Older fathers in the celebrity world are fairly commonplace, but famous women starting a family after the age of 40 is pretty rare. Which is why I was so thrilled to hear of Downton Abbey star Michelle Dockery's pregnancy, aged 43.

I spent most of my early thirties as a luxury travel writer, living in Hong Kong and enjoying a hedonistic lifestyle. Everyone around me was working hard and playing hard. I did have boyfriends, but nothing serious - I was too busy having fun and so were all the people around me.

When I came back to the UK at 33 though, it felt like all my friends had settled (the average age of first-time mothers back then was around 28). Their homes had baby gates, conversations were about nappies and nurseries, and I suddenly felt left out.

Dating apps had just launched, so I threw myself into that world instead. I always knew I wanted children and it was as if my biological clock really kicked in, and it was all I could focus on.

At 35, my sister - who had gone through her own fertility stuff - suggested I freeze my eggs. Back then, it felt like such a big deal. Today, it's much more common, but at the time, I wondered what it said about me. I went ahead with it, and once you're in that world of fertility clinics and AMH levels, reality hits - your biological clock becomes very real. Ironically, freezing my eggs made me more stressed.

I started dating with the mindset of finding someone immediately to settle down with,

which is never a good approach. Unsurprisingly, I had some disasters! By 38, I was with a nice man, but it wasn't right. I realised I could either settle for the wrong relationship just to have kids, or I could find another way. I chose the latter. I'm quite independent. I always have been. I'm quite a good single person. So I knew that that wasn't going to be a barrier.

My sister suggested donor sperm. At first, I thought it was absurd - I even judged people who did it. But then, and I know this sounds funny, I saw Natalie Imbruglia had done it, and suddenly it seemed less out there. I thought, she's cool and gorgeous and famous and even she's doing it!

I read Genevieve Roberts' book Going Solo and even went to her launch, where I met other women like me. I also listened to a podcast called Spermcast.

I then joined a Facebook group called The Stork, for solo mums and those thinking about becoming one, and went along to a meeting in centre London. I was so nervous, because it was the first thing I'd done that was admitting to myself I was genuinely planning this.

I walked in, went straight to the loo and was just like, 'Oh, my God, what am I doing? What am I doing here?' And then I went back out and saw this huge table of girls; all similar kinds of people that I could be friends with.

And I came away thinking, maybe this is the way forward for me. And I decided to go for it. I became obsessed with having the first at 39, just something that stuck in my head, and I didn't quite make it, but near enough!

When the process started, I decided to do another fresh round of egg freezing instead of using my frozen-at-35 eggs. I knew I wanted more than one child and wanted to save the younger eggs. With donor sperm from a bank in California, I got pregnant on my first transfer - just as the pandemic hit. I was one of the last patients through the clinic doors before they closed.

Just as I turned 40, I had my first son, Raffi. Then, at 43, I had Milo. The first pregnancy was straightforward, but the second brought complications - gestational diabetes, placenta previa (a low-lying placenta), and back pain. Every pregnancy is different, so I don't automatically think my age was a factor, but I do know I was definitely very tired.

Doing it alone is tough, but not for the reasons people expect. The hardest part is having only one income and no partner to share the childcare load - not my age. I've been lucky with a brilliant support network of friends, neighbours and family.

When my sister sadly died just two weeks before Milo was born, my community rallied around me. It was surreal; grieving while getting ready to give birth. A best friend stepped in as my birth partner, and people brought food and babysat.

I've never felt lonely as a solo mum. In fact, I feel very supported.

Sometimes, society makes older mums feel like they're too late, but that wasn't my experience. By the time I had kids, I'd lived abroad, travelled the world and partied plenty. I didn't feel like I'd missed out - I felt ready.

Yes, I'm more tired in my forties, but my boys sleep well, which helps. And while other parents might worry about energy or being "too old", I honestly think the bigger challenge is lifestyle and support, not age.

I know I did it differently, but I wouldn't change a thing. My journey was right for me - and that's what I want other women to know. Everyone's path to parenthood is unique, and there's no single "right" timeline.

Dominique has a bestselling Substack newsletter, Nesting, where she writes about life, love, parenting and everything in between.