The Stork and I

S2: Managing your Mindset with Alice Rose

This weeks episode is with Alice Rose, The Fertility Mindset Mentor. 

 

Alice went through 11 rounds of fertility treatment before conceiving her daughter and as a result of her own personal journey, decided to start supporting others going through similar experiences. 

 

In this episode we discuss: 

 

- Alice's personal journey and what led her to set up the support she now offers 

- How all consuming a fertility journey can be

- Dealing with overwhelm 

- Tips for coping with the journey

- Why it is important to have trusted sources of information 

- The difference between informed thoughts and opinions

- How meditation and mindfulness can help support us on this journey

- Dealing with comparison

- The power of the community

- How Alice now supports others on their own journey

 

For more information on Alice and the support she gives you can find her at: 

 

- Instagram

- The Life Raft Membership

- This Is Alice Rose Website

 

S2: Donor Eggs with Becky from Defining Mum

In todays episode I chat to Becky Kearns AKA @definingmum

 

Becky has 3 gorgeous girls with her husband, who she conceived using donor eggs in the Czech Republic. 

 

In this episode we discuss: 

 

- Feelings of loneliness when on the donor conception journey

- Why Becky started her blog Defining Mum

- Societal expectations of parenthood

- What shapes a person over and above genetics

- The pros and cons of having a partner when you're going through this process

- Connecting with others in the same situation

- Our fears about this route to parenthood and the importance of sharing them in safe spaces

- Deciding to move from your own eggs to donor eggs

- What we mean by plan B

- Worries about what people think of our decisions

- Deciding to have treatment abroad

- The creation of Paths to Parenthub 

 

For more information you can follow Becky on Instagram at:  

@definingmum

@pathstoparenthub

 

Or on her website: 

Defining Mum

Paths to Parenthub

 

 

S2: Donor Sperm with Annemette Arndal-Lauritzen from European Sperm Bank

In this episode, I talk to Annemette Arndal-Lauritzen, the CEO of the European Sperm Bank. Annemette has been in the company since 2013. She has a background in the healthcare sector and her main interests revolve around how women and sperm donors experience their contact with the sperm bank, and how to continuously improve this relationship.

We had a really interesting discussion about the process for both the donor and the recipient, as well as the values of the Sperm Bank and their ideas about how they see their responsibility in this process, which was really reassuring to hear. 

 

In this episode we cover: 

 

- The recruitment of donors

- The process the donors go through

- The selection and profile of donors 

- The process of ordering sperm

-  Advice on how to choose a donor

- Insights into finding donor siblings

- Discussion around finding the balance between the rights and needs of the donor, the recipient and the donor conceived child

- The values of the European Sperm Bank

 

For more information on the European Sperm bank you can follow them on Instagram/Facebook or see their website. 

S2: Fertility Options with Dr Matt Prior

In this episode I talk to Dr Matt Prior. Matt is an NHS consultant doctor working at Newcastle Fertility Centre and also Medical Director at Dr Fertility.  

 

Dr Prior specialises in reproductive medicine and surgery. He helps people with fertility problems using a holistic approach. 

 

In this episode we discuss: 

 

- How to better understand your fertility

- When to go to your GP and how they can help you

- An explanation of AMH 

- Considerations when choosing a fertility clinic

- The difference between IUI and IVF

- The rough cost of fertility treatment 

- Where to go for independent advice

 

In the episode we mention the HFEA, which is a UK based organisation. If you are listening from outside the UK, you can check if there is an equivalent independent body in your country. 

 

If you'd like a consultation with Dr Prior you can contact him at @drfertility

 

For more of Matt's insights you can follow him on Instagram at: 

@drmattprior

@bigfertilityproject

 

 

S2: Creating a support network with Zoe Desmond from Frolo

My guest today is Zoe Desmond, the founder of the single parent networking app, Frolo. 

 

Zoe became a single parent a few years ago when her son Billy was one. She wanted to connect with other single parents, but didn't know how to find them so she decided to start Frolo to connect single parents to one another and create a supportive community. 

 

Frolo is the first community app of its kind for single parents, regardless of how they came to be parenting solo. The emphasis is on finding human connections. Using the app makes it easy to discover and connect with likeminded single parents for friendship and meetups, as well as providing access to a wider community of single parents for support, guidance, advice and virtual meetups. 

 

Zoe is passionate about changing the stereotypes and assumptions about what it means to be a single parent. 

 

In this episode we chat about: 

 

- What inspired Zoe to start Frolo

- Where the name Frolo came from

- How the app has helped Zoe personally meet other single parents that have now formed part of her closest friendship group

- Dealing with loneliness, especially at the weekends, when it seems like everyone else is with their family

- How we can redefine the classic relationship model

- How we can be happier with having an amazing friendship group and support network around us than just having one partner we rely on for everything

- How parenting solo can help you build stronger connections with those around you

- How to navigate the Frolo App

and much more!

