Helen Bradford-Swire
@helenswire.bsky.social
Financial/legal journo & news editor. Writing a book. Mental health, running, Bond, LOTR, Twin Peaks, Partridge. French & Russian graduate. Views my own.
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Possibly Parents | Helen Bradford-Swire | Substack
Charting one couple's navigation of the highs, lows and interminable waits of the IVF journey. Click to read Possibly Parents, by Helen Bradford-Swire, a Substack publication. Launched 30 minutes ago.
possiblyparents.substack.com
Husband and I are currently riding the rollercoaster that is IVF. I'm writing about it - the highs, the lows and everything in between. If you want to know more, or know someone who might benefit from the support, please share our journey! possiblyparents.substack.com #IVF #Fertility
With the news that a New York clinic is offering to 'optimise your baby' through #IVF genetic testing...where do we draw the ethical line? possiblyparents.substack.com/p/genetic-te...
Genetic testing: where’s the line?
When medical testing blurs the lines with ethical decisions
possiblyparents.substack.com
December 6, 2025 at 10:16 AM
With the news that a New York clinic is offering to 'optimise your baby' through #IVF genetic testing...where do we draw the ethical line? possiblyparents.substack.com/p/genetic-te...
It's the end of Autumn, so at work I've been thinking a lot about the #Budget2025. But at weekends, I've been thinking a lot about #HorseRacing. Here's what's been going down in the run-up to the big Christmas meets: firstpastthepostracing.wordpress.com/2025/11/30/f...
Familiar battlegrounds
Once again I have been remiss in my racing writing, but I have a good excuse – for more on that, see my IVF writing. It does mean that I’ve been totally disconnected with the end of the flat season…
firstpastthepostracing.wordpress.com
November 30, 2025 at 10:09 AM
It's the end of Autumn, so at work I've been thinking a lot about the #Budget2025. But at weekends, I've been thinking a lot about #HorseRacing. Here's what's been going down in the run-up to the big Christmas meets: firstpastthepostracing.wordpress.com/2025/11/30/f...
Reposted by Helen Bradford-Swire
#SundayCinema Announcement!
Talk a trip up the winding interior with The Spiral Staircase (1946)
You'll be lost for words..
Available on YouTube in high quality. Join us.
Talk a trip up the winding interior with The Spiral Staircase (1946)
You'll be lost for words..
Available on YouTube in high quality. Join us.
November 24, 2025 at 1:14 PM
#SundayCinema Announcement!
Talk a trip up the winding interior with The Spiral Staircase (1946)
You'll be lost for words..
Available on YouTube in high quality. Join us.
Talk a trip up the winding interior with The Spiral Staircase (1946)
You'll be lost for words..
Available on YouTube in high quality. Join us.
The wonderful Lana Manikowski has written today’s post for Possibly Parents, examining what life looks like when you decide you’re done with fertility treatment: grieving, healing and finding the joy in a different life path.
#IVF #Fertility
possiblyparents.substack.com/p/the-life-a...
#IVF #Fertility
possiblyparents.substack.com/p/the-life-a...
The Life After series: When motherhood isn’t the ending, but a turning point
Lana Manikowski, author of Infertile and Childless. So Now What?, writes for Possibly Parents about grieving, healing and finding the joy in life if the dream of having children ends
possiblyparents.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 1:57 PM
The wonderful Lana Manikowski has written today’s post for Possibly Parents, examining what life looks like when you decide you’re done with fertility treatment: grieving, healing and finding the joy in a different life path.
#IVF #Fertility
possiblyparents.substack.com/p/the-life-a...
#IVF #Fertility
possiblyparents.substack.com/p/the-life-a...
Reposted by Helen Bradford-Swire
#SundayCinema Announcement!
We're starting #Noirvember with a cult movie from the 50's. A psycho preacher, a naive blonde, innocent children and iconic tatooed knuckles!
Feel free to join the regulars for The Night of the Hunter (1955). The #WatchParty will be this Sunday, November 9th @ 8pm GMT
We're starting #Noirvember with a cult movie from the 50's. A psycho preacher, a naive blonde, innocent children and iconic tatooed knuckles!
Feel free to join the regulars for The Night of the Hunter (1955). The #WatchParty will be this Sunday, November 9th @ 8pm GMT
November 3, 2025 at 12:01 PM
#SundayCinema Announcement!
We're starting #Noirvember with a cult movie from the 50's. A psycho preacher, a naive blonde, innocent children and iconic tatooed knuckles!
Feel free to join the regulars for The Night of the Hunter (1955). The #WatchParty will be this Sunday, November 9th @ 8pm GMT
We're starting #Noirvember with a cult movie from the 50's. A psycho preacher, a naive blonde, innocent children and iconic tatooed knuckles!
