The journey to parenthood is far from easy for so many.
Every day, countless women grapple with the challenge of becoming mothers, yet as a society, we rarely talk about it. Particularly silent are the discussions around the trauma of stillbirth, miscarriage, and failed IVF treatments.
In Australia alone, one in every 135 pregnancies that reach 20 weeks results in stillbirth. In 2022, approximately eight babies a day were stillborn.
“No One Told Me”
“You don’t get told how difficult things can be,” Christina Georgiades told Neos Kosmos in an interview ahead of the launch of her book, No One Told Me, which documents her difficult journey to motherhood.
“You believe in the fairy tale while you’re growing up, and then life hits you. It’s not what you thought it was going to be.”

For the past eight years, Georgiades has meticulously documented her experiences, reliving deeply traumatic moments to present an honest account of her journey. Her hope? To make others in similar situations feel less alone.
“When I was going through this, and my first baby was stillborn, it was a very lonely journey. Although I had a lot of support around me and everything I needed, there was nothing to read that resonated with what I was experiencing or made me feel understood.”
Her first baby, Angelika, was stillborn—a loss that continues to haunt her. Since then, she has endured 38 surgeries, several miscarriages, and gruelling IVF cycles, none of which succeeded.
“Stillbirth is one of the most devastating experiences for a parent and can have lifelong implications for mental health.”
Georgiades speaks candidly about the lasting impact of these traumas. “It’s not just while you’re going through it but even afterward—depression, PTSD, and more.”

“It takes a village to get through this life”
Through her book, she seeks to bridge the gap she felt during her darkest moments. “I want to help others going through this or even those watching loved ones endure it, so they can empathise and understand. I discuss what I learned along the way and how I coped.”
Once you have lost a child and the worst has happened the fear stays with you. Georgiades recounts her breaking point after losing Angelika. “I went to counseling because I needed it. It was so important. But I also surrounded myself with love from family, friends. I spoke about it when I needed to, and I cried when I needed to.”
“I couldn’t see my life without children”
Georgiades reflects on her determination to have children despite the physical and emotional toll. “I really couldn’t see my life without children.” She adds that she also wanted to give her mum and dad the joy of grandkids.
Her miracle babies—two boys, now teenagers—are her world. But the pregnancies were fraught with complications. “I had to be immobile because of my cervix, which led to other issues like gestational diabetes. IVF was tough, too—12 failed cycles over three years and my body was tired.”
Holding her first son, Timothy, after losing one child, was an incredibly emotional moment she admits “because there was a risk always in my head, that I would never have a child. So I was so grateful and so thankful. And I can’t even express how much joy and happiness that child brought me straightaway. He was all the more precious to me, because of everything I went through.”
Her journey continued with efforts to give her son a sibling.
“I don’t know whether it was madness or love, but I was determined to give him a sibling, if we could do it.”
Her perseverance eventually paid off. When she gave her exhausted body a break from IVF to enjoy Christmas with family, she conceived her second son naturally.

Lessons in courage, resilience and community
“One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is the importance of resilience,” she reflects. She tries to instil this in her boys, reminding them that life won’t always give them what they want.
“You have to work hard and keep going. You can’t give up at the first hurdle. You’re allowed to be upset and angry, but you’re not allowed to let that be the reason why you don’t succeed.”
She also highlights the importance of following your passion and surrounding yourself with good people and love. A quote that deeply resonates with her is that “it not only takes a village to raise children, it takes a village to get through this life.”
It was the close-knit Greek-Cypriot family she grew up in, the love and closeness they shared, that became her saviour and her strength during the hardships she faced later on in life.
The power in sharing
Her book has already resonated deeply with readers. “I’ve received so many texts and emails from people thanking me for writing it. People say, ‘This happened to me, and I haven’t been able to talk about it. Your book feels like therapy.'”
Society can suppress our need to talk about these topics, especially around the subject of stillbirth. People who haven’t been through it, often don’t realise the long-lasting effects, she adds.
“You don’t forget. The emotions of that loss are there for the rest of your life.”
“Therefore the more we talk about these issues, the more comfortable women will feel in sharing their experiences.”
Georgiades also hopes her book reaches men, often overlooked in discussions about child loss. “Sometimes we forget how these tragedies affect them too.”
Writing her story was cathartic but challenging. “Reliving those moments brought nightmares and anxiety. Writing about Angelika was especially hard. But looking back, I wish I’d sought help earlier, and not let the focus on having a baby consume my life. I should have kept living and not put everything else on hold.”
Ultimately, Georgiades wants her story to inspire hope and courage. “This book isn’t just about child loss; it’s about so much more—resilience, determination, and love. I hope it encourages people to keep the conversation going and to support one another through life’s hardest moments.”
For more info: thebookadviser.com.au/product/noonetoldme