Fertility psychotherapist, Jana Rupnow, interviews parents, donor conceived individuals and professionals about the challenges and dilemmas of assisted reproductive technology baby-making and the expect-able tensions between positive and negative feelings that come along the way when, instead of baby makes three; three makes baby.
Episodes
Monday Oct 12, 2020
Renee & Tom- How Infertilty Impacts Their Relationship
Monday Oct 12, 2020
Monday Oct 12, 2020
Renee and Tom manage grief as a couple on their long road of fertility treatments.
Friday Sep 25, 2020
Parents of DC Children Talk about the Hard Stuft- Part 2
Friday Sep 25, 2020
Friday Sep 25, 2020
Jana Rupnow collaborated with FIVE parents of donor conceived children from FOUR countries (🏴 🇦🇺 🇨🇦 🇺🇸) to bring you a thoughtful dialogue about difficult topics surrounding donor conception. PART 2
Five parents of dc children ranging in age from several months old to fifteen years old, discuss topics that donor conceived adults struggle with and explore how they might handle these issues with their children. They did this to help open the dialogue about donor conception, understand the donor conceived viewpoint and help educate others.
I asked each parent this question: What are your thoughts on anonymity? How do you feel about your story of infertility vs your child's story?
Some DC adults express fears over accidental dating of half-siblings in anonymous situations? How will you address this?
Tuesday Sep 22, 2020
Talking All About Sperm & Testing with Manager of Yo Sperm
Tuesday Sep 22, 2020
Tuesday Sep 22, 2020
Male factor infertility contributes to approx 30-40% of all fertility related problems. Unfortunately, azoospermia (zero sperm) is a condition that is becoming more common. .
So guys, I advise you to test your fertility early. Yes, before you’re even thinking of a family.
This kit by @yospermtest is a simple screening test that can help you identify issues with your count. It works with your smart phone and even gives you a video you can send to your doctor. I’ll be doing a story about how the test works soon! .
#spermtest #malefactorinfertility #infertility #ttc #varicocele #azoospermia
Monday Sep 14, 2020
Parents of Donor Conceived Kids Talk about the Hard Stuff- Part 1
Monday Sep 14, 2020
Monday Sep 14, 2020
Jana Rupnow collaborated with FIVE parents of donor conceived children from FOUR countries (🏴 🇦🇺 🇨🇦 🇺🇸) to bring you a thoughtful dialogue about difficult topics surrounding donor conception.
These “fantastic five” parents,
@sarahbethhumphreys, @definingmum, @pursuingfatherhood, @donorconceptionandbeyond and @vincelondini
discuss topics that donor conceived adults struggle with and explore how they might handle these issues with their children. They did this to help open the dialogue about donor conception, understand the donor conceived viewpoint and help educate others.
AND 🥁
I asked each parent this question:
Some donor conceived adults express a distaste for the business aspect of donor conception, feeling like a product or commodity. What are your thoughts? How might you respond if your child asks about the money exchange involved in their conception?
Thursday Sep 10, 2020
Vince Speaks Openly About Male Infertility & Lead a Support Group for Other Men
Thursday Sep 10, 2020
Thursday Sep 10, 2020
Fifteen years ago, Vince received news from a doctor that he had “complete azoospermia” and he describes how confusing and shocking that moment was.
He openly speaks about infertility to help other men with issues that impacts men with male factor infertility like masculinity, passing on the family name, and how society impacts a man with infertility, especially the imposed shame.
He also leads a support group in Ontario, Canada and is involved with Donor Conception Canada. Vince (@vincelondini).
#spermdonation #mfi #malefactorinfertility #azoospermia #infertility #fertility
Monday Sep 07, 2020
Brittany's Discovers Her Donor Keeps Donating Beyond Recommended Limit
Monday Sep 07, 2020
Monday Sep 07, 2020
Brittany used an egg donor to conceive and bravely shared her feelings about letting go of the biological child she couldn’t have. She’s back to share an update and some frustrating information about the egg donation process that she learned during her pregnancy.
Donors are supposed to be limited to a certain number of donations both for health risks and long-term family management issues. In other words, to avoid the complications that come with having an unmanageable amount of half-siblings. Unfortunately, this limit is not enforceable and intended parents must rely on the ethics of agencies, clinics and banks.
#eggdonation #eggdonor #ethics #deivf #spermdonation #donorconception
Wednesday Aug 19, 2020
Wednesday Aug 19, 2020
Emma, a Donor Conceived Adult & Triplet of a Single, Gay Mom Shares Thoughts about Her "Biological Father"
Emma is donor conceived and knew about her conception "before she understood." Her "superhero" mom used a donor to conceive and had triplets. She shares how she wondered about her biological father and tried to put together the pieces of him by looking at traits of her 100+ half-siblings.
Friday Aug 07, 2020
Gail, a Mom Via Sperm Donation, Advocates for Change in the Field
Friday Aug 07, 2020
Friday Aug 07, 2020
Gail, a mom through sperm donation, advocates for regulation and legislation in donor conception. Gail lives in Australia and was appalled to find out her daughter has over 100 half-siblings. She shares her daughter's feelings about donor conception as well as some unpleasant truths about the practices that occur in the field.
Tuesday Jul 28, 2020
Sheri, Author of You Were Meant for Me, Shares Her Story of Embryo Adoption
Tuesday Jul 28, 2020
Tuesday Jul 28, 2020
I speak with Sheri, the author of @youweremeantformebook. She shares her story of embryo adoption and what inspired her to write a children’s book for her son. The children’s book about embryo adoption is also available through Amazon.
(Please excuse the sound quality. Sheri’s microphone was garbled at times.)
In this podcast episode, Sheri discusses anonymity and the importance of DNA to the child. Knowing the perspective of donor conceived adults, I thought it was important that Sheri could share her thoughts and feelings about the book’s title as well as the symbolic imagery on the book’s cover. She has a lot of wisdom!
Sheri posted on Instagram today that she changed the name of her book from, “You Were Made for Me” to “You Were Meant for Me” after listening to the voices of donor conceived adults. Head over to her account and blog to read more about this.
Listen to the @threemakesbaby podcast episode with Sheri on all podcast platforms and through the link in my bio.
Thursday Jul 16, 2020
Kerry Pursues Embryo Adoption & Open Relationship
Thursday Jul 16, 2020
Thursday Jul 16, 2020
Kerri and Chris independently pursue embryo adoption after failed fertility treatments with their biological embryos. Kerry explains the process of independent or self-directed adoption, which is adopting without the help of agency facilitation.
Kerrie is open with their child and has an open relationship with her donors, allowing her son to know his half-brothers from a young age.