chapter 01
A personal diary begins
Motherhood Diaries started as an honest space to document pregnancy, without filters.
About Motherhood Diaries
Real stories. Real opinions. Real life.
Motherhood Diaries is a judgment-free platform where parents and parents-to-be share honest experiences about conception, pregnancy, birth, and parenting. Since 2010, we've been a trusted companion for families navigating this beautiful, messy journey.
2010
Founded
70+
Contributors
Evidence + lived experience
Focus
Free guides & packs
Resources
Our timeline
How it started and where we’re headed
chapters from lived experience.
A quick look at the moments that shaped Motherhood Diaries.
chapter 02
A community forms
Stories and advice began coming in from parents in different places and stages.
chapter 03
A platform for real conversation
We doubled down on truth-telling: fertility, loss, mental health, birth trauma, and everything in between.
chapter 04
Support at every stage
We publish stories, guides, and practical resources with a community-first approach.
Editorial standards
Our editorial approach
trust built in public.
We combine lived experience with responsible guidance, and we’re transparent about how we do it.
Standard 01
Human-led stories
First-person experiences are published with care, sensitivity, and context.
Standard 02
Evidence where it matters
Guides aim to reflect reputable sources and best practice (and we’ll link when we reference standards).
Standard 03
Clear disclosures
If we recommend products or include affiliate links, we disclose it clearly.
Standard 04
Respect + safety
We avoid shame-based messaging and treat sensitive topics with compassion.
Difference
What makes us different
what parents notice first.
Unlike generic parenting sites filled with perfect moments, Motherhood Diaries shares real experiences and real support.
Difference 01
70+ Global contributors
This isn't just one person’s perspective, it’s a diverse community sharing authentic stories from around the world.
Difference 02
No judgment zone
Whether you're TTC, navigating IVF, planning a home birth or caesarean, breastfeeding or bottle-feeding you belong here.
Difference 03
Evidence-based content
Research-backed articles alongside personal experiences, so you get both the facts and the feelings.
Difference 04
Raw & real
We talk about the topics others skip: traumatic births, fertility struggles, postnatal depression, and the parts nobody warns you about.
What you'll find
What you'll find
support across every season.
From preconception planning to parenting teenagers, we cover every stage with honesty and heart.
Topic 01
Tried-and-tested fertility tips
Topic 02
Week-by-week pregnancy guidance
Topic 03
Diverse birth stories (caesarean, VBAC, home birth, hospital birth)
Topic 04
Postpartum wellness and mental health
Topic 05
Product reviews from real parents
Topic 06
Kids' mental health and screen-time balance
Founder
Meet the founder
the mum behind the platform.
Leyla Preston – Ex-lawyer, full-time mum of five (two boys, two girls, and one angel baby).
built by lived experience, not theory.
Radio & TV contributor
365 Days of No Screens
Five for a Fiver
Hand2Hold App
Hi, I'm Leyla, the mum behind Motherhood Diaries.
Ex-lawyer, current full-time mum of five (two boys and two girls with one girl in the sky), who found in 2010 she was unexpectedly pregnant and didn’t have a single pregnant friend or family member to ask. I did the one thing that you probably shouldn’t do when you’re already overwhelmed - I consulted Google Doctor.
So on a lunch break at a temp job in Mayfair, I started writing my own pregnancy diary instead. My only readers were my mum and my best friend, who wasn't even pregnant, bless her. Sixteen years, five children, one website hack and one devastating loss later, that little diary is a global community of parents telling it exactly like it is - warts and all.
These days you'll also find me on the radio and telly talking parenting, wrangling kids off screens at 365 Days of No Screens, and cooking five-ingredient dinners at Five for a Fiver. But this Motherhood Diaries is still my primary home.
“You see the raw deal here — the stuff people don't really talk about openly. That's the whole point.”
Our mission
We promise.
To provide a judgement-free corner of the internet where you can say the unsayable bits of parenting out loud and someone can say, “Oh, thank goodness, me too,” with zero judgement. Whatever stage you're at, whatever kind of day you're having, you'll find your people here.
Join us
Share your story
Your 3am disaster is another's lifeline. Tell it here.
Work with us
Reach an engaged community of parents who trust honest recommendations. View our media kit.