This week is World Childless Week 🌎💚
 I’m taking this opportunity to make some noise and raise awareness about this topic!
Whether you’re childless, childless by circumstance, by choice, and proudly childfree, it’s still a huge taboo and topic that often goes unspoken.
Yet, it’s a reality for so many of us.
Being childless or childfree is an unrecognized minority but doesn’t take away from who we are—it’s a part of our story that deserves to be seen and celebrated.
I’ve a shared dream with a dear friend and colleague, Katharina Appia, who is doing amazing work in Germany for women still on the path to motherhood or those beginning to close that chapter. If you don’t know her yet, definitely look her up! Here's her website: https://praxis-appia.de. She is also on Instagram.
Together, we imagine a day when all women—whether childless, childfree, or mothers—can gather around a fire, celebrating who we are in our essence and what we bring to this world.
 My hope is to help build those bridges between us all.
Childless/Childfree and Peri - Mid - Postmenopause
I also want to tie this into the natural transition into perimenopause, menopause, and beyond. Perimenopause can stir up deep emotions, often bringing a wave of grief as we realize our reproductive years are coming to an end. That grief is real, no matter what your journey to motherhood—or non-motherhood—has looked like.
As we grow up, society, family, and teachers all leave their imprints on us. Expectations of societies/cultures and families about motherhood leave their imprints on us. Those imprints, patterns and conditionings often work in the background—until we reach peri/menopause. That’s when everything comes to the forefront, and our consciousness, It’s like everything we’ve pushed down over the years suddenly rises to the surface, demanding our attention. It can be overwhelming, especially if you haven’t done the personal growth/inner work to process it all before.
Some interesting data
Statistics show just how common childlessness is becoming.
In 2020, about 1 in 6 women in the U.S. reaching the end of their childbearing years had never given birth. The numbers are similar in England and Wales, where 18% of women reaching age 45 in 2020 were childless, up from 10% a generation ago. These are not just numbers; these are lives, stories, and emotions that deserve to be acknowledged.
My story
My own story is one of navigating those emotions.
I was never the girl who just knew she wanted to be a mom. My childhood was complicated, and my difficult relationship with my own mother left me feeling unsure and ambivalent about motherhood.
Life took its own course—my first marriage was difficult, and I decided to divorce. After a periode of single time, I found love again, and the love of my life and now dear husband.
But by then, time had slipped by.
In my late 30s and early 40s, I started trying to conceive. IVF became part of that journey, and it was an emotional rollercoaster of hope, grief, and heartbreak. After failed cycles, I had to face the grief of each loss and then somehow find the strength to hope again.
At some point, I realized my perimenopause had already begun, overlapping with my fertility journey without me even knowing it.
We even explored adoption and became certified foster/adoptive parents, but eventually, the weight of it all led us to a different path.
Today, I can say with my whole heart that I’m at peace with being childfree. I’ve fully embraced and even celebrate this life I have now with my dear husband.
No doubt, it took time—time to heal, time to let go of the guilt and shame around not becoming a mother, and time to dismantle the stigma around disenfranchised grief.
But here I am, rediscovering my worth, confidence, and the joy of living a meaningful, purpose- and joyfilled life. I’ve come to understand that my value and identity as a woman is not tied to motherhood. I’ve touched countless lives in other ways throughout my career, and mothering takes many forms.
On this journey, I’ve had to learn how to care for myself in a deeper way and ask for help. Reflecting back there was a time where I felt alone in it especially in the grief. Today, I know there are resources, providers and communities out there to help navigate this journey. Pleade have this in mind!
Ayurveda, yoga, meditation, ,nature and even intuitive painting have been some of my anchors. I sought support from Ayurveda practitioners, coaches, counselors, and spiritual mentors, and it’s made all the difference. Healing isn’t just emotional
—it’s physical, mental, and spiritual.
Surrounding yourself with the right support system is life-changing, necessary from my perspective and I can’t recommend it enough.
My deepest wish is....
Today I know I didn't choose to be childless but it did choose me to receive the gift of a childfree life. We can create in so many ways and put our creative energy and potential into so many different things and projects. we can care and mother in so many ways. All is possible to create a meaningful, fulfilling, rich and joy-filled life.
My deepest wish is for every woman on this journey to reach a place where they can truly enjoy life again and find ease. To feel their emotions, validate their grief, and know in their hearts that their worth isn’t tied to whether or not they have children. I hope they find the courage to explore the freedom of a childfree life and embrace their uniqueness. I hope they get to the place of acceptance, speak out confidently about their experiences and celebrate being childfree.
This cause has become so close to my heart that I’ve decided in addition to my work with women in perimenopause/midmenopause and postmenopause to supporting other women who are closing the chapter on motherhood.
My intention is to help them navigate their grief and rediscover joy, meaning, and fulfillment in life again.
If my story resonates with you and/or you are a woman currently navigating this jourmey and wish suppoirt and guidance please reach out to me. I'm more than happy to support you!
If you know someone who might benefit from it please share!
We’re not alone in this. 💌
With love and gratitude,
Annabelle
Comentários