Beyond Pronatalism | Finding fulfillment, with or without kids

Population Balance

To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet how many of us know that we even have a choice about how we define and create our families? Beyond Pronatalism host Nandita Bajaj interviews women and men from diverse backgrounds who are courageously and creatively navigating pronatalism - the powerful pressures to have children - whether from family, friends, or the culture at large. Through intimate conversations, they discuss how they are forging unconventional pathways to fulfillment, including redefining what family means to them - whether that means being childfree or childless, having biological children, adopting or fostering children or animals, or creating close-knit communities of friends and loved ones.

  1. 3D AGO

    Lucy | Thriving Solo

    Growing up Lucy assumed she'd follow the traditional path of marriage and motherhood but, as she grew older, she found herself increasingly questioning the dominant cultural script. Despite a brief period of intense broodiness, she realized that the single, childfree life gave her the freedom, peace, and purpose that she craved.  Today, through her Thrive Solo podcast and book, Lucy empowers others to reject pronatalist expectations and embrace happiness on their own terms.  https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/lucy Interested in being on the show? Submit your story here: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast.   About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet how many of us know that we even have a choice about how we define and create our families? Beyond Pronatalism host Nandita Bajaj interviews women and men from diverse backgrounds who are courageously and creatively navigating pronatalism - the powerful pressures to have children - whether from family, friends, or the culture at large. Through intimate conversations, they discuss how they are forging unconventional pathways to fulfillment, including redefining what family means to them - whether that means being childfree or childless, having biological children, adopting or fostering children or animals, or creating close-knit communities of friends and loved ones. Beyond Pronatalism is brought to you by Population Balance - the only nonprofit organization advancing ecological and reproductive justice by confronting pronatalism.  Visit https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast to subscribe, learn more, and submit your story! Episodes released every two weeks. Find us on Apple podcasts, Spotify, and all other podcast platforms. Copyright 2025 Population Balance

    35 min
  2. OCT 21

    Pamela | Surviving the Trauma of IVF

    Distraught by her infertility diagnosis, Pamela pursued the IVF pathway. A decade of costly and painful failed fertility treatments left Pamela traumatized. Determined to expose the exploitative and dangerously pronatalist practices of the highly unregulated multi-billion dollar fertility industry and to bring together other IVF survivors, she founded the "silent sorority" community and the ReproTechTruths website. Today, she and her husband lead deeply fulfilled lives pursuing their many passions. https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/pamela Interested in being on the show? Submit your story here: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast.   About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet how many of us know that we even have a choice about how we define and create our families? Beyond Pronatalism host Nandita Bajaj interviews women and men from diverse backgrounds who are courageously and creatively navigating pronatalism - the powerful pressures to have children - whether from family, friends, or the culture at large. Through intimate conversations, they discuss how they are forging unconventional pathways to fulfillment, including redefining what family means to them - whether that means being childfree or childless, having biological children, adopting or fostering children or animals, or creating close-knit communities of friends and loved ones. Beyond Pronatalism is brought to you by Population Balance - the only nonprofit organization advancing ecological and reproductive justice by confronting pronatalism.  Visit https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast to subscribe, learn more, and submit your story! Episodes released every two weeks. Find us on Apple podcasts, Spotify, and all other podcast platforms. Copyright 2025 Population Balance

