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In her early 30s, Michelle Galea wasn't convinced motherhood was for her.
"I didn't know if I wanted a child or if society was telling me I should have a child right now," she said.
But as she watched two of her aunts grow old without children of their own, her feelings on the matter evolved.
"I know they would have been great mums," she said.
"One of them tried to have children and wasn't successful and I didn't want to turn 80 and think I should have at least tried."
So at age 40, Ms Galea used an anonymous sperm donor to conceive.
She miscarried once and was told her second pregnancy may also be unsuccessful. But in January, 2012, Charlie was born.
"I pretty much didn't sleep for my whole pregnancy and the first night he came, I was able to sleep," she said.
Four years later, Ms Galea reached out through the Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority (VARTA) to get in touch with any half-siblings Charlie could have.
The process ended up being surprisingly traumatic.
Charlie did...