A single mum has recalled her experience of having a baby at the age of 50 via IVF, explaining it was 'the right time' despite the backlash she received from family members.
Kelly Clarke, 52, from Crawley in West Sussex, says that family were concerned about her becoming an older mother, and using a sperm donor to have a baby.
But Kelly was adamant it was what she wanted, and flew to Athens for her IVF treatment, before welcoming Lyla Rae Clarke in March 2021 weighing 7lbs 8oz.
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"My life is good right now to be a mummy," says Kelly.
"Right now, I’m the best mummy I can be to Lyla. It's been the best experience of my life - she's so funny, so incredible and I didn't realise how deeply in love with her I'd be.
“I’d been met with a huge amount of resistance from family for deciding to become a single mum at 50.
''They were worried about me and the implications of using a donor – but in that moment I knew I’d made the right decision.
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"Now that Lyla's here they are incredibly supportive and couldn't be a better family to her. I don't know what I'd do without them."
Despite always wanting children, Kelly says having Lyla Rae in her later years was 'right' for her due to her previous busy career as a flight attendant.
"Now I don't feel the need to be travelling and partying, I just feel the need to watch every minute of Lyla Rae growing up," she adds.
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"I feel super blessed that with the life experience I have I can better guide Lyla Rae now than I would have in my younger years.
"I can focus solely on her as I am content with what I’ve done. I don’t have to rush her youth to be able to carry on with mine.
"No one’s right or wrong this is just how my journey to motherhood came about and was right for me."
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Kelly also explained she's glad not to be co-parenting, so she can bring Lyla Rae up in her own way.
"I'm happy not to co-parent as I can bring her up as I see fit and not have to disagree with anyone or have a partner do the opposite of what I do when I’m not there," she adds.
"I get to spend all my time with her. She has two amazing cousins who adore her and who she adores, a fantastic aunty and brilliant grandparents, so as far as I’m concerned, she is very grounded.
"She is 19 months old this month and already sings nursery rhymes, counts to five and says the alphabet to F.
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"She knows her colours and also traffic lights. So I think the two of us are doing very well."
"[...] One thing’s for sure, Lyla is going to know she is loved and how much I wanted her – she'll know the lengths I went to bring her into my world.”
Lucy Devine