Can woman have it all?

As I sit cuddling my beautiful baby daughter, I feel so happy to have three wonderful children. I always knew I wanted children and didn't want to be too old starting a family. My mum was 28 when she had me, which I thought was positively ancient!

But I also wanted a career. When I returned to work after my first child I was convinced a woman could have both. Even after my second child I was still keen to pursue my career. Now I'm not so sure. Can a woman with 3 or more children succeed in work as well as maintaining a happy family life?

As a woman there are so many decisions to be made, questions to be addressed. Do I want children? When is the right age to have children? Who will look after them if I go back to work? Can I afford to pay childcare? Will I ever get my figure back?! I could go on ...

For me the first two questions were easy - yes, I did want children and I didn't want to be too old when I started a family. Fortunately I met my husband when I was young. But I know many woman who haven't met 'Mr Right' and are starting to question whether they'll ever have children or if they really want children. There are many woman in their 30s and 40s who have spent the last 10-15 years building a successful career who are questioning if they really do want children at all. They have got used to a certain level of earnings and for many their lives have revolved around their careers and that next promotion. I don't envy them.

As I mentioned, I spent a few years fooling myself that I really could have it all. I juggled working full-time with tennis and swimming lessons, gym, social life and housework (as little as possible!). But after a while I was exhausted. I was trying to fit too much in to my week. I was getting up early for work, dropping the children to childcare and zooming around in the evenings to bring them to a variety of activities. It was when I became pregnant with baby number three that I realised that I could no longer maintain this lifestyle. It wasn't healthy for the kids or for me.

During the past year we have all slowed down. There is no mad morning rush out of the house before the sun is up and our after-school activities have reduced, slightly. Consequently we have a happier family.

Many woman, like me, feel that we are not succeeding in life unless we are attempting to do it all. But eventually something has to give - it is virtually impossible to work full-time while trying to bring up a young family. So to return to my original question, for me the answer is no. My children are the most important thing in my life and have to come first. Childhood is so short and I don't want to regret missing them grow up.