Your Cart is Empty
I recently spoke with the lovely Hayley King from Paths to Parenthub on her personal experience of donor conception (as a donor conceived child herself and using a donor to have her family) and about the unique challenges of building a family through donor conception, particularly for LGBTQ+ couples.
Together, we explore some of the barriers people can face during fertility treatment, from feeling excluded by outdated clinic processes and language to navigating donor selection, counselling, and the complex emotions that can accompany genetic loss. We also discuss why it's so important to research clinics and treatment options carefully, understand the support available, and make informed decisions throughout your journey.
A key part of our conversation focuses on the power of connecting with people who truly understand your experience. Hayley explains how specialist peer support can help you feel less alone, answer the questions you didn't know you had, and provide reassurance not only during treatment but as your family grows.
Whether you're just beginning to explore donor conception or are already on your journey to parenthood, this conversation offers practical guidance, emotional support, and the reassurance that there are communities and resources available to help you every step of the way.
The reality is that, sadly, more IVF cycles end without a pregnancy than result in one. That doesn't make receiving a negative result any easier, particularly when you've spent weeks or months building up to that moment and allowing yourself to imagine what life might look like if it worked.
When you first start IVF, you imagine it’ll be full of hope and a team of people helping you move closer to your dream of having a baby. And while that’s true, what most people don’t talk about is how IVF can slowly chip away at your sense of dignity.
In this latest conversation in my ‘Taking Control’ series, I’m joined by the lovely Julianne Boutaleb, Perinatal Psychologist, to talk about the emotional impact of infertility and the things we can do to protect our mental wellbeing along the way.