Laura Johnstone

I Wrote the NICU Guide I Wish I’d Had When Amelia Was Born

A comprehensive guide for NICU parents, written by a NICU mum who couldn’t find one that was actually complete When my daughter Amelia was born at 32 weeks and 6 days, I sat next to her incubator completely overwhelmed, trying to make sense of a world I never expected to be in. I wanted somethingContinue reading “I Wrote the NICU Guide I Wish I’d Had When Amelia Was Born”

POTS Syndrome, Dysautonomia, and Heat: Why a Simple Fan Might Be the Most Powerful Thing in Your House

Published on The Good, the Bad and Your Parenting Journey It is May Bank Holiday Monday and it is 11pm. Ryan is lying next to me absolutely convinced that the fan we bought last year is somewhere in the loft. I told him it was in the cleaning cupboard. Reader, it was in the cleaningContinue reading “POTS Syndrome, Dysautonomia, and Heat: Why a Simple Fan Might Be the Most Powerful Thing in Your House”

Living with EDS: The Everyday Aids That Have Genuinely Helped Me Protect My Hands and Wrists

If you’re living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), you’ll understand this without needing much explanation. There comes a point where things that used to feel simple suddenly don’t. Opening a jar. Pulling a ring tab. Holding a knife. Even gripping something for a few seconds can lead to pain, instability, or that awful moment where aContinue reading “Living with EDS: The Everyday Aids That Have Genuinely Helped Me Protect My Hands and Wrists”

Accessibility When Travelling: Why It Matters More Than Ever

Travel is meant to be exciting, but for many parents it starts with anxiety rather than anticipation. The lists, the planning, the constant “what ifs” running through your head. What if my child becomes overwhelmed? What if I cannot get the support we need? What if I am judged for asking for help?

Accessibility in travel is not about special treatment. It is about making travel possible. For families navigating disability, neurodiversity, or hidden needs, accessibility can be the difference between a journey that feels manageable and one that feels impossible.

This is part of the good, the bad, and your parenting journey. The invisible planning. The emotional load. The quiet relief when support is offered without question. Travel does not pause parenting, and parenting does not stop at the airport doors. When accessibility is done well, it gives families something invaluable. The chance to focus on connection, not survival.

The Long Way Round: My Education Journey Through College and University

If you had asked me before I was 18 what I wanted to be, the answer would have been simple. I wanted to be a nurse. I wanted to care for people, to help, to make a difference. What I did not have at that point was the language, the confidence, or the support toContinue reading “The Long Way Round: My Education Journey Through College and University”

Playtime Then and Now: From Nursery Rhymes to Total Mayhem (and Why Tidy-Up Time Matters)

When Amelia was a newborn, playtime was gentle. Quiet. Almost sacred. It looked like singing nursery rhymes, reading board books in soft voices, tummy time on a neatly folded blanket. Everything felt slow and intentional. I remember marvelling at how something as simple as a black and white card could completely hold her attention. FastContinue reading “Playtime Then and Now: From Nursery Rhymes to Total Mayhem (and Why Tidy-Up Time Matters)”

My Biggest Challenge Right Now and What a Two-Year-Old Is Teaching Me About It

Today’s daily prompt asked me a simple but surprisingly loaded question. What is my biggest challenge right now? The answer came quickly. Consistency. It has always been consistency, and if I am being honest, it probably always will be. I know that routine helps me. It helps my brain settle, helps me write, helps meContinue reading “My Biggest Challenge Right Now and What a Two-Year-Old Is Teaching Me About It”

Bereavement After Miscarriage: Why One Week of Unpaid Leave Is Not Enough

There has been a lot of conversation recently about employment rights and baby loss, particularly around miscarriage before 24 weeks. On the surface, it feels like progress. Finally, there is acknowledgement that baby loss before 24 weeks matters. That parents matter. That grief exists even when the law previously pretended it did not. But weContinue reading “Bereavement After Miscarriage: Why One Week of Unpaid Leave Is Not Enough”

Where I Write Now: From Brighton University Library to a Quiet Café Corner

Writing has always needed a place to land. For a long time, that place was Brighton University library. Not just a building, but a feeling. It felt like home. That library held my degree, my concentration, my determination, and a version of me who could lose hours between shelves and desks without noticing time pass.Continue reading “Where I Write Now: From Brighton University Library to a Quiet Café Corner”

What have I been working on lately?

What have you been working on? Today’s blog prompt is: What have I been working on? If I’m completely honest — I’ve been working on me. Yes, I’ve been dipping in and out of my books. Yes, I’ve been editing episodes for my new podcast with my lovely friend Georgie (it’s coming soon and it’sContinue reading “What have I been working on lately? ”