The Stork and I

In this episode I speak to children's entertainer and Red Wiggle, Caterina Meta about her journey to become a solo parent of twins.  *trigger warning we do discuss miscarriage in this episode For over three decades, The Wiggles, the world’s most popular children’s entertainment group have educated, entertained, and enriched the lives of millions of pre-schoolers (and their parents) all over the gl...

In this episode I speak to solo parent Holly.    We cover:  - Choosing a sperm donor - Finding donor siblings - Deciding whether to try for a sibling - The experience of being a solo parent and sharing some of the trickiest parts - Experiencing post natal anxiety - Our desire for constant cleaning to feel more in control - The mental load of a solo parent - Feeling lonely in the early days of solo...

In todays episode I speak to solo parent Sarah   In the episode we cover:  - The difference between using the term single parent or solo parent - Making the decision to become a solo parent - Having IUI or IVF - Having a really tough time postpartum and getting through it - The benefits of parenting solo - The unrealistic expectations we think we'd have of a partner!  - Advice for those considerin...

In todays episode we meet with Jayneel Patel about her journey to solo parenthood.   In the episode we discussed: Coming from an Indian family and the impact that has on the decision to become a solo parent Going through an arranged marriage and the learnings from that Considering adoption Having the support of the important people in our lives Being embraced by the extended family Choosing a sper...

In the last episode of Series 6 of the Stork and I Podcast I chat to solo parent Alexandra.  Alexandra is a solo parent and an award winning Melbourne writer who has written for theatre, screen and print. Her memoir  Inconceivable  was recently published by Hachette. In the episode we discuss:  - Her memoir Inconceivable - Splitting up with a partner because they don't want children and you do - '...

Todays episode is with Solo parent Jess, who lives with her baby daughter in Thailand.  In the episode we cover:  - The considerations of solo parenthood when you live abroad - Using a known donor - Support network when you live away from family and how friends can really step up - Childcare options when abroad - Deciding whether to try for a 2nd baby - Navigating being a solo parent and having a...

Todays episode is with solo parent Talia.   In the episode we cover:  - Why things are not always easier with a partner - Keeping a positive attitude - Embracing non traditional living arrangements and making them work for us - Pregnancy after loss - Enabling our kids to engage with other donor conceived people and the importance of that for them You can follow Talia on Instagram at @taliamck   Th...

Todays episode is with Claire Holland AKA @Claire_needs_coffee. Claire is a solo mum to her 4 year old Theo and chats with me all about her decision to become a solo parent, the journey to get there and the realities of parenting with no partner.    In the episode we discuss:  - Choosing IUI vs IVF - Having a more challenging fertility journey than expected - Getting time to yourself in the evenin...

In todays episode I chat to Alpa, solo mum to 5 year old Mia. We discuss:  - Deciding to become a solo parent - Managing pregnancy solo - Moving to be closer to parents - Choosing a sperm donor - A challenging birth and post natal experience - Changing careers - The realities of parenting solo and much much more.    Thank you for listening to The Stork and I Podcast! I would love for you to share...

In todays episode I chat to solo parent to twins, Julia Shields. Julia has 4 year old twins. Her son was born with a complex heart condition that shapes a lot of how they live their lives.    In this episode we discuss: - Julias decision to become a solo parent - The living arrangements Julia has put in place - How blended family living can work - Parenting during covid - The impact of her son hav...

In todays episode I chat to solo parent Kirsten.  Kirsten is solo mum to 2 children by double donation.    In todays episode we discuss:  - Fertility tests an understanding your fertility - Deciding to use donor eggs as well as donor sperm - Making the decision to try for a sibling - The experience of parenting two children solo   Thanks so much to Kirsten for taking the time to share her story wi...

In episode 3 of series 6 of the Stork and I Podcast, I chat to Claire Davies about her roller coaster journey to solo parenthood so far.   We discuss:  - Deciding between IUI and IVF - Getting treatment on the NHS - Experiencing chemical pregnancy - Dealing with miscarriage and recurrent loss - Not realising how tough the journey can be after you've spent a long time considering whether it's the r...

