becoming babyREADY with Sam Leeson - All About Queer Family Planning & Creation

Today I’m excited to introduce you to Stevy and Michelle from Adelaide, Australia. We had a chance to talk about both of them navigating endometriosis, then egg retrieval, RIVF, searching for a donor, finding a clinic that makes you feel welcome and safe and so much more.  In the background, you will hear a sweet little voice from their three month old as the conversation unfolds. 

I am excited to introduce you to Yanica and Leah Faustin, a “Multicultural Two Mom Family.” Our conversation went so many different places. One of the key elements we discussed was how, with an interracial family, you need to constantly advocate for your children while at the same time, important it is to teach children feel confident advocating for themselves. We also talked about something that...

Well, of course I’m going to launch this episode when it’s the week of “Stanton family day!”  You know that the story is going to be good when the snippet that you get to know about is that they legally adopted three of their children the same day that they legally got married because the laws changed to allow that to happen. The conversation I have with Bryan and Kevin Stanton is one you don’t wa...

Sometimes the only thing that you know for certain is that you want to become a parent. When you first start thinking about it, you aren't necessarily certain whether or not you want to be biologically related to the child or if just simply being someone's parent is enough. Today I have the distinct honour of being able to introduce you to Graham and Shaun from Perfectly Muddled. After muc...

Having a mixed race child is one decision that parents may make. Having a child with Irish parents born outside of Ireland is another. Having a mixed race child with an Irish parent who is ALSO is in a same-sex relationship is yet one more. Today I have the opportunity to introduce you to Mark O'Looney-Cannon, one half of @twomenandasurrogacy. We have an in-depth conversation about all of thes...

Many people with a uterus dream of birthing a baby some day. Lauren took that dream to the next level when, as a child, she remembers having a literal dream wherein she felt the baby move. Dreams were kind of a theme of the conversation I have today with one half of @thetwomom_browns, Lauren. Lauren is the parent who birthed their two children with the eggs of her wife.  We talked about Reciprocal...

All of us know that there is very little that is more serious in this life than family creation and child rearing. Sure there are moments of happiness, joy and excitement. There are also moments of frustration, anger and overwhelm. What brings everything together in a universal fashion is the way we let ourselves laugh about all of it.  Today I have the gift of being able to share with you the con...

This is one of those rare occasions when I have the opportunity to speak with someone who literally ticks ALL of the boxes. Today I have the opportunity to introduce you to Marea Goodman. Marea is a queer parent to 3 children, a queer midwife, the founder of the community “Pregnant Together,” fertility coach, author, and really, if it is related to family creation, I suspect they have done it.  We...

I flipped the tables today. On my other podcast, @boobsbodsandbrains, I work with a cohost, @laurelcrossley. Today Laurel and I chat and she is interviews me about the upcoming queer family planning event that I am hosting in June @the519. Ultimately, before I started this podcast, my focus was to bring together Queer professionals and Queer parents to speak to the questions that 2SLGBTQIA+ people...

Having a massage can feel luxurious and frivolous to some people. Other people understand the physically therapeutic benefits. Whether you see a Registered Massage Therapist for relaxation and fun, or for therapeutic reasons to treat existing challenges and concerns there is no debate that this treatment can leave some people feeling vulnerable.  Today I have the opportunity to speak with Keeley S...

Meet Freya Lyon. She and her wife, Hannah, have two beautiful children that were created using IUI and open-donor sperm. In and of itself, not necessarily a new topic of conversation here on this show. What is new is that Freya herself is donor conceived. Her moms wanted children and used IUI and an anonymous donor to conceive both Freya and her sister.  Funny isn’t it?  Sometimes we are so wrappe...

Almost every parent out there will tell you that it is the most amazing and rewarding thing they have ever done. What many of them may feel - but are often too embarrassed to admit - is that it is also the scariest and loneliest thing they have ever done too.   Today we have the chance to speak with Lara Stewart Panko, a Social Worker and former birth worker about the modalities she employs to sup...

