IVF abroad: TTC and infertility for those considering conceiving abroad
Solo Motherhood: What You Need to Know Before Starting Fertility Treatment with solo parent Mel Johnson, The Stork and I.
Solo Motherhood: What You Need to Know Before Starting Fertility Treatment Could becoming a solo mum be the right path for you? And if you're considering having a baby on your own, how do you know when you're ready — and where do you actually start? In this episode, I'm joined by Mel from The Stork and I , solo mum to her daughter Daisy and a coach who supports women considering, pursuing and living solo parenthood. Mel shares how, after the end of a long-term relationship and years of dating, she reached the point where she had to decide whether to keep waiting to meet a partner or pursue motherhood on her own. We talk honestly about the emotional AND practical reality of that decision — including something that isn't always acknowledged: grieving the version of parenthood you thought you would have while learning to embrace a different one. We discuss: How do you know if solo motherhood is right for you? Do you ever feel 100% ready to become a solo parent? Waiting for the right partner versus deciding to have a baby on your own Why staying in indecision can leave you feeling stuck in limbo Letting go of the “fairytale” of how you thought you'd become a parent Solo motherhood by choice, by circumstance or chosen through circumstance and why language matters The difference between being a single parent and a solo parent Where to start when considering fertility treatment as a solo woman Fertility testing and exploring your treatment options Choosing and using donor sperm Mel's experience of having fertility treatment in a different country to the one she was living in Why fertility treatment isn't legally available to solo women in every country Building a support network and finding other solo mums The financial realities and fears around raising a child on one income Worries about whether having a solo parent is fair to your future child How to talk openly to donor-conceived children about their story Why working through your own feelings about donor conception matters too What Mel wishes she'd known before becoming a solo mum We also talk about one of the biggest fears Mel hears from women considering this route: “What if I make the wrong decision and regret it?” About Mel and The Stork and I Mel Johnson always imagined she would have a baby with a partner. When the right person didn't come along, she made the decision to pursue parenthood on her own, and is now a solo mum to her eight year old daughter, conceived through IVF and donor conception. When she started out she went looking for other women doing the same thing, and found that the community she needed simply didn't exist. So she built it. The Stork and I is a platform and community for women considering, choosing and navigating solo motherhood. Now known as The Solo Parenthood Coach, with over ten years of coaching experience behind her, Mel has supported more than 1,000 people through every stage of this decision, from the earliest stages of considering it, through treatment and beyond. She offers one to one coaching for women who want to go deep on their own decision, group coaching in three week programmes of up to twelve women, and a membership community that is now 360 women strong, where solo mums and women considering the path find each other and stay connected long after the decision is made. Her podcast has been downloaded over 180,000 times, and on Instagram she documents "a day in the life of" a solo mum, giving an honest, balanced picture of what this life actually looks like day to day. Mentioned in this episode We Are Family by Susan Golombok – research into different family structures, including solo-parent and donor-conceived families. Singled Out by Bella DePaulo – exploring society's attitudes towards being single and challenging some of the assumptions around relationships and happiness. Need help working out your own fertility treatment options? If you're considering fertility treatment and don't know where to start — whether you're pursuing solo motherhood, having treatment with a partner, considering donor conception or trying to work out whether treatment in the UK or abroad is right for you - I can help. As an independent fertility strategist, I help you make sense of your fertility history, testing and treatment options, spot gaps that may have been missed and work out the right next steps for YOU - including finding the right clinic and country if treatment abroad turns out to be your best option. I don't work for fertility clinics and I don't accept clinic commission, so my advice is always focused on what is right for you and if you decide to have fertility treatment in your home country I may also be able to still guide and support you. Find out more about working with me: https://www.yourivfabroad.co.uk/work-with-me Free fertility treatment abroad training: https://www.yourivfabroad.co.uk/freemasterclass Want to learn more about going abroad for fertility treatment? Watch this free masterclass: yourivfabroad.co.uk/freemasterclass FREE 15 minute video call - ready to take the next step and want to discuss the services Emma offers: calendly.com/yourivfabroad/15min FREE Online fertility pharmacy introduction - Need an introduction to a specialist pharmacist for a no obligation quote for all your fertility medication at competitive rates and delivered globally? yourivfabroad.co.uk/online-fertility-pharmacy-service Your IVF abroad planner/journal - Keep everything organised and in one place and document your journey and feelings along the way. Find out more/buy one here:yourivfabroad.co.uk/shop
