Samantha Bentley

I haven’t even given birth to my son yet and I have already been mom shamed for certain decisions I am making with my pregnancy, nursery, life as a mother, etc. I have always dreamed of being a mother and felt it was part of my reason for being. I didn’t realise how hard I would find pregnancy and the coming to terms with the fact it was actually happening. The life changing decision to have a child REALLY is a life changing one, every single person I know has had a different journey with parenthood, and it is time we stopped shaming people for doing things "differently" to our perceived perfect picture of parenting.

The stigma surrounding veganism continues to grow, but so does its ever rising popularity. As more and more people realise the benefits of a plant based diet, the movement has begun to take over the mainstream media. Unfortunately, there will always be nay sayers, there will always be those who respond to any factual argument with 'But bacon tho!'... Yeah, you're smart and funny. Bet you get all the laughs down the pub.

I stumbled into the sex industry at the age of 18—that was 13 long years ago, so it’s safe to say I know my way around. Doing everything from stripping and feature dancing, to full on hardcore porn all over the globe, for the biggest names in the industry, winning awards (yes we have them), and gracing the covers of magazines.

You know that feeling, something isn’t quite right. You try, but you just don’t feel the same as you did before… Is it the honeymoon phase ending? Or is your relationship doomed?

One of my main concerns about being pregnant was that I wouldn’t want to have sex, that my partner wouldn’t find me attractive anymore, and that I wouldn’t feel attractive in myself. I was worried that, after birth, things would be different, and of course they will be! I will have a baby and a new body both inside and out… things may not quite be where they were before. I am still pretty terrified of how to cope with these changes, but I am very lucky to have a wonderfully loving and supportive partner who has been nothing less than a dream throughout my pregnancy.

Yoga is a huge part of my life and has been for going on eight years now, before I did my teacher training I would take every kind of yoga imaginable. It is a common misconception that yoga is only for the white, middle class, chai latte drinking, designer legging wearing, skinny, hipster girl. I see every shape, size, race and gender at my classes, and every single person is there for their own special reason.