Resources

Resources

Family Building Resources:

Making ART Family Building Feel Normal

Let’s talk about egg donation: Real Stories from Real Women by Carole Liber-Wilkins

EM Power with Moxi (www.empowerwithmoxi.org) - for learning more about embryo donation

"We are Family: The Modern Transformation of Parents and Children" by Susan Golombok is a nice review of her career of research pertaining to non-traditionally created families - specifically families created through assisted reproduction.

Donor Conception Network (www.dcnetwork.org) - resources for families created through donor conception based on 30 years of open disclosure policies in the UK

SART Fertility Experts Podcast - Egg Donor Screening: https://startwithsart.libsyn.com/sart-fertility-experts-egg-donor-screening - Learn more about how egg donors are screened and their perspectives on the process from a Reproductive Endocrinologist and Egg Donor coordinator at ICRM

The podcast "Building Your Family with Lisa Schuman, LCSW" is an excellent resource for learning more about donor conception and surrogacy from all angles of the experience. Lisa is pioneer in the mental health field associated with assisted reproduction and infertility. Find her podcast here: https://familybuilding.net/podcast/

https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/dr-natalie-crawford-female-hormone-health-fertility-vitality - An episode from the Huberman Lab on Female Hormones and Fertility. It's a great resource for informing spouses and extended family members about the medical challenges faced with infertility, as well as offers tips for optimizing fertility and assisted reproduction methods. Many myths about reproduction and fertility are challenged, and valuable information shared about what actually affects fertility in women (and men).

Resources for Men Using Sperm Donors

The Society for Male Reproduction and Urology: connect.asrm.org/smru/for-patients

Society for the Study of Male Reproduction: ssmr.org/patients/default.aspx

http://www.mensfe.net/ - A male fertility website

https://di-dad.blogspot.com/ - a blog about life as a dad to donor insemination (DI) kids

www.facebook.com/groups/mensfertilitysupport - Men's Fertility support group on Facebook

The following books may be helpful for DI Dads and their children:

Building a Family with the Assistance of Donor Insemination by Ken Daniels

Experiences of Donor Conception: Parents, Offspring, and Donors Through the Years by Caroline Lorbach

Relative Strangers: Family Life, Genes and Donor Conception by Petra Nordqvist & Carol Smart

https://www.booksfordonorkids.com/ 

My Family and Me by Kim Kluger-Bell

My Lifebook by Lisa Schuman.

LGBTQ Resources:

www.MenHavingBabies.org ---- for gay intended parents

Transfertility.co -- for families with transgender parents

www.singlemothersbychoice.org — for those pursuing single motherhood

For Those Who Are Grieving:

http://www.londonisthereason.org/ - pregnancy loss at birth

Nation-wide infertility support groups available through Resolve.org

Breathe, Baby, Breathe by Dr. Annie Janvier

Something Happened: A Book for Children and Parents Who Have Experienced Pregnancy Loss by Cathy Blanford

Children’s Book about Donor Conception and Surrogacy:

Customizable Books: Blueprints by Sharon Leya on Amazon, https://www.sensitivematters.net/

You were made for me by Sheri Sturniolo

We are family by Patricia Hegarty

https://connect.asrm.org/mhpg/bookshelf/mhpg-bibliography842

Children’s Books for Helping GC’s Talk with Their Children about Surrogacy

A Baby for Mabel and Frederick by Karen Poston (2005). This book describes surrogacy for the children of the surrogate.  Emma's mom is a surrogate - she's carrying a baby for a couple who can't have their own children. Emma is very excited and proud that she and her mom are helping to make a new family. 

Herman the Helper by Robert Kraus (1987).  Herman the octopus likes helping others.  While not specifically about a mom being a gestational carrier, it can provide an opportunity for parents to talk to children about why they are helping someone else.  

The Kangaroo Pouch: A Story About Gestational Surrogacy For Young Childrenby Sarah Phillips Pellet and Laurie A. Faust (2007).  Written for the young children (ages 2-8), of a gestational surrogate.  A kangaroo named Oliver whose mother has decided to help another family have a baby narrates the story.  

My Mom is a Surrogate by Abigail Glass (2019). This book was written to help children of surrogates understand the process of the surrogacy journey.  It provides the reader with a guide to discuss the proper language, through a sweet story and attractive images of the surrogacy experience. This story follows a brother and sister as they watch their mother become a surrogate.  The siblings invite the reader to explore their own personal experiences as well.

Once Upon a Surrogate: The Stork's Helpers by Jill Hancock Reeder (2010). The author, a former gestational surrogate, describes what it is like to be a "helper"- a stork  in children's terms. Illustrations for the book are created by the author's children.   

Surrogacy Helps Make a Family Grow!  by Sharon Lamothe (2010). This is the story of a family who decides to help a couple start a family of their own through gestational surrogacy. This book acts as an educational tool for children of gestational surrogates to better understand what their mothers are going through and the tremendous gift of family.

http://surrogacybooks.blogspot.com

Donor-Conceived People’s Stories and Support:

Donor Conceived Community at donorconceivedcommunity.org

Counseling Donor Family Members: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals by Wendy Kramer

Finding Our Families: A First-of-Its-Kind Book for Donor-Conceived People and Their Families by Wendy Kramer

Your Family: A Donor Kid's Story by Wendy Kramer

Donor Family Matters by Wendy Kramer

Three Makes Baby: How to Parent Your Donor-Conceived Child by Jana M. Rupnow LPC

Childless Living Resources:

Living The Life Unexpected: Plan B to Living Your Life Without Children by Jody Day (2013)

How Did We Get Here? With E & M.  (Podcast) – www.howdidwegetherepodcast.com

Living Childfree with Erik and Melissa – (Podcast) –  Find their podcast here: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/live-childfree-with-erik-and-melissa-live-JZ7IEyfWQHP/

Find their podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-did-we-get-here/id1491735705

I'm Taking My Eggs and Going Home: How One Woman Dared to Say no to Motherhood by Lisa Manterfield (2011).

The Pursuit of Motherhood by Jessica Hepburn (2013).

Motherhood: Is It for Me? By Ann Davidman (2016)

Additional Mindfulness and Compassion Resources

Dr. Brandon Yabko on the 'Experimental Honesty' podcast

Brandon Yabko speaking about Self-Compassion on the 'Experimental Honesty' podcast (can be downloaded on any podcast platform -- search for 'Experimental Honesty' - https://www.experimentalhonesty.com/podcast/brandon-yabko

How to Practice Self-Compassion

How to Practice Self-Compassion | Mindfulness | Two Psychologists - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqoUiEEtyTE&t=1s

Guided Meditations

Mindfulness of Grounding (1)

Body Scan (Short) 2

Body Scan (Long) 3

Mindfulness of Breath (4)

Loving Kindness (5)

Mindful Movement (6)

Three Minute Breathing Space (7)

Link to our Youtube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@SLCPsych

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