A woman walked away from her marriage and became a single mum by choice after her spouse of 10 years said they didn't want kids.
Ashley Rogers, 35, welcomed her son Aiden James Rogers into the world on November 12, 2021 ,via a sperm donor - and she's never looked back.
Ashley, from Las Vegas, had always wanted to be a mum and claims that when her ex said they no longer wanted children, it pushed her to file for divorce.
Ashley said: "The fact that my ex didn't want to have kids anymore was a deal-breaker for me.
"We had tried to have a baby together, but sadly it never happened for us and I suffered two miscarriages.
"We'd been together for ten years and I had a huge decision to make, but I knew how much I wanted to be a mum so I decided to divorce in June 2020."
After an unsuccessful round of IVF, Ashley bought some sperm from a donor and inseminated herself in February 2021 - and the insemination was a success.
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Although she was over the moon to be carrying a baby, Ashley said she was nervous about being pregnant after her bad experiences.
She also said there were times when she felt "sad" because she was going through pregnancy alone.
"But it was the best decision I have ever made because now I have my beautiful, sweet baby boy, who will soon be five months old," she said.
Despite being a single mum, Ashley says she has an amazing support system and close friends nearby who help out with the baby if she needs.
Ashley added: "I sometimes question whether I made the right choice for Aiden's sake, but I have never regretted anything.
"My mum passed away during my pregnancy, meaning he doesn't have a grandma anymore. I am an only child and I don't have a large extended family.
"My ex had a huge family which I loved and made me really happy, but when we divorced, that whole dynamic was taken away.
"It was really scary, but I really wanted to be a mum so I didn't let these hurdles stand in my way.
Ashley, who works as an air traffic controller, sometimes relies on the help of a nanny to look after Aiden because of her unsociable hours - which can take a toll on her finances as a single parent.
Nonetheless, she has no regrets about her decision and says her son is an "amazing" little boy.
She said: "Although it would have been nice to have someone there to hold my hair back when I was vomiting during my pregnancy or to drive me to doctor's appointments, I'm so happy I went down this route.
"Aiden is a sweet and cuddly baby. He wants to be with me all of the time which makes me feel so loved because I know how happy he is when I am there.
"He has been such an easy baby and there haven't been many days where I have woken up and thought that I couldn't deal with the day ahead.
"I am so grateful for that because it has made the whole experience easier because I was terrified at the beginning.
"I wouldn't change anything for the world."
Do you have a real life story to share? Email jessica.taylor@reachplc.com