    48 min
  3. OCT 7

    Mandy | Ending a Bad Arranged Marriage

    Mandy, a Singaporean teacher of Indian descent, entered an arranged marriage where her decision to remain childfree was first accepted but later challenged by her Indian husband and in-laws. Pressured to have children and provide a dowry, she risked the stigma of divorce rather than compromise her values. Today, Mandy lives happily childfree, courageously embracing a life true to her authentic self. https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/mandy Interested in being on the show? Submit your story here: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast.   About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet how many of us know that we even have a choice about how we define and create our families? Beyond Pronatalism host Nandita Bajaj interviews women and men from diverse backgrounds who are courageously and creatively navigating pronatalism - the powerful pressures to have children - whether from family, friends, or the culture at large. Through intimate conversations, they discuss how they are forging unconventional pathways to fulfillment, including redefining what family means to them - whether that means being childfree or childless, having biological children, adopting or fostering children or animals, or creating close-knit communities of friends and loved ones. Beyond Pronatalism is brought to you by Population Balance - the only nonprofit organization advancing ecological and reproductive justice by confronting pronatalism.  Visit https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast to subscribe, learn more, and submit your story! Episodes released every two weeks. Find us on Apple podcasts, Spotify, and all other podcast platforms. Copyright 2025 Population Balance

    20 min
  4. SEP 23

    Rebecca | Sisters as Chosen Life Partners

    Rebecca grew up homeschooled in a patriarchal American family, later serving as a Marine, attending university, and traveling the world. Bound by the shared trauma and values of their upbringing, Rebecca remained very close to her sister. Awakening to feminism and the planetary crisis together, they both decided to not have children. Today, Rebecca and her sister live together as each other's chosen life partners surrounded by mutual security, comfort, love, and trust. https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/rebecca Interested in being on the show? Submit your story here: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast.   About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet how many of us know that we even have a choice about how we define and create our families? Beyond Pronatalism host Nandita Bajaj interviews women and men from diverse backgrounds who are courageously and creatively navigating pronatalism - the powerful pressures to have children - whether from family, friends, or the culture at large. Through intimate conversations, they discuss how they are forging unconventional pathways to fulfillment, including redefining what family means to them - whether that means being childfree or childless, having biological children, adopting or fostering children or animals, or creating close-knit communities of friends and loved ones. Beyond Pronatalism is brought to you by Population Balance - the only nonprofit organization advancing ecological and reproductive justice by confronting pronatalism.  Visit https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast to subscribe, learn more, and submit your story! Episodes released every two weeks. Find us on Apple podcasts, Spotify, and all other podcast platforms. Copyright 2025 Population Balance

    32 min
  5. SEP 9

    Sneha | Standing up to Patriarchy

    Raised in a conservative Indian family, Sneha knew from an early age that she didn't want to have a biological child. As a teen she discovered her queer identity, and in her twenties Sneha made the difficult but liberating decision to leave her parents' house and hometown. Sneha has rejected the patriarchal expectations of procreation and marriage and embraced her own path - filled with strong friendships, family, and her companion animals. https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/sneha Interested in being on the show? Submit your story here: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast.   About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet how many of us know that we even have a choice about how we define and create our families? Beyond Pronatalism host Nandita Bajaj interviews women and men from diverse backgrounds who are courageously and creatively navigating pronatalism - the powerful pressures to have children - whether from family, friends, or the culture at large. Through intimate conversations, they discuss how they are forging unconventional pathways to fulfillment, including redefining what family means to them - whether that means being childfree or childless, having biological children, adopting or fostering children or animals, or creating close-knit communities of friends and loved ones. Beyond Pronatalism is brought to you by Population Balance - the only nonprofit organization advancing ecological and reproductive justice by confronting pronatalism.  Visit https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast to subscribe, learn more, and submit your story! Episodes released every two weeks. Find us on Apple podcasts, Spotify, and all other podcast platforms. Copyright 2025 Population Balance

