The Backup Plan

I’ve finally had an emotional breakdown about my IVF journey. GRATEFUL for the mental health work I’ve done along the way to keep me afloat.

Progesterone in oil shots start soon and I’m hoping that I’m nearing the end of my journey!

Support the show

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I'm becoming a single mother by choice using a known donor; I'm so stoked to be having a baby with my gay best friend. After a few tries with the turkey baster in 2023, I turned to IVF in Spring of 2024.

Watch video versions of The Backup Plan on YouTube!

CONNECT WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Website: https://backupplanpod.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/backupplanpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@backupplanpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backupplanpod

CONNECT WITH MEREDITH
Instagram: https://instagram.com/meredithk8

WORK WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Visit https://backupplanpod.com/work-with-me for brand partnerships and business inquiries.

Created, produced and hosted by Meredith Kate, co-produced by Julian Hagins.

Visit https://backupplanpod.com for show notes, transcripts, partner links, and our newsletter.

Donald Trump is promising free IVF if he gets elected. As someone who is deep int he middle of an IVF journey myself, I share thoughts and feelings about how I think it'd work (spoiler alert: I don't think it will).

REGISTER TO VOTE
https://vote.gov

FACTS AND FIGURES

• Trump says he wants to make IVF treatments paid for by government or insurance companies if elected, NBC News
• Insurance Coverage by State, Resolve
• France drafts law to extend IVF to lesbians, single women, AP News 
• More than half of European countries prohibit access to assisted reproduction for lesbians and almost a third do so for single women, Civio 
• A Global View of IVF Treatment and Access, GE 
• The Parents Who Want Daughters—and Daughters Only, Slate

ALSO MENTIONED
Our Little Gay Life: https://www.instagram.com/ourlittlegaylife/

Support the show

---

I'm becoming a single mother by choice using a known donor; I'm so stoked to be having a baby with my gay best friend. After a few tries with the turkey baster in 2023, I turned to IVF in Spring of 2024.

Watch video versions of The Backup Plan on YouTube!

CONNECT WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Website: https://backupplanpod.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/backupplanpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@backupplanpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backupplanpod

CONNECT WITH MEREDITH
Instagram: https://instagram.com/meredithk8

WORK WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Visit https://backupplanpod.com/work-with-me for brand partnerships and business inquiries.

Created, produced and hosted by Meredith Kate, co-produced by Julian Hagins.

Visit https://backupplanpod.com for show notes, transcripts, partner links, and our newsletter.

Progesterone in oil has arrived! I’m prepping for my frozen embryo transfer as a single mom by choice, and the first step is receiving medication.

TOPICS
00:00 Intro
01:30 The DL on Meds
04:13 Unboxing!

ITEMS MENTIONED
Pineapple Bandages: https://amzn.to/471WLPC

OTHER VIDEOS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Catch Up Video from Last Week: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRC4G66OfM0
Embryo Reveal Party: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQhlUQk5iho
Breast Cancer Scare Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxp3GXS_QBdLaLptiBf6zgfBZr14hsM4o

—

Hey, I'm Meredith! I'm becoming a single mom by choice using a known donor; I'm so stoked to be having a baby with my gay best friend. After a few tries with the turkey baster in 2023, I turned to IVF in Spring of 2024.

CONNECT WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Website: https://backupplanpod.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/backupplanpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@backupplanpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backupplanpod

CONNECT WITH MEREDITH
Instagram: https://instagram.com/meredithk8

WORK WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Visit https://backupplanpod.com/work-with-me for brand partnerships and business inquiries.

Created, produced and hosted by Meredith Kate.

Support the show

---

I'm becoming a single mother by choice using a known donor; I'm so stoked to be having a baby with my gay best friend. After a few tries with the turkey baster in 2023, I turned to IVF in Spring of 2024.

Watch video versions of The Backup Plan on YouTube!

CONNECT WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Website: https://backupplanpod.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/backupplanpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@backupplanpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backupplanpod

CONNECT WITH MEREDITH
Instagram: https://instagram.com/meredithk8

WORK WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Visit https://backupplanpod.com/work-with-me for brand partnerships and business inquiries.

Created, produced and hosted by Meredith Kate, co-produced by Julian Hagins.

Visit https://backupplanpod.com for show notes, transcripts, partner links, and our newsletter.

Becoming a single mother by choice is difficult! I've been preparing for a baby for two years and making content about the process for a year, so I figured it was worth doing a recap video to catch y'all up on where we've been together.

