Building your family

Join us for an engaging episode as we sit down with Alex from @pursuingfatherhood to discuss his incredible journey of bonding after male infertility and choosing sperm donation. Alex opens up about his personal story, sharing both the challenges and triumphs he faced on his path to parenthood. In this episode, we dive into: The process of grieving vs. trying to remain positive. How Alex resolved...

For those of you who do not work in the fertility field, or if you are new to infertility treatment, you may not be aware that this week's guest is an icon in our industry. People often talk about the research demonstrating that fertility patients can experience the same levels of depression as those diagnosed with cancer, or that stress is a reason for many people dropping out of fertility treatm...

Sid Karger is an author transforming our perception of relationships and family through his captivating books. His debut novel, Best Men, was a massive success, and his follow-up, The Bump, is poised to achieve similar acclaim. Through his writing and personal life, Karger vividly portrays the highs and lows of being a gay man in a committed relationship and the journey toward parenthood. His rom-...

Join us as we share a beautiful journey from a plan to become a single mom to becoming a family of four. This story is about hope, perseverance, and navigating the challenging road of infertility. Our guest, Lauren, made difficult decisions along the way and faced many treatments, including options she had never formally considered. Ultimately, she succeeded in her dream of building a family. From...

The name Candace Wohl may not be widely recognized, but in the world of infertility advocacy, she is a superstar. Candace's journey to building her family was fraught with challenges. Her experiences could easily be mistaken for a plot from a television drama, but her story is all too real. Despite the hardships, she remained steadfast in her determination to create the family she and her husband...

Family building for lesbian couples using donor sperm has increased in recent years. However, many couples still struggle with the basic "how-tos." If you've been following me for a while, you know that I love to ease stress, provide factual information, and help people think ahead about their options so they can realize their dreams. Lesbian family building is one of those subjects that needs add...

When you meet Brit and Sydney, I am sure you will love them as much as I do. This episode was such a pleasure to record.  They are grounded, insightful, altruistic, and funny. In this episode, they will break down issues such as:: Tips for fertility treatment as lesbian moms-to-be How to collaborate on tough issues and recognize each person's strengths in the relationship Stressors faced by people...

This week, my co-author, Dr. Leondires, and I are thrilled to answer your Top 10 questions! Since releasing our book, Building Your Family: The Complete Guide to Donor Conception, we've been inundated with inquiries about fertility treatment and third-party reproduction. Many of these questions reflect what we encounter in our daily practices, so we've compiled a top ten list that we hope will be...

Want to make a positive impact on LGBT equality but not sure where to start? In this video, James Black, CEO of Family Equality, will educate us on the difficulties each of us faces on both a micro and macro level. You will be surprised to hear about issues that are not widely publicized but are crucial to our freedoms. These issues affect our loved ones and neighbors, as well as IVF and single pa...

To kick off Pride, we are airing a special episode. Lauren Brown made her debut on our podcast some time ago when she talked about her family-building journey with her wife Amanda. Since then, she has become a gestational carrier for a lovely couple, Matt and Stephen. Together, they are a winning team! The couples have become very close and consider each other extended family. For those of you who...

In this fascinating episode, we sit down with Maureen Brown, the co-founder and CEO of Moisie Baby. Maureen shares her fertility journey and the path to developing the first FDA-cleared intravaginal insemination kit for over-the-counter use. She also delves into why her innovative tools are more effective and better suited for a woman's body, shedding light on the common challenges faced during ho...

People are often confused about why surrogates need certain tests that aren't required for women carrying their own pregnancies. They wonder why surrogates are held to a higher medical standard. Today, Dr. Gago, a fertility expert based in Michigan, will explain everything you need to know about surrogacy and the screening process. Dr. Gago is the ideal person to educate us, especially since Michi...

It's widely recognized that undergoing fertility treatment can be a source of significant stress, impacting not only individuals but also their relationships. Couples often find themselves surprised by the divergent feelings and opinions they encounter during their journey to build a family. This divergence can lead to tension, arguments, and feelings of anger, especially when faced with decisions...