Todays episode is with 38 year old solo parent Amelie Patrux Eddy.  She is based in the French countryside on the outskirts of Paris but by the time this episode has aired with have moved to the Brittany region.   Amelie grew up in France, was raised by an (almost solo) South African mom and has lived many years in Australia before landing again recently in the suburbs of Paris (in the midst of a...

In the first episode of Series 6 I chat to Alisha Burns AKA @Noneedforprincecharming Alisha is the host of the No Need For Prince Charming Podcast where she interviews Australian Solo Mums about their journey to parenthood.  For a change, she was the one being interviewed and I found out all about her own story, when she started thinking about solo parenthood, her journey to get there as well as h...

In todays episode, the last in series 10, I speak to 21 year old Skyler.  Skyler and her twin brother were conceived using egg and sperm donation and raised by their mum in a solo parent family.  Skyler shares her experiences and thoughts about being donor conceived    In todays episode we cover:  - The things we do when we want to fit in as a child - Growing up being the only solo parent family i...

In todays episode I speak to Emma. Emma is solo mum to a 9 month old daughter using sperm donation and she talks to me about her wonderful experience of being connected by her Sperm Bank to the other recipient parents who have all used the same donor.    In todays episode we cover:  - Being a solo mum with a very limited support system - Being connected to donor sibling families when the donor sib...

In todays episode I speak to Natasha Fox. Natasha is 29 and was raised by her mum in London and then later Scotland. Natasha's mum was the first single woman in Scotland to use donor conception to conceive. Natasha has always known she was donor conceived and openly shares her experiences in this episode.    In todays episode we cover:  - Using a homemade book to talk to our children about their c...

In todays episode I chat to Freya.  Freya is donor conceived and was raised by 2 mums. Then, her and her wife used donor sperm to conceive a daughter, so she has perspectives of both being donor conceived and also being a recipient parent.  **Warning: we discuss some characteristics of the sperm donor Freya used in the episode**   In this episode we cover:  - Feelings about being donor conceived -...

In todays episode I speak to Julianne Boutaleb.  Julianne is the Clinical Director and Founder of the Parenthood In Mind practice. She is a passionate and highly experienced perinatal psychologist who has worked for over 20 years in the NHS and private practice with parents and parents-to-be and their babies (and bumps) who have needed support with a wide variety of issues.    In todays episode we...

In todays episode I speak to Emily.  Emily was conceived using a sperm donor and raised by a solo parent. Because it was pretty common to be a solo parent family where Emily grew up, she didn't ask many questions about her father until her mum showed her a documentary about donor conception when she was in her teens, and she realised that she was conceived with a donor.  We explore the impact of n...

In todays episode I speak to Melissa from the United States Donor Conceived Council.  Melissa was conceived using anonymous egg donation and her parents told her and her brother when she was 21. Melissa is part of the US Donor Conceived Council, which is a nonprofit organization run by and for Donor Conceived People. They connect with other DCP, recipient parents, donors, industry professionals, a...

In todays episode I chat to 24 year old Nikita. Nikita was donor conceived through sperm donation and raised by a solo mum in Birmingham.  Being donor conceived inspired her to work in fertility which has allowed her to better understand the process from the parent perspective. She believe's it is important to hear the views of both parents and donor conceived people for future generations to have...

In todays episode I chat to licensed professional counselor and international consultant specializing in fertility and family building, Jana Rupnow.  Jana M. Rupnow, MA, LPC, is best-selling author of the book, Three Makes Baby-How to Parent Your Donor-Conceived Child. She introduced the field to the “five common fears” that parents face as they contemplate having a non-biological child. Thousands...

In episode one of series 5 of The Stork and I Podcast I chat to Kiara. Kiara is a 24 year-old donor conceived person who was raised by her solo mom, Nicki. She lives in Chicago and is writing a book about being donor conceived and her story of navigating life and finding her donor related family. She is trying to redefine society's notion of a "traditional family". You can check her out on instagr...

The wait is finally over! The Stork and I Podcast for solo parents and those considering solo parenthood is back! Series 5 of the podcast is launching on 2nd February 2022 and is focusing on all things donor conception.  Subscribe now so you don't miss out!