When the desire to create a family comes then it feels as though there aren’t any hoops we won’t jump through to become the parents of our dreams.  Today we are connecting with Eddy - as it was nearing midnight in Taiwan - to learn about the surrogacy journey he and his husband embarked upon to become parents to their sweet boy.  They learned some of what the possibilities were by attending a Men...

Really, is there anything that Laine can't do when it comes to helping people prepare for their parenting path? Today I have the opportunity to introduce all of you to Laine Halpern Zisman. She explains all of the different ways that she supports people from the moment they begin thinking about creating their family through parenthood; whether it is offering fertility, prenatal and birth suppo...

There are a variety of ways to create a family with the help of a surrogate. Some people use an agency, others don’t. Some use a gestational carrier they know, others don’t. Some use an egg donor they know - or are related to, others don’t. The list is endless as to the possibilities.  One thing is for certain. It isn’t a fast way to create a family. It isn’t an inexpensive way to navigate this pa...

As soon as one hears the designation “lactation consultant” they immediately envision someone who is going to insist upon feeding baby human milk, from the body, at all costs.  Our conversation today with Azura Goodman reminds us that the most important thing is to first, feed the baby!! Second, do what your heart tells you to do and stop listening to the voices of the people around you who are no...

If you know anything about queer family creation than you know that there are a variety of different ways that a family can be created. Surrogacy, adoption, IVF, IUI, RIVF, and the list goes on and on.  Today you have the opportunity to listen to the conversation I had, just before the end of 2023, with Bridget and Michelle about the choices that they made and all of the various paths that they in...

Generally speaking, when we think about Naturopathy and creating a family, we think of the supplements that can be prescribed and if for a queer family, perhaps what the people with uteruses need to do in order to stay as healthy as possible. Today, as we have a chance to talk with Dr. Jess (she was not yet finished writing her ND exams but has since earned the designation of doctor) she is able t...

The idea of setting yourself up to foster a child can be overwhelming at best. The fear is always present that something will happen, and the child will be, as the state intends, to be returned to the birth parents.  This week we have the honour of hearing the story of Ramiro and Cameron, The Kepfords, about their journey to becoming foster parents.  As a result of choosing that path, they were ab...

Welcome to Season 2 - Episode 1 of the "becoming babyREADY" podcast. On today's episode you'll have a chance to hear me describe where babyREADY came from, why I am hosting this podcast and all about an in-person, baby event being staged in Toronto during Pride Month, 2024. I would love to have the opportunity to chat with you and learn more about you and the path you and your ho...

The countdown was on!  As we recorded this conversation, Nyema was days away from a scheduled induction.  It was amazing, enlightening and fascinating to have the opportunity to speak with Nyema and Sondra about their journey through parenting. Neither is new to the parenting journey and yet this was a new way for their family to have a baby. Using technology that is cutting edge, INVOcell, they w...

I am SO excited to bring you the “becoming babyREADY” podcast! Listen in as I talk about starting or growing a family with parents and professionals alike. All of the people I speak with identify as 2SLGTBQIA+ My conversation today, with Jen Bowers - TCM Practitioner, based in Toronto, ON, centres around how they love to provide the kind of support you may need while going through a journey as vul...

Admittedly, when I started this conversation, I knew very little about the foster care system in Ontario (and I acknowledge that I still have a LOT to learn). Through speaking with Marnie and Tova today I had the opportunity to learn more about the journey to be coming, foster parents and the process of adoption through the CAS organization.  The story that Tova and Marnie share about meeting and...

I am SO excited to bring you the “becoming babyREADY” podcast! Listen in as I talk about starting or growing a family with parents and professionals alike. All of the people I speak with identify as 2SLGTBQIA+ Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to Dr. Cindy Gilbert, who is a naturopathic doctor in Toronto. Dr. Cyndi’s practice has been focussed on helping individuals and couples achieve...

When I reached out to “Two Wives and A Spark” podcasters Lia and Rachel, I was looking to learn more about their journey to family creation. What I learned from them was so much more!  Together we talked about personal journeys, the biases and microaggressions hopeful parents may face throughout the process, and how to advocate for ourselves ALL of the way through the process.  If you’ve not liste...