 

For more information, follow @frolo on Instagram

S2: Fertility Nutrition with Rosie Tadman

Episode 2 is with Rosie Tadman (DipCNM, BANT and CNHC Reg) a Fertility Nutritional Therapist who studied at the prestigious College of Natural Medicine in London.

 

Rosie specialises in Fertility, Female Hormones, Pregnancy and Postpartum Support.

 

Rosie uses Modern Science and Traditional Wisdom to get women in hormonal flow and support conception. She supports underlying causes, rather than just suppressing symptoms.

 

Rosie works with women who;

• are thinking about getting pregnant and want to ensure they are as healthy as possible

• are actively trying to get pregnant, through both natural and assisted routes (IVF, ICSI, IUI)

• have a hormonal condition (PCOS, Endometriosis, Fibroids, Period issues)

• are pregnant and would like nutrition advice to support them to thrive through pregnancy 

• would like postpartum support (whether this is 6 weeks after their baby is born or 6-years )

In this episode we discuss:

 

• AMH and Rosies view on whether this is flawed as a measure
• How a Fertility Nutritional Therapist can support you on your fertility journey
• Egg quality and whether it can be improved
• An idea of which supplements to take
• How to track your cycle
• Top tips for preparing your body before fertility treatment
• Whether you should give up or cut down on alcohol (this was recorded before I decided to stop drinking!)
• The research on smoking and the impact to egg quality
• Rosies online fertility nutrition course

 

If you'd like to hear more from Rosie you can find her at: 

 

www.rosielife.org

www.instagram.com/rosielifenutrition

www.facebook.com/rosielifeUK

rosielifeuk@hotmail.com 

S2: James Preece; The Dating Guru

In episode 1 of The Stork and I Podcast, I chat to The Dating Guru James Preece. 

 

James has been working in the dating industry for over a decade and is responsible for thousands of single people finding love. 

He coaches both men and women, so can share both the male and female perspective. He is a well connected dating influencer who has worked with many dating apps and online dating sites to help their members have a better user experience.

James hosts his own podcast called The Love Machine. Each week he explores fun ways to bring love into your life. 

James has written several best selling dating books and relationship guides, many of which have gone on to become Amazon bestsellers.

So why am I chatting to James on a podcast about becoming a solo mum I hear you ask? 2 main reasons:

Firstly, about 95% of my coaching clients share with me that they are trying to decide between continuing to date or starting the journey of solo motherhood.  

For those who have decided to continue to date for now, I want to provide support with the best strategies to take action and to be successful at this. 

Secondly, a top fear of women who choose solo motherhood is that it will mean they remain single forever more. I explore this idea with James to try to put our minds at rest that this is simply not the case. 

 

For more information about James and the coaching and support he offers, you can check out his website at www.jamespreece.com and follow him on Instagram @jamespreececoach

The Stork and I Series 2 Trailer

Series 2 of The Stork and I Podcast is finally here. 

This series is about the process to become a solo mum. 

1st episode of the 2nd series launches on 5th January. 

A grandparents view on solo motherhood with Granny Bev

This is the final episode of series 1 of the podcast. And I've saved a great episode for last!

Basically I managed to persuade Granny Bev to record with me. She was not in her comfort zone at all. But she agreed to do it anyway! 

 

In this episode we discuss: 

- Whether living abroad has hindered my efforts to meet someone

- The fear of never becoming a grandparent

- The fact that my mum was worried about whether I would be able to cope!

- Opinions of why I've not met a partner and whether she thinks I am too choosey!

- How dating has changed from the past and how our expectations of relationships have changed

- The experience of attending antenatal classes and being my birthing partner

- The support my mum gives me on a weekly basis and how challenging it can be

- Why Granny Bev isn't remotely interested in dating!

 

and much more!

 

I hope you enjoy and it gives you a slightly different perspective on things. And what a good sport she is for agreeing to be a guest! 

You can follow Granny Bev on Instagram where she occasionally posts pics of her and Daisy. 

 

 

Couple goals with Raelene Rorke

In this episode I chat to Raelene Rorke. Entrepreneur, founder of Indica, mother of 3 girls and married to my friend Nate. Nate and Rae are my real life relationship goals couple. 

 

In this episode we talk about: 

 

- The key to making a relationship work and overcoming struggles

- Making family life work and how to find the right flow and rhythm 

- Exploring some of the challenges of parenting in a partnership

- How marriage does not automatically equal fairytale, but rather how we each create our own fairytale

- How having a variety of male role models in our childs life can be so beneficial

- How our values and foundations have much more influence on our parenting style than the colour of our skin or where we grew up

- Having challenging Black Lives Matter conversations

- Creating and living our best lives, however that looks for us right now

- How much we can benefit from spending time with individuals in different relationship circumstances and the importance of not deselecting to hang out with couples and their families

 

and much more!

 

You can follow Raelene on Instagram and you can check out Indica here.