Alison Curtis: One of my deepest worries was dispelled by my six-year-old

'Single children have always been presented to us as lonely and needy. This is a farce. They are so loved, so encouraged, and find close bonds elsewhere in life'

'It became such a huge focus for me, the never-ending thought process: How could I face another pregnancy?' Picture: Marc O'Sullivan

A few times in this column I have talked about the guilt, acceptance and celebration of a family of three. When we had our daughter Joan there was huge trauma around her arrival. Joan thankfully arrived safely despite me suffering an abruption and pre-eclampsia — but I was in a bit “of trouble” for nearly two weeks after she arrived.

Despite constant medical checks, being in high dependency, and being discharged on 14 tablets a day, I almost immediately started putting pressure on myself to have another child.