    34 min
  6. JUL 29

    Elena | Reimagining Family After Cancer

    At age 27 Elena is diagnosed with an advanced cancerous brain tumor. As she confronts this life-changing and grief-filled reality, she also wrestles with the question of whether to bring a child into the world - balancing her love for children and the future she once imagined against her understanding of ecological overshoot, pronatalist pressures, and the profound uncertainties of life itself. https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/elena Interested in being on the show? Submit your story here: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast.   About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet how many of us know that we even have a choice about how we define and create our families? Beyond Pronatalism host Nandita Bajaj interviews women and men from diverse backgrounds who are courageously and creatively navigating pronatalism - the powerful pressures to have children - whether from family, friends, or the culture at large. Through intimate conversations, they discuss how they are forging unconventional pathways to fulfillment, including redefining what family means to them - whether that means being childfree or childless, having biological children, adopting or fostering children or animals, or creating close-knit communities of friends and loved ones. Beyond Pronatalism is brought to you by Population Balance - the only nonprofit organization advancing ecological and reproductive justice by confronting pronatalism.  Visit https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast to subscribe, learn more, and submit your story! Episodes released every two weeks. Find us on Apple podcasts, Spotify, and all other podcast platforms. Copyright 2025 Population Balance

    40 min
  7. JUL 16

    Pip | The Joyful Simplicity of Being Single

    From a very early age Pip sensed she didn't want children, and a diagnosis of premature ovarian failure at 15 confirmed that path. As she grew older, Pip found herself desperately searching for the perfect partner to complete her. A chance conversation blew open the door regarding societal expectations around relationships, sex, and conventional measures of success. Childfree, single, and celibate, Pip lives an independent, authentic, and joyful life with her family of two rescue dogs. https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/pip Interested in being on the show? Submit your story here: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast.   About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet how many of us know that we even have a choice about how we define and create our families? Beyond Pronatalism host Nandita Bajaj interviews women and men from diverse backgrounds who are courageously and creatively navigating pronatalism - the powerful pressures to have children - whether from family, friends, or the culture at large. Through intimate conversations, they discuss how they are forging unconventional pathways to fulfillment, including redefining what family means to them - whether that means being childfree or childless, having biological children, adopting or fostering children or animals, or creating close-knit communities of friends and loved ones. Beyond Pronatalism is brought to you by Population Balance - the only nonprofit organization advancing ecological and reproductive justice by confronting pronatalism.  Visit https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast to subscribe, learn more, and submit your story! Episodes released every two weeks. Find us on Apple podcasts, Spotify, and all other podcast platforms. Copyright 2025 Population Balance

    32 min
  8. JUL 1

    Joe | Every Earthling is My Family

    Growing up in rural England, Joe knew early in life that he didn't want children and felt a deep connection to the natural world. While navigating pressures to conform to "normal" life, he lost that connection in his 20s. Now, alongside his partner, he's built a purposeful childfree life rooted in love for nonhumans — founding and managing an ecocentric journal called The Ecological Citizen and working to protect biodiversity, specifically insects, in his local habitat. https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast/joe Interested in being on the show? Submit your story here: https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast.   About Beyond Pronatalism To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet how many of us know that we even have a choice about how we define and create our families? Beyond Pronatalism host Nandita Bajaj interviews women and men from diverse backgrounds who are courageously and creatively navigating pronatalism - the powerful pressures to have children - whether from family, friends, or the culture at large. Through intimate conversations, they discuss how they are forging unconventional pathways to fulfillment, including redefining what family means to them - whether that means being childfree or childless, having biological children, adopting or fostering children or animals, or creating close-knit communities of friends and loved ones. Beyond Pronatalism is brought to you by Population Balance - the only nonprofit organization advancing ecological and reproductive justice by confronting pronatalism.  Visit https://www.populationbalance.org/beyond-pronatalism-podcast to subscribe, learn more, and submit your story! Episodes released every two weeks. Find us on Apple podcasts, Spotify, and all other podcast platforms. Copyright 2025 Population Balance

    23 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

To have or not have kids is one of the biggest decisions we make in our lives, and yet how many of us know that we even have a choice about how we define and create our families? Beyond Pronatalism host Nandita Bajaj interviews women and men from diverse backgrounds who are courageously and creatively navigating pronatalism - the powerful pressures to have children - whether from family, friends, or the culture at large. Through intimate conversations, they discuss how they are forging unconventional pathways to fulfillment, including redefining what family means to them - whether that means being childfree or childless, having biological children, adopting or fostering children or animals, or creating close-knit communities of friends and loved ones.

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