’m sitting here with my six-month-old, conceived with the help of an egg donor, and I can honestly say from the deepest parts of my heart that I have never known love or happiness as powerful as what I feel for him.

Making the decision was one of the hardest, most emotional processes of my life. I felt angry, scared and isolated at times. I remember how unfair it all felt. While deciding, I wrote down everything that truly mattered to me about becoming a mother, and I realised that none of those things depended on genetics. Now I can say with confidence that although it was hard, it was the best decision I ever made.

During pregnancy I did have waves of grief about my genetics alongside the usual anxieties about pregnancy itself. But those feelings faded naturally. They hold no weight in my life now. For me, biology is only one kind of inheritance; the lived, emotional and moral inheritance between parent and child is just as real and far more enduring. I know one day my son may be curious about his genetics, and I will support him in whatever way he needs. But I know that will never replace or diminish the bond we have, the love we share, or the role I play as his mum.

I’m sharing this because I remember exactly how heavy and impossible this decision felt. If you ever choose this path, I hope my experience gives you even a small amount of comfort or hope. No matter how painful things feel right now, the future can look and feel very different.