The TUSHY, BALLS, and ANGEL methods are just a few of the acronyms that Dr. Aime Eyvazzadeh has created to help patients understand the procedures important for them to complete to enable them to understand their diagnosis. In this week's episode, she talks about these procedures, discusses how she counsels patients about various treatments from egg freezing to ovarian aging, and explains why she...

This week's guest, Kristin Duncan, shares her thoughts about being a single mom by choice, the difficulties for single women in fertility treatment, and much more.   Here are a few of the topics Kristin discusses in this week’s episode: • how important it is to advocate for yourself at your fertility clinic • why being a single mom is not as "difficult" as people think • how remembering that "thin...

If you have been wondering about what's happening in the political and social landscape in the fertility field, you will appreciate this week's episode.  Barb Collura, the CEO of RESOLVE, discusses how our modern society has arrived at a time when science and so many social issues have progressed, except that our reproductive rights may erode further if we do not take action now. At RESOLVE.org, t...

The benefits of disclosing to children about their origins, early and often, is no longer up for debate.  We know that children, and their parents, are often curious about their donor, and for medical or emotional reasons, may have an interest in connecting with them at some point in their lives. Typically, people search for their donor on 23 and Me and hope that they will be able to connect with...

You may know Colton Underwood as a football player or the reality TV star from The Bachelor, or from his Netflix special when he told the world that he could no longer hide and came out as a gay man.  The Colton Underwood you will meet on this week's episode is a warm, gentle man who has finally found himself, real love, and cannot wait to be a father.   If these hurdles weren't enough, he also st...

In this podcast, we frequently delve into the realm of third-party reproduction. However, today we're taking a fresh perspective on the pregnancy journey. Donor conception isn't the perfect fit for everyone, and for some, it simply isn't an option. So, let's explore an alternative approach. Meet Dr. Gleicher and Dr. Barad, partners at the Center for Human Reproduction in New York. Their focus over...

The good news is that we've discovered that disclosing early and regularly is most beneficial. Moreover, it's never too early nor too late to disclose. However, if you browse online comments about late disclosure, you'd doubt the validity of the latter statement. Those who struggle with early disclosure often face ridicule online, exacerbating feelings of guilt, sadness, and anxiety, making it eve...

Dr. Shahine and I agree that there is so much misinformation on the internet. We also agree that the fertility journey is lonely and that people need support. So, we decided to team up and create a double podcast and bust some myths! Yes, you will get support and clarity on both of our channels. Among other things, we will discuss: • Sex positions and getting pregnant • Stress and infertility • Di...

Have you ever imagined what goes on inside the head, and home, of a single mother by choice?  I have!  I have talked to many of the people I see about how they chose their donor, how they decided to close the door on a partner (at least for now), what worried them, and how they do it all! In this week's episode you will meet Lesley Bogad. She is a professor and has dedicated a lot of time to decid...

Comedian, actress, author, and podcast host, Robin Hopkins, joins us this week to talk about her journey and parenting advice.  Her struggles with her donor choice took her across the country and to other countries, her discomfort with donor conception turned into love and gratitude and her fears and concerns were all resolved. She now parents her two children with the values she holds dear and th...

In a previous episode, I discuss a wide range of fertility tips.  This week, I wanted to give you some ideas that can help you get through treatment.  After decades in the field of fertility, I have found that there are helpful ideas to consider, and actions to take, to make the journey better and easier.  The three tips presented in this video are a few of the ideas that people don't typically th...

Joseph Tito is a Canadian influencer and author of the dad diaries.  He is a happy married man and the father of two beautiful twin girls.  But life was not always this way.     While going through a breakup, Joseph pursued donor conception and surrogacy alone in a foreign country. He had no idea how his story would end, but he had no other choice. He did not have the funds to pursue a surrogacy j...