I've only scanned this thread so apologies if I'm repeating something someone else has already said, but have you considered the possibility of adoption or fostering later down the line if you feel the need to fill a gap?

I personally have found my 20's a relentless struggle, quite simply to make ends meet and survive here in the UK with how high living expenses are and how bad mental health support is. The education system is underfunded and over populated, careers are hard to come by even if you've spent year studying a relevant field, the government is a laughing stock, the housing situation is bordering on dire ATM with seemingly never endless inflation, the environment is close to being ruined and our beautiful NHS looks to be about to crumble. I earn above the national average, I rent a 1 bed house and I can barely cover costs as it is; I also cannot see it getting any easier anytime soon, nothing about this world makes me want to inflict that on another generation.

I mean, I'm a lesbian on birth control (funny I know) so unless immaculate conception becomes a thing again, the odds of me getting accidentally pregnant are pretty slim! For a long while I hovered around the fence line but now I've hit 30, my mind is made up, it's a no from me.

HOWEVER...... I'm all for adoption and fostering later down the line if I find myself with the desire for kids. There are so many children in the system (probably being failed by the system, let's no lie) that just want a family to love them and if you have a family with love to give, well, who's to say it can't be a match made in heaven. At the end of the day, they've already been brought into this world, you'd just be providing them a better chance at life than they ever would have had if they had remained in the system. Although don't be one of these parents that don't consider them your 'real' kids. If you have that mindset, in the nicest way possible, it's not for you!