A SAME-SEX couple who were worried having a child was “taboo” are now celebrating their youngest son’s first birthday.

Katie and Ali are the proud parents of Harry, four, and Oliver who will be one tomorrow.

But the road to creating their perfect family was not straight forward.

The couple from Harwich have shared their story ahead of Pride Month, which runs throughout June, in order to help other same-sex couples looking to start a family.

We have withheld their surnames at their request.

The couple knew they wanted to have a family but were at a loss over how to achieve it.

Katie, 29, who works as a dispenser in a GP surgery, said: “We knew we wanted children but were unsure of what our options were.

“Being in a same-sex relationship and wanting children, we assumed it was all a bit of a taboo thing and that we would have to go underground to find a sperm donor and try to get pregnant.”

The couple had already decided not to use a known donor and initially thought fertility clinics were just for heterosexual couples.

After three unsuccessful attempts at home using sperm sourced from an overseas company, the couple were advised by a friend to try Bourn Hall Clinic in Colchester, which has its own sperm bank.

The couple were surprised to be able to take a fertility test being unaware it was possible to do this as a same-sex couple.

For Ali, 35, a school photographer, and Katie, the tests revealed Katie was fertile but was ovulating late in her cycle which made timing difficult.

She added: “This made us realise there would have been no way for us to have ever become pregnant doing it ourselves at home - it would be like throwing a dart in the dark.”

The couple were advised to try intrauterine insemination, for which Katie was closely monitored using ultrasound to establish the best time to use the donated sperm.

The couple became pregnant on the first attempt with Harry and on their second attempt with Oliver.

“We never felt uncomfortable or judged or that we shouldn’t be there or that we weren’t entitled to become parents.

“Bourn Hall just welcomed us and made everything so easy,” Katie added.

“Being parents means everything to us.

“We had both always wanted to be mums and once we met each other we knew that we wanted to have children and bring them up together.

“When we told our parents we wanted to have children they were so happy, they couldn’t have been more supportive and were on board straight away and they absolutely adore their grandchildren.

“Being parents brings us and our families an enormous amount of pride and joy. Watching your children grow and develop is one of the best things you will ever do.

“We wouldn’t change it for the world, we have got two beautiful children and it is all thanks to Bourn Hall.”

She added: “I would say to any same-sex female couple looking to start a family: ‘Do your research’. There are people who go down routes which are not safe.

“We had three goes at home which didn’t work and three goes at Bourn Hall and have two children. It speaks for itself really.”

To register to Bourn Hall’s free webinar the event Safe and Successful – Options for Lesbian Couples who want a Baby, which takes place on Thursday, June 10 at 7.30pm, visit bournhall.co.uk.