The Positives Found In A Global Pandemic.

The Coronavirus Pandemic of 2020 has been devastating. Hundreds of thousands of people have died. We've faced danger from an unseen, unheard threat and we've had no prior knowledge to help deal with it. We've been plunged into a lockdown situation- something almost all of us have never experienced. Stripped of our jobs, support networks, family and friends our everyday routines changed beyond measure. It's been utterly terrifying but amidst all the chaos and disruption some positives have shone through and these are mine;

A Day In The Life Of An Autistic Woman

Initially this post was about the pandemic and how having autism has impacted on my experiences throughout the pandemic but as I began writing I realised that I can't really detail how the pandemic has affected me if you don't already know how my autism effects me. I've written a bit about how I got my autism diagnosis, shared my experiences growing up undiagnosed in a mainstream school and I've talked about how autism impacts on dating and holidays but I've never really shared how it impacts me on a daily basis. I've never shared an 'ordinary' day with autism. So here it is, the thoughts, feelings and emotions of an autistic mother on a 'normal' day. 

Autism & Relationships: How Autism Impacts On Dating

So Valentines Day, there's no escaping it, even if you don't actively partake in it there's hearts, flowers and declarations of love everywhere you go. I thought about all the posts I could write, the gift guides, the 'how to's' and the 'top ten romantic...' which are all great ideas but they felt a little dishonest, how can I talk about those things when I haven't acknowledged the thing Valentines Day is mostly about, relationships, or more specifically romantic relationships. Having Aspergers effects all aspects of every relationship I have but today I've decided to open up about how having Aspergers effects dating.

Undiagnosed Autism and Mainstream School | My Experience

 The days are long but the years are short- the most significant parenting quote i've ever read. I vividly remember thinking "I can't wait for Iris to start nursery, only a few more years to go". Being at home with young babies and toddlers is immensely hard work. To me it felt like my entire existence was being swallowed by a teeny tiny, snack monster. Constantly on demand, constantly needing to be aware and constantly being 'switched on'. It all felt so constant. So unending. Now nursery isn't a few years away, it's now and I'm not ready. It isn't because Iris isn't ready, she's been ready for months, she's been craving the structure and mental stimulation that only a learning environment can give and it certainly isn't because I'm not ready for the break- I am chomping at the bit to get some time back to re-discover myself and give myself the opportunity to work, exercise and be creative again. The reason I'm not ready for Iris to start nursery is because I'm not ready to deal with what 'school' means to me. I'm not emotionally ready to send her into the system that destroyed me.

Autistic & Pregnant: What To Expect At A Booking Appointment

A booking appointment is usually your first contact with your midwife. It involves 'booking' you into the system and collecting a wide variety of health and lifestyle information from you and your partner. You are also required to submit a urine sample and blood samples will be taken. 

Autistic & Pregnant: Should I Take Anti-depressants During Pregnancy?

I'm not writing this post to cause controversy and I know that some people will not agree with the decision I made but for many people with a wide variety of health conditions it's a decision that needs to be made. As explained by my doctor, a lot of medication is not tested on pregnant women purely because of the ethics involved and because of that it's very difficult for medical professionals to know which medication is safe. Tests are performed on pregnant animals, something which doesn't sit well with me but I do understand the need for it. So often the best a doctor can tell you is how the medication affects animal foetuses and then it's down to you to decide if it's a risk worth taking.