Support the show

---

I'm becoming a single mother by choice using a known donor; I'm so stoked to be having a baby with my gay best friend. After a few tries with the turkey baster in 2023, I turned to IVF in Spring of 2024.

Watch video versions of The Backup Plan on YouTube!

CONNECT WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Website: https://backupplanpod.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/backupplanpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@backupplanpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backupplanpod

CONNECT WITH MEREDITH
Instagram: https://instagram.com/meredithk8

WORK WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Visit https://backupplanpod.com/work-with-me for brand partnerships and business inquiries.

Created, produced and hosted by Meredith Kate, co-produced by Julian Hagins.

Visit https://backupplanpod.com for show notes, transcripts, partner links, and our newsletter.

My IVF journey was abruptly halted last month when a breast cancer scare got in the way. In the last part of my cancer scare series (YAY), I share how a surgery consult turned into a lumpectomy in less than 24 hours.

RELATED VIDEOS:

• Breast Cancer Scare, Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DOScCIxkF8
• Breast Cancer Scare, Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozMicBT8LlM

Support the show

---

I'm becoming a single mother by choice using a known donor; I'm so stoked to be having a baby with my gay best friend. After a few tries with the turkey baster in 2023, I turned to IVF in Spring of 2024.

Watch video versions of The Backup Plan on YouTube!

CONNECT WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Website: https://backupplanpod.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/backupplanpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@backupplanpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backupplanpod

CONNECT WITH MEREDITH
Instagram: https://instagram.com/meredithk8

WORK WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Visit https://backupplanpod.com/work-with-me for brand partnerships and business inquiries.

Created, produced and hosted by Meredith Kate, co-produced by Julian Hagins.

Visit https://backupplanpod.com for show notes, transcripts, partner links, and our newsletter.

Sharing my stereotactic breast biopsy in chair experience at Hoag Hospital Newport Beach.

In the middle of IVF treatment, I felt something a little strange in my left breast and decided to get it checked out before my frozen embryo implantation. I’m SO GRATEFUL that my doctor at Kindbody get my set up with the Hoag team so quickly.

Also talking about mental health and maintaining support expectations during a health crisis.

00:00 Introduction
00:56 The Biopsy
09:02 Aftercare & Emotional Breakdowns
13:22 Next Steps

RELATED VIDEOS:
My cancer scare in the middle of IVF. https://youtu.be/9DOScCIxkF8

Support the show

---

I'm becoming a single mother by choice using a known donor; I'm so stoked to be having a baby with my gay best friend. After a few tries with the turkey baster in 2023, I turned to IVF in Spring of 2024.

Watch video versions of The Backup Plan on YouTube!

CONNECT WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Website: https://backupplanpod.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/backupplanpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@backupplanpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backupplanpod

CONNECT WITH MEREDITH
Instagram: https://instagram.com/meredithk8

WORK WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Visit https://backupplanpod.com/work-with-me for brand partnerships and business inquiries.

Created, produced and hosted by Meredith Kate, co-produced by Julian Hagins.

Visit https://backupplanpod.com for show notes, transcripts, partner links, and our newsletter.

IVF as a single mom by choice is hard enough, I don't need a cancer scare! Fears of breast cancer are looming as I get a radial scar checked out at Hoag Hospital Newport Beach. Having a mammogram under 40 wasn’t on my bingo card for 2024.

—

Hey, I'm Meredith! I'm becoming a single mom by choice using a known donor; I'm so stoked to be having a baby with my gay best friend. After a few tries with the turkey baster in 2023, I turned to IVF in Spring of 2024.

CONNECT WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Website: https://backupplanpod.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/backupplanpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@backupplanpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backupplanpod

CONNECT WITH MEREDITH
Instagram: https://instagram.com/meredithk8

WORK WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Visit https://backupplanpod.com/work-with-me for brand partnerships and business inquiries.

Created, produced and hosted by Meredith Kate.

Support the show

---

I'm becoming a single mother by choice using a known donor; I'm so stoked to be having a baby with my gay best friend. After a few tries with the turkey baster in 2023, I turned to IVF in Spring of 2024.

Watch video versions of The Backup Plan on YouTube!

CONNECT WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Website: https://backupplanpod.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/backupplanpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@backupplanpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backupplanpod

CONNECT WITH MEREDITH
Instagram: https://instagram.com/meredithk8

WORK WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Visit https://backupplanpod.com/work-with-me for brand partnerships and business inquiries.

Created, produced and hosted by Meredith Kate, co-produced by Julian Hagins.

