becoming babyREADY with Sam Leeson - All About Queer Family Planning & Creation

I can't believe that we are standing on the precipice of Season 3 after over 80 episodes have been released to date.

On "becoming babyREADY" we talk about the best parts of life - even when there are struggles - as they relate to our Queer families and our Queer family planning and creation.

This year I will introduce you to both new and seasoned parents as well as professionals who help make these families happen.

Are you someone I NEED to connect with? Do you know parents or professionals who would be a PERFECT fit to be guests? Let me know: [email protected]

You hear people talk about taking a deep breath to calm themselves. What does that really mean? How do we use breath work to navigate some of the strong emotions that can be associated with Queer family creation?

Today I have the opportunity to introduce you to Ashlee Livingstone. Ashlee has been on the Podcast before to speak about boundaries and setting boundaries as expectant and new parents. Today though we're talking about facilitating, using a positive mindset and breath work to support a more regulated nervous system through the more frightening and emotional parts of transitioning to parents.

You can find Ashlee and learn more about the work she does by visiting her on IG @ashlee.livingstone

I am so lucky to introduce you today to Christina and Rad. Between them they have three children; two that Christina birthed and one that Rad birthed.

They spoke openly about using a known donor, inseminating at home, and some of the struggles of pregnancy that Rad experienced. Some were a result of being a trans man and some were truly obscure.

These two are ALSO travelling, vegan wedding caterers who own, @knifeyspooneykingston. They travel around southern Ontario, providing elegant feast for guests attending weddings. It is also fundamental for them to work to make their community a safer, healthier, and more environmentally sound space.

Learn more about them at www.knifeyspooney.com

The location of the market that they spoke about is 303 York Street, Kingston, ON

Newman-Goldfarb Lactation Induction Protocol: https://www.canadianbreastfeedingfoundation.org/induced/regular_protocol.shtml

Tom Dean minces no words when he describes the absolute joy he feels in parenting his son with his husband, Brett.

Through my conversation with him today, he outlined their experience adopting through the public system in England. 

You hear joy in every word he utters about parenthood. Follow Tom and Brett on their parenting journey by checking out @dose of deans

#becomingbabyREADY

#babyREADY 

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#fertility  

#surrogacy 

#adoption 

#parenting 

#fostertoadopt

#eggdonor  

#infantfeeding 

#lgbtq 

#lgbt 

#lesbianmoms 

#gaydads  

#newbornbaby 

#RIVF  

#twomums 

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#transparenting

#IUI 

#IVF 

#momandmom 

#dadanddad 

#baba 

#twodads 

#inclusiveparenting  

#samesexfamilies

What if the stereotype of growing up, getting married and having children wasn’t your dream? 

What if it took meeting the love of your life to realize that having a family together would just make everything even better? 

Today I get to introduce you to Jayelle, who with her wife Steph, have two beautiful children. They did things their own way. They went private instead of through the NHS. RIVF instead of IUI. And sperm was just an ingredient.

It seemed like the perfect set up. An egg donor who was related. It should have been straightforward and easy. And it wasn’t.

Today I have the opportunity to introduce you to Ravi and dips who our parents to a beautiful baby girl. We have a conversation about the many ups and downs they faced on their family creation pathway.

Note: throughout the episode, Ravi refers to IVF. In his context, he is referring to egg donation and egg retrieval and not in vitro fertilization which is the transfer of a fertilized egg into a uterus.

When you are a queer couple with two uterus and you’re talking about starting a family, but one of you works within the realm of adoption services then really, what pathway will you take to create this family? 

I’m excited to introduce you to Cait. She and her wife “Wanda,” live in Virginia and today our conversation dives into politics, procreation, adoption, and more. 

To learn more about Cait and her family you can find them on Instagram and TikTok @2.ladies.and.2.babies

www.adoptuskids.org is the organization that Caitlyn speaks about to learn more about public adoption process in the US.

Creating a family using reproductive technology and support in a state that is predominantly red can be isolating and emotionally challenging.

Today I chat with Liz and Tabitha about their family creation journey. Liz carried their first child using IUI and Tabitha is getting geared up to carry baby number two.

We chat about the ups and downs of conceiving a baby and growing our families, as well as the challenges we face with the existence of current legislation and how laws differ from state to state and country to country.

When a used to be lawyer and a paediatrician get together and decide they want to create a family and need sperm to do it then logically they would end up creating their own business to accommodate their specific needs in a known Donor.

Today I get to introduce you to Danielle, reformed lawyer (her words) and Dr. Paige to hear their family creations story and how that led to starting their own business.

Additionally, you will hear us speak about a Queer physician database, and the link for that is: https://lgbtqhealthcaredirectory.org/

Doctor P's clinic is accepting new patients. The name and location for that is: Potomac Pediatrics, in Rockville, MD

Finally, their business is: The Seed Scout: www.theseedscout.com

@theseedscout

What do lesbian relationships, PCOS, cross-country moves, fertility treatments, trans spouses and polyamory have in common? The answer is obvious, Dr. Jeni Wahlig. 

Today Dr. Jeni shares her story about her struggle to family creation, as well as the evolution of discovering who she is, in her soul.

Additionally we have the opportunity to learn more about what Dr. Jeni and her partner, Cal, do in their work together. They empower couples and individuals with strategies to live their best lives.

To learn more about their business visit: https://www.powerfulove.com and you can find her on FB & IG @jeniwahlig