Feel free to join the regulars for The Night of the Hunter (1955). The #WatchParty will be this Sunday, November 9th @ 8pm GMT
Well that is an immensely silly film. I loved it. Glad to be back, #SundayCinema team!
November 2, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Well that is an immensely silly film. I loved it. Glad to be back, #SundayCinema team!
A John Hurt cameo just for an Alien joke. Incredible. Shows what great actors would do for the love of Mel Brooks. #SundayCinema
November 2, 2025 at 9:27 PM
A John Hurt cameo just for an Alien joke. Incredible. Shows what great actors would do for the love of Mel Brooks. #SundayCinema
"Are we being...too literal?" #SundayCinema
November 2, 2025 at 8:50 PM
"Are we being...too literal?" #SundayCinema
So much love for John Candy's ability to control a whole dialogue with a tiny squeak or intonation. #SundayCinema
November 2, 2025 at 8:37 PM
So much love for John Candy's ability to control a whole dialogue with a tiny squeak or intonation. #SundayCinema
Reposted by Helen Bradford-Swire
November 2, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Hang on, I've just discovered Joan Rivers is dead and Bill Pullman is alive, contrary to my beliefs about both. This evening has been a rollercoaster. #SundayCinema
November 2, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Hang on, I've just discovered Joan Rivers is dead and Bill Pullman is alive, contrary to my beliefs about both. This evening has been a rollercoaster. #SundayCinema
John Candy's independently moving ears are great. #SundayCinema
a man wearing a wig and a patch on his shirt is sitting in a chair with his face painted like a dog .
ALT: a man wearing a wig and a patch on his shirt is sitting in a chair with his face painted like a dog .
media.tenor.com
November 2, 2025 at 8:22 PM
John Candy's independently moving ears are great. #SundayCinema
Absolutely cackling at "Lock one, lock two, lock three, Loch Lomond!"
This film is so silly and I'm HERE FOR IT. #SundayCinema
This film is so silly and I'm HERE FOR IT. #SundayCinema
November 2, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Absolutely cackling at "Lock one, lock two, lock three, Loch Lomond!"
This film is so silly and I'm HERE FOR IT. #SundayCinema
This film is so silly and I'm HERE FOR IT. #SundayCinema
Firstly, Joan Rivers! Secondly, Dom DeLuise! Thirdly, Bill Pullman is *so young* in this. #SundayCinema
November 2, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Firstly, Joan Rivers! Secondly, Dom DeLuise! Thirdly, Bill Pullman is *so young* in this. #SundayCinema
I don't think I've seen this since I was in my early teens, I'm so excited (to start at Chapter Eleven). #SundayCinema
November 2, 2025 at 8:03 PM
I don't think I've seen this since I was in my early teens, I'm so excited (to start at Chapter Eleven). #SundayCinema
#NowWatching Spaceballs (1987) for #SundayCinema. I've had a bit of a SC hiatus due to being pregnant and in bed most Sundays at 9pm...but I'm BACK AND READY team!
a man in a suit and tie is saying `` back and ready '' .
ALT: a man in a suit and tie is saying `` back and ready '' .
media.tenor.com
November 2, 2025 at 8:01 PM
#NowWatching Spaceballs (1987) for #SundayCinema. I've had a bit of a SC hiatus due to being pregnant and in bed most Sundays at 9pm...but I'm BACK AND READY team!
Cannot. Wait.
🚨🚨 #SundayCinema REMINDER!🚨🚨
The day has come, it is SPACEBALLS Day
Tonight is going to be fun, I might need to find sometime to sleep between now and then, also I might not. Guess we will see.
Anyway, Join Us, this evening at 8pm.
The day has come, it is SPACEBALLS Day
Tonight is going to be fun, I might need to find sometime to sleep between now and then, also I might not. Guess we will see.
Anyway, Join Us, this evening at 8pm.
November 2, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Cannot. Wait.
From cost transparency to aftercare, what is it fair for you to expect from an IVF clinic when you're paying them thousands of pounds? possiblyparents.substack.com/p/choosing-w... #IVF #fertility
Choosing wisely: a checklist
With so many options on the table, what should you be asking of a private IVF clinic?
possiblyparents.substack.com
November 1, 2025 at 12:23 PM
From cost transparency to aftercare, what is it fair for you to expect from an IVF clinic when you're paying them thousands of pounds? possiblyparents.substack.com/p/choosing-w... #IVF #fertility
Reposted by Helen Bradford-Swire
🚨🚨 #SundayCinema Mid-week REMINDER!🚨🚨
Not long to wait now!
