In this episode, Keltie Maguire speaks with one of her long-time friends, Carly Church, about life as a new mom, and how Carly made her decision to have a child. 

Keltie and Carly chat about:

• Carly's journey from single to meeting her partner, Mike; the experience of becoming a step-mom to Mike's two daughters — and how this relationship influenced Carly's own Kids or Childfree choice; and Carly's decision to become a mom.
• Carly's decision to freeze her eggs in her mid-30s — and why she's so happy she did. 
• Her experiences as a step-parent and a first-time mom, including the importance of partner support, and the challenges of navigating relationships with stepkids. 
• How Carly went from ambivalent about motherhood, to deciding to have a child — including the natural unfolding of her family life.
• The joys and challenges of motherhood and the impact on her identity and independence, thus far in her journey. 

About Carly: Carly Church has a habit of choosing to swim against the tide. Trained as a Professional Engineer and then moving on to work across the globe in the mining industry she has often found herself blazing a trail for women in the industry. A love for travel, both recreational and as part of long-term rotations on mining projects from Botswana to the rather more chilly, Northern Ontario, defined Carly’s life in her 20s and 30s. Now a mother to James (0) and step-mother to Martha (11) and Edith (9), Carly is navigating how to balance the needs of her new family with the professional and personal pursuits which have always driven her. As mentioned in the show: Find Carly on Instagram: @cjcharlys __ Join the next round of our Kids or Childfree Group Program: www.kidsorchildfree.com/kids-or-childfree-program Check out our free resources here, or at kidsorchildfree.com/free-resources And don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review The Kids or Childfree Podcast if you love what you’re hearing! You can leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, or a rating on Spotify. Find us online at www.kidsorchildfree.com. Instagram: www.instagram.com/kidsorchildfree