Former CNN Reporter Shares Her Pregnancy Journey Into Single Parenthood.
Aisha Sesay, a former CNN correspondent announced her pregnancy and the decision that led her to undergo artificial insemination in a piece published on TODAY.
Aisha said she never believed the trajectory her life story has taken regarding the traditional conservative values she was raised in. She said, “If you’d told the 16-year-old me that at 46, I’d be divorced, single, and having a baby on my own — by choice! — I’d have shuddered and firmly said ‘no!’
In the article, the Sierra Leonean-British journalist describes certain life-changing events that influenced her decision to have a child as a single mother.
“Back then, I had very definite ideas about the future course my personal life would take, and it didn’t look like this. I imagined something way more straightforward and dare I say it, conventional.”
“A brief marriage to a kind man didn’t result in children, and then the year I turned 40, my mum had a catastrophic stroke, leaving me no emotional space to contemplate anything other than caring for her,” she wrote.
“Six years went by and a few months ago I found myself in a subpar relationship with a man who took about 12 hours to reply to all my texts, among other red flags. It was then, in the aftermath of our inevitable breakup, that it hit me: Not having a child would be the greatest regret of my life. And with my biological clock ticking down, if I was waiting for the right man to come along before I did it, well, I might just find myself out of time.
“So, I decided to take control of my life and settle on the bravest and scariest decision I have ever made: to have a baby on my own.
“I had many long conversations with myself and tried to get to grips with questions about what it would mean to not have the support of a partner, both emotionally and financially.
“How would I handle society’s questions? What would being a single parent mean for my child? I still don’t have all the answers, but I decided to take the leap because I refuse to let fear, social conventions or judgment hold me back from seeking this joy.”
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She also talked about the medical process she passed through, and how she made up her mind about a sperm donor.
She recalled: “My first IVF attempt was unsuccessful, and I cried for days afterward before I could find the strength to start the process all over again a few months later.
“But with each passing day, I grew more fearful and anxious about my chances of being able to successfully carry a child. Those feelings only intensified when my doctor decided to halt my second attempt mid-cycle because my body was responding negatively to the medication.
“With two failed attempts to my name, I approached my third embryo transfer with relatively low expectations. In the two weeks that followed the procedure, my mind raced uncontrollably and I battled the urge to take an early pregnancy test.
“The day before I was scheduled to return to the clinic, I finally caved in and bought a home test because I couldn’t bear a repeat of the hours-long wait before the clinic called with the results. The next morning I got up long before the sun was up, anxiously headed to my bathroom, and opened the box. The minutes ticked by and I cycled through a myriad of emotions. When the word ‘pregnant’ flashed up on the tiny screen, I screamed and fell to my knees before bursting into tears.”
“Ultimately, I made a decision — entirely on my own — and I have no regrets.”
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Isha Isatu Sesay is a British journalist of Sierra Leonean descent that worked as an anchor and correspondent for CNN International From 2005 to 2018.
Culled from TODAY
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