What Makes A Mum?: My Story From Fostered to Adopter

"It's not uncommon for those faced with their genetic ending to want to go back and make peace with their genetic past."

Hi, I’m notafictionalmum: Mother, wife, campaigner and self-confessed perfectionist,  that's a quote from my infertility therapist, one I've never forgotten and one of many learnings that's contributed towards this documented fight to motherhood we're calling a book. 

'NotAFictionalMum leads with love, compassion and a deep desire to make sure no woman gets left behind in the conversations surrounding motherhood. The difficult topics are hacked away at, and conversations are started as a result. I’ve learnt so much from her already and can’t wait to see what she does next.'
Giovanna Fletcher

With at least 1 in 7 couples experiencing difficulty conceiving in the UK and a current crisis of 80,000 children in the care system (the largest that number has ever been), What Makes A Mum?: My Story From Fostered to Adopter is an urgent and topical account of motherhood. Exploring infertility, the U.K adoption process and the author's experience of foster care, this book asks us to consider what is it that really makes a mum?

What Makes a Mum?: My Story from Fostered to Adopter is a story of survival, a fight to motherhood, my painfully bizarre journey through a dysfunctional childhood, unanswered questions, infertility and the adoption process. It covers my quest in both understanding and reaching motherhood, addressing common misconceptions and fears along the way.

My book attempts to challenge these through the lenses of childhood trauma, teenage fosterhood, infertility and adoption. What emerges is a no holds barred, brutally honest and painfully funny story of resilience, determination and ultimately hope in the long and sometimes agonising pursuit to become a mother. 

'Devouring Not a Fictional Mum’s work and words on social media has been incredibly valuable and insightful. Her mission to invite more, much needed inclusivity to the narrative around parenting and the varied journeys towards it, is delivered with such warmth, passion and compassion that we can’t help but want to pick up a flag and fly it beside her. I can’t wait to delve into more of her words, and challenge and deepen my own understanding of what it is to be a mother.'
Anna Mathur 

'I found NotAFictionalMum through Instagram and I’m so pleased I have. I think as an adoptive parent it is so important to feel ‘seen and heard’ and to feel included. This is what NFM encompasses. I know that her book will have this at the heart and I can’t wait to read it.'
Lisa Faulkner

‘NotAFictionalMum opened my eyes to a whole other part of being a mother that is missing from today’s media.' 
Rochelle Humes  

Image credits: Design by Mecob. Book designs, cover and other images are for illustrative purposes and may differ from final design.