I have been off the pill for 5 years now.

I am 36 years old and all of my friends and family have had/ are having children.

I am the only one without.

I am the odd one out.

My partner and I have been trying to conceive for a long time, hoping it would just happen without having to track my periods etc.

I am sick to death, literally, absolutely fed up to the back teeth of friends and family going on at me - “so when are you having a baby then?” “Don’t leave it too late will you?” “You’re getting on a bit now aren’t you?” “It’s too late after 40”

I feel crushed inside.

No one knows how much I truly want a baby of my own. Every time someone makes one of these comments, I feel a stab to my heart. I want to scream out “I am frickin trying!!!” but I don’t, I bottle it up inside and get more and more depressed each month that my period arrives.

Why do people do this?

What can I say that’s not rude but gets them to back off?

I have put on so much weight in the last year from feeling so miserable and low about it all.

I just want to give up