Visit https://backupplanpod.com for show notes, transcripts, partner links, and our newsletter.

IVF success isn’t just getting pregnant - it’s a lot of steps along the way. In her journey to becoming a single mom by choice, Meredith decided to celebrate her embryos after they passed preimplantation genetic screening with an EMBRYO REVEAL PARTY - a modern twist on a traditional gender reveal party.

Support the show

---

I'm becoming a single mother by choice using a known donor; I'm so stoked to be having a baby with my gay best friend. After a few tries with the turkey baster in 2023, I turned to IVF in Spring of 2024.

Watch video versions of The Backup Plan on YouTube!

CONNECT WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Website: https://backupplanpod.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/backupplanpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@backupplanpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backupplanpod

CONNECT WITH MEREDITH
Instagram: https://instagram.com/meredithk8

WORK WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Visit https://backupplanpod.com/work-with-me for brand partnerships and business inquiries.

Created, produced and hosted by Meredith Kate, co-produced by Julian Hagins.

Visit https://backupplanpod.com for show notes, transcripts, partner links, and our newsletter.

Meredith is sharing news from her fertility doctors at Kindbody this week - her frozen embryo transfer (FET) has been scheduled! She goes over the process, why her and her doctor chose a controlled FET and plans for her BLASTOSHOWER - an embryo sex reveal.

TOPICS COVERED
00:53 Getting the physical PGT-A results and planning the BLASTOSHOWER!
02:23 Scheduling the FET
04:02 Explaining what an FET is
05:09 Choosing a natural or a controlled FET and preparation
09:18 What happens after a frozen embryo transfer?
10:25 Getting Excited

MEREDITH’S FIT THIS WEEK
Sleeveless Suit And Wide Leg Pants Set: https://amzn.to/3Y1usOZ

ARTICLE REFERENCES
NYU Langone Health https://nyulangone.org/locations/fertility-center/in-vitro-fertilization-egg-freezing-embryo-banking/in-vitro-fertilization
Ovoclinic, Embryo Transfer: Natural or Artificial Cycle? https://ovoclinic.net/embryo-transfer-natural-or-artificial-cycle-ovoclinic/?lang=en

VIDEO REFERENCES
Embryo Transfer | Santa Monica Fertility https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvQZA7EWwmk
Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago, Embryo Transfer During IVF https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAfworG82Xo

Support the show

---

I'm becoming a single mother by choice using a known donor; I'm so stoked to be having a baby with my gay best friend. After a few tries with the turkey baster in 2023, I turned to IVF in Spring of 2024.

Watch video versions of The Backup Plan on YouTube!

CONNECT WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Website: https://backupplanpod.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/backupplanpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@backupplanpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backupplanpod

CONNECT WITH MEREDITH
Instagram: https://instagram.com/meredithk8

WORK WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Visit https://backupplanpod.com/work-with-me for brand partnerships and business inquiries.

Created, produced and hosted by Meredith Kate, co-produced by Julian Hagins.

Visit https://backupplanpod.com for show notes, transcripts, partner links, and our newsletter.

Meredith got her PGT-A test results a week early! Watch as she shares the news with family and friends, talks about next steps, and shares tips for maintaining sanity during the process. Frozen embryo implantation comes next…stay tuned!

ITEMS MENTIONED
Jujube Dr BFF Bag: https://amzn.to/3LfQp5f

SMBC COMMUNITIES
SMBC Official: https://www.singlemothersbychoice.org
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/SingleMothersbyChoice

NEW TO THE BACKUP PLAN?
Who is Whitney? https://backupplanpod.com/18-whoop-swoop-and-pull-w-whitney-warren/
Who is Krystina? https://backupplanpod.com/9-to-breed-or-not-to-breed-w-krystina-arielle-whitney-warren/

Support the show

---

I'm becoming a single mother by choice using a known donor; I'm so stoked to be having a baby with my gay best friend. After a few tries with the turkey baster in 2023, I turned to IVF in Spring of 2024.

Watch video versions of The Backup Plan on YouTube!

CONNECT WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Website: https://backupplanpod.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/backupplanpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@backupplanpod
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backupplanpod

CONNECT WITH MEREDITH
Instagram: https://instagram.com/meredithk8

WORK WITH THE BACKUP PLAN
Visit https://backupplanpod.com/work-with-me for brand partnerships and business inquiries.

Created, produced and hosted by Meredith Kate, co-produced by Julian Hagins.

Visit https://backupplanpod.com for show notes, transcripts, partner links, and our newsletter.