Imagine if you were told that you may never have children, that you’d never hold your own baby in your arms. And yet, what if you could find a way?
Mission to Motherhood will inspire anyone facing the possibility of a childless future. Canadian-born Amira Mikhail shares her powerful story about how she tackled and overcame obstacle after obstacle on her journey to motherhood.
Now living in New Zealand, Mikhail was unable to conceive naturally, and finally became a mother through international surrogacy. She wrote this book to provide information and hope to those who continue on their struggle to parenthood.
“When I felt alone, stressed and afraid, hearing other women’s stories pulled me through,” she said. The power of shared experiences pushed her to write the book for others suffering through the ‘silent epidemic’ of infertility.
The story is an easy read in terms of readability, but it is tough going subject-wise. She documents everything – from fibroids, endometriosis, infertility and miscarriage, IVF and adoption, and finally to surrogacy, where she was finally able to bring her baby into the world.
It will be a gut-wrenching read for anyone struggling like she did. But the shared experience and the “morbid sense of comfort” in knowing others have been there too will help bring hope in dark hours.
The book was not only written for others so desperate to become parents, but for those of us who, as Mikhail says, “who only have to think about getting pregnant, and voila!” As she says, the people that have trouble conceiving and have become experts at hiding. Reading of her struggles really did give me some insight into the heartache and heartbreak of wanting so desperately to become a parent, and a renewed understanding of how precious my gift of fertility really is.
Mikhail also makes a strong case for changes to New Zealand laws around both adoption and surrogacy. She has a lot of anger that bubbles beneath the surface in her writing, and it was nice to see her wanting to put that anger into something positive. I hope she continues pushing for a change that will help smooth the path for other couples facing the same despair.
For those dealing with infertility, this success story will fuel their fire when the flames start to dwindle. For those of us who do not struggle, it will open your hearts and build your empathy for those not as fortunate. As Mikhail says it best, “this is an inconceivable journey with the happiest of endings”.
REVIEWER: Rebekah Fraser
TITLE: Mission to Motherhood
AUTHOR(S): Amira Mikhail
PUBLISHER: Calico Publishing
RRP: $40.00