This month I was late… and I don’t mean in an ‘I missed the bus.’ kind of way. I mean in the way that good old ‘Aunt Flo’; who usually sets her fortnightly alarm clock, the second my ovaries close their doors for the month, went AWOL. She just didn’t show up. Not a hint, or a note to say, ‘running late, traffic is a nightmare’.

In today’s edition of The Internet Freaks Out Over Something Shockingly Trivial, we meet Kirsty McKenzie.

It’s the mental load. The constant buzzing, and running through of all the things in your head. The never-ending list - and that’s just the necessary stuff.

I used to hate Halloween.
I was an anti-Halloweener, if ever one existed.
‘It has no place here’ I would say.
‘It’s just not an “Australian” thing’ (whatever that is).
And that was that.

There’s been a whole lot of discussion around this topic of late, apparently, I’ve unintentionally stirred the pot.

You’re more tired than you’ve ever been before. You’re hormonal. You haven’t showered in what feels like weeks. Your once swollen belly has now deflated (a little bit), only to be replaced by a pair of swollen breasts.

"I called her my ‘bonus baby’. My third child. My chance to jump in with my eyes wide open. My chance to flout the ‘rules’, and enjoy the baby days my way."

The time has come to pack away our baby things. The blankets, wraps, onesies and even the bassinet, it’s time to go. Except this time, I know it’s the last time I’ll ever use them. It’s like the end of an era. My baby making days are through, and I’m not entirely sure how I feel about that.

These last few years have seen me become the poster child for, ‘What happens when you don’t look after yourself’.

I sat in the car, tears steaming down my face. I'd finally hit breaking point. For a brief moment, I was alone, save the two sleeping babes behind me, and I let it all out. I'd been holding it together for so long, really only allowing my husband to catch a glimpse of how I was really feeling... But why?

The different kinds of baby bellies are as varied as you and me (funny that), and the impact that has on the body is entirely different too.

Each of my own pregnancies and recoveries has been different, I can't compare them, because the way in which I found myself at this point has been entirely different . . . and if I can't even compare my own three experiences, then how can I compare mine with someone else's?

This gorgeous series of pregnancy silhouettes just goes to show that when it comes to maternity photography,sometimes the simplest shots are the most powerful ones.

It’s taken nine long months, you’ve been through all of the ups and downs of pregnancy, the physical and emotional rollercoaster that has pushed you to your limits, and then finally your baby arrives.

I’m a woman of small stature. I’ve never been in the ‘above average’ category for anything really… except during pregnancy, and possibly my aptitude for food consumption.

Between bodily changes, fluctuating hormones and topsy turvy emotional states, there is much to contend with - as one expectant mother knows only too well.

Don't get me wrong here, the birth of a baby is an incredibly momentous occasion in many families, and the extended family and friends are often just as, if not more excited than the parents to be.