From Chronic Illness to Solo Mum: Nelly’s Long Road to Violet

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of miscarriage, fertility challenges, and medical complications during pregnancy.

Season 5 continues with Nelly’s story — one of resilience, persistence, and navigating an incredibly complex path to motherhood.

Nelly didn’t grow up assuming she would have children. With a history of renal failure, transplants, and years of medical treatment, motherhood didn’t feel like a given.

But over time, that quiet desire became impossible to ignore.

In this episode, she shares:

Living with chronic illness and how that shaped her path to motherhood
The unexpected discovery of a rare genetic condition during fertility testing
A long IVF journey with multiple cycles, losses, and setbacks
The decision to move forward with an egg donor — and how a friend changed everything
Navigating complex medical care throughout pregnancy
A sudden and traumatic early birth at 30 weeks
Life in NICU and the emotional reality of becoming a mum in those circumstances

This episode is raw, honest, and deeply human.

Key Takeaways

The journey to motherhood can be far more complex than expected.
Advocating for yourself and asking questions can change everything.
Support networks can shape your entire experience.
There is no “perfect” path — only your path.
Even the hardest journeys can lead to something incredibly meaningful.

City Fertility Offer

I couldn't continue to make this podcast without the help of our fabulous sponsor, City Fertility. If you're looking into fertility treatment on your own, make sure you take advantage of the exclusive 20% discount for No Need for Prince Charming listeners. Learn more here.

The best support you could ask for when TTC or pregnant as a solo mum-to-be

Trying to conceive or pregnant and want your village? The Bump Membership is your private WhatsApp community + fortnightly Zoom Connection Calls with solo mums-to-be across Australia & New Zealand. Join the Bump here.