Whoa-oh, we're halfway there, WHOA-OH, Barf is like a big brown bear!
You know the time and place ass-holes!! See ya there
Not long to wait now!
Whoa-oh, we're halfway there, WHOA-OH, Barf is like a big brown bear!
You know the time and place ass-holes!! See ya there
October 30, 2025 at 11:56 AM
🚨🚨 #SundayCinema Mid-week REMINDER!🚨🚨
Not long to wait now!
Whoa-oh, we're halfway there, WHOA-OH, Barf is like a big brown bear!
You know the time and place ass-holes!! See ya there
Not long to wait now!
Whoa-oh, we're halfway there, WHOA-OH, Barf is like a big brown bear!
You know the time and place ass-holes!! See ya there
On finding Sex and the City relatable and collecting my IVF fairies: Natalie, Claire and…Ian.
possiblyparents.substack.com/p/finding-fa... #IVF #Fertility #MentalHealth #Wellbeing
possiblyparents.substack.com/p/finding-fa... #IVF #Fertility #MentalHealth #Wellbeing
Finding fairies
On finding Sex and the City relatable and collecting my IVF fairies, Natalie, Claire and…Ian
possiblyparents.substack.com
October 13, 2025 at 4:52 PM
On finding Sex and the City relatable and collecting my IVF fairies: Natalie, Claire and…Ian.
possiblyparents.substack.com/p/finding-fa... #IVF #Fertility #MentalHealth #Wellbeing
possiblyparents.substack.com/p/finding-fa... #IVF #Fertility #MentalHealth #Wellbeing
Reposted by Helen Bradford-Swire
You know what, let's do the Annual Mister Global National Costume thread tonight after all. Usual rules apply - this is all in fun, this isn't about the contestants looks or making fun of them, it's about the costumes and appreciating them (or, you know, making fun of them...)
October 11, 2025 at 6:53 PM
You know what, let's do the Annual Mister Global National Costume thread tonight after all. Usual rules apply - this is all in fun, this isn't about the contestants looks or making fun of them, it's about the costumes and appreciating them (or, you know, making fun of them...)
A good friend, who is one of my 'IVF fairies' and a respected journalist, kicks off The Life After series by opening up about her life immediately after the end of IVF: possiblyparents.substack.com/p/the-life-a... #IVF #Fertility
The Life After series: Coming to terms with no baby at the end of the IVF journey
A good friend, who is one of my 'IVF fairies' and a respected journalist, kicks off The Life After series by opening up about her life immediately after the end of IVF.
possiblyparents.substack.com
October 3, 2025 at 8:15 AM
A good friend, who is one of my 'IVF fairies' and a respected journalist, kicks off The Life After series by opening up about her life immediately after the end of IVF: possiblyparents.substack.com/p/the-life-a... #IVF #Fertility
Coming soon: The Life After series - women who have ended IVF without a baby will be telling their stories. #IVF #Fertility #ChildlessNotByChoice
possiblyparents.substack.com/p/coming-soo...
possiblyparents.substack.com/p/coming-soo...
Coming soon: The Life After series
Telling the other side of the IVF story
possiblyparents.substack.com
September 27, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Coming soon: The Life After series - women who have ended IVF without a baby will be telling their stories. #IVF #Fertility #ChildlessNotByChoice
possiblyparents.substack.com/p/coming-soo...
possiblyparents.substack.com/p/coming-soo...
The scariest IVF post I have yet written - join us on the rollercoaster that has been the last three months: possiblyparents.substack.com/p/third-time... #IVF #fertility #pregnancy TW: pregnancy, pregnancy complications
Third time lucky…
…but the course of IVF never did run smooth.
possiblyparents.substack.com
September 20, 2025 at 9:10 AM
The scariest IVF post I have yet written - join us on the rollercoaster that has been the last three months: possiblyparents.substack.com/p/third-time... #IVF #fertility #pregnancy TW: pregnancy, pregnancy complications
Waiting, interminably waiting...the story of every #IVF journey. Also I actually built the Scrabble board for the image, which is way more time-consuming than it looks when you're using tiny magnetic tiles. But appropriate in the context of being patient.
possiblyparents.substack.com/p/playing-th...
possiblyparents.substack.com/p/playing-th...
Playing the waiting game
Patience is a virtue, or so we’re told
possiblyparents.substack.com
August 30, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Waiting, interminably waiting...the story of every #IVF journey. Also I actually built the Scrabble board for the image, which is way more time-consuming than it looks when you're using tiny magnetic tiles. But appropriate in the context of being patient.
possiblyparents.substack.com/p/playing-th...
possiblyparents.substack.com/p/playing-th...