Building your family

Welcome to Building Your Family, the only expert-guided community platform designed for parents and parents-to-be using reproductive medicine to build their families. We provide unique strategies to help make your path to parenthood smoother and more informed—empowering you to navigate the critical decisions that shape your family’s future.At Building Your Family, we’ve already helped thousands of people navigate the complexities of family building and parenting with confidence. Our goal is to equip you with the knowledge and strategies to make these life-changing decisions with greater clarity, resulting in better outcomes and fewer regrets.We understand that many of the decisions you make along this journey can’t be undone, and that’s why our approach is all about offering you practical, actionable steps that you can start applying right now. Our educational components are tailored to help you think differently, make more informed choices, and take control of your experience—from f

Building your family is a health podcast hosted by Lisa Schuman, with 195 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Lisa Schuman hosts Building your family, a health show with 195 episodes published.

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  Episode #197

  What To Do When You Are Told There Is No Sperm: The STAR System Explained

  Sep 27, 202645 min

  If you or someone you love has been told there is no sperm, this episode is for you. In this episode of the Building Your Family podcast, Lisa talks with Dr. Eric Forman of Columbia University Fertility Center about STAR, Sperm Tracking and Recovery, an AI powered system that can find ultra rare sperm that human embryologists may miss entirely. What you will learn in this episode: What STAR is and how it works — scanning millions of images in under two hours to find sperm hidden among debris and other cells The difference between obstructive and non-obstructive azoospermia and why it matters for your treatment path What STAR can and cannot do — it finds sperm that are nearly impossible to see, but it does not create sperm or improve sperm quality How STAR works alongside surgery, IVF and ICSI rather than replacing them The Klinefelter syndrome case where STAR helped find sperm after surgery and led to a healthy birth Why a reproductive urology consultation still matters even when your clinic is focused on IVF What causes sperm problems — testosterone use, anatomical issues, genetic conditions and more How available STAR is today and how to access it This is one of the most important conversations about male infertility and what is now possible for men who have been told they have no sperm. Free Resources: Take the free quiz: familybuilding.net/welcome-quiz Lisa Schuman LCSW is the founder of The Center for Family Building, author of Building Your Family: The Complete Guide to Donor Conception, and host of the Building Your Family podcast. Your feelings deserve attention. And your decisions deserve clarity. Episode Resources: Time article: https://time.com/collections/best-inventions-2025/7318439/columbia-university-star-method/ Website: https://www.columbiadoctors.org/specialties/obstetrics-gynecology/our-services/columbia-university-fertility-center/our-services/sperm-tracking-and-recovery-star

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  Episode #193

  Donor Siblings: What Every Parent of a Donor Conceived Child Needs to Know

  Sep 20, 202621 min

  Your donor conceived child almost certainly has donor siblings. That is not a maybe — it is one of the realities of donor conception that every family needs to understand. In this episode Lisa Schuman, LCSW covers the three realities of donor siblings, what the research actually shows about donor conceived children and sibling relationships, why families connect with sibling pods and what they are looking for, how these relationships evolve over time, and how to use the Zoom Out framework to make this decision with clarity rather than panic. Whether you are just starting to think about this or you are already navigating a pod — this episode will help you think it through. Resources mentioned in this episode: Building Your Family Community: familybuilding.net Take the free quiz: https://familybuilding.net/welcome-quiz/ Privacy vs Secrecy episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg1sLYzkvWo&t=239s

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  Episode #196

  Male Infertility, Donor Conception and the Family They Built Together: Dana and Ben's Story

  Sep 13, 202644 min

  When Dana and Ben received a diagnosis of zero sperm count they had no idea what came next. Donor sperm? Adoption? And how do you make that decision together as a couple when everything feels impossible? In this episode of the Building Your Family podcast, Lisa Schuman LCSW sits down with Dana and Ben to talk about their journey through male infertility. They cover the diagnosis, the emotions, the decision to use donor sperm, the process of choosing a donor, and what it has been like to build their family and share their story with their children and the people around them. What you will learn in this episode: What it actually feels like to receive a zero sperm count diagnosis as a couple, how Dana and Ben navigated the decision to use donor sperm, how they chose their donor and what that process was really like. They also talk about how open communication and humor helped them get through the hardest moments, how they prepared to share their story with their children from the very beginning and what they want other couples navigating male infertility to know. This is one of the most honest and generous conversations about male infertility and donor conception you will hear. It is one that could change everything for someone navigating this right now. Resources: Building Your Family Community: familybuilding.net Take the free quiz: familybuilding.net/welcome-quiz

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  Episode #194

  PMOS: What Every Woman Needs to Know About Diagnosis, Fertility and Her Long Term Health

  Sep 6, 202644 min

  Could you have PMOS and not know it? For many women the answer is yes, and the wait for a proper diagnosis can take up to ten years. In this episode of the Building Your Family podcast, Lisa Schuman, LCSW talks with Dr. Elizabeth Gardner about PMOS, formerly known as PCOS, a complex hormonal disorder that affects millions of women and goes far beyond fertility. What you will learn in this episode: What PMOS actually is, and why it starts as a communication problem in the brain Why diagnosis can take up to ten years and what to do if you suspect you have it The biggest misconceptions about PMOS that are still causing harm The role of genetics and environment in PMOS. Also discussed are serious health risks beyond fertility, including uterine cancer and metabolic issues, current treatment options and what is on the horizon including KIS peptin How to advocate for yourself with your doctor and get the individualized care you deserve. Whether you have been diagnosed with PMOS or PCOS, are struggling with irregular cycles, or are navigating fertility treatment, this episode will give you information and tools you can use immediately. Take the free quiz: familybuilding.net Lisa Schuman, LCSW is the founder of The Center for Family Building, author of Building Your Family: The Complete Guide to Donor Conception, and host of the Building Your Family podcast. Your feelings deserve attention. And your decisions deserve clarity. #PMOS #PCOS #fertility #womenshealth #reproductivehealth #hormonalhealth #reproductivetherapist #ivf #fertilityjourney #endocrinology #donorconception #buildingafamily

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  Episode #195

  Sperm Donation From the Inside: One Donor's Perspective on Family and Transparency

  Aug 30, 202649 min

  What does sperm donation look like from the inside, from someone who is both donor conceived himself and a sperm donor? In this episode of the Building Your Family podcast, Lisa Schuman, LCSW talks with Daniel Bayen, a sperm donor who grew up as a donor conceived person, about the evolving landscape of sperm donation, the importance of transparency and psychological screening, what it is like to meet donor siblings, and how he thinks about the ethical limits of donation. What you will learn in this episode: What modern sperm donation options look like beyond traditional banks What it was like growing up donor conceived, and how that shaped his decision to become a donor himself How he screens recipients and why transparency matters so much to him. He talks about what donor siblings mean to donor conceived people, and how it varies The psychological screening process and why he has completed five screenings His family limit of 50 families and how he thinks about what he wants other donors, and recipients, to understand This is a rare and genuinely honest conversation about donor conception from a perspective you almost never hear. Resources: Building Your Family Community: familybuilding.net Take the free quiz: familybuilding.net Lisa Schuman, LCSW is the founder of The Center for Family Building, author of Building Your Family: The Complete Guide to Donor Conception, and host of the Building Your Family podcast. Your feelings deserve attention. And your decisions deserve clarity. #spermdonor #donorconception #donorconceived #familybuilding #donorsiblings #opendonation #modernfamilies #ivf #spermdonation #buildingafamily

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