My guest today is Marni, a single-mother-by-choice who chose the path when the community wasn’t very accessible. She does an excellent job of painting what it was like twelve years ago and the challenges of finding donors. Marni needed both an egg donor and a sperm donor to conceive her son. At the time of Marni’s process, her choices were very limited and sperm donors were always anonymous. She explains how she chose her donors and why she actually had to fight for her sperm donor in the end.
She expresses how much the community has changed since her process. The community is much easier to reach out to now. Marni has also raised her son largely on her own away from her family. We discuss the importance of “getting over yourself” and asking for help. It doesn’t mean you are weak. She is also proof that you don’t need family support to raise a child, a common stumbling block for some women.
Marni offers a unique perspective on the single-mother-by-choice path. She chose her path at a time when it was not a favorable option, culturally speaking. Which makes it a testament to the drive and resilience of Marni and the community around her.
Some highlights of today’s conversation:
- Marni’s early ideas of motherhood.
- Why she waited till 40 to try to conceive.
- The failed IUIs (Intrauterine inseminations) and the switch to IVF (In vitro fertilization.)
- Deciding to continue with an egg donor instead of adoption.
- How Marni chose her egg and sperm donors.
- Why she had to fight to get the same sperm donor as a college friend.
- What led to the decision to be open and honest with her son about his conception.
- Why every woman should have the option to stay at home (and why Marni doesn’t.)
- Asking for help and finding a supportive community to help you.
- The burden of being both good cop and bad cop.
- Why you don’t need family close to raise a child and how to make it work.
Resources
Motherhood Reimagined SMC Community
Motherhood Reimagined: When Becoming a Mother Doesn’t Go As Planned: A Memoir by Sarah Kowalski
Thank you for joining us for Motherhood Reimagined. You can contact us through the website or Twitter
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.