16 episodes

Following on from series one of the previously named ‘Redefining Parenthood Podcast’, host Becky of DefiningMum is joined by co-host Hayley King of All Things Donor Conception to form the ‘Paths to Parenthub podcast’. Sharing perspectives as parents to donor-conceived children, and in Hayley’s case being a donor-conceived person herself, they focus on conversations about some of the more complex, nuanced aspects of donor conception. With the hope of providing different perspectives, information, reflection, and validation as they openly discuss different topics, share stories and ask listeners for their input.

Paths to Parenthub Podcast Becky Kearns

    • Health & Fitness
    • 5.0 • 7 Ratings

Following on from series one of the previously named ‘Redefining Parenthood Podcast’, host Becky of DefiningMum is joined by co-host Hayley King of All Things Donor Conception to form the ‘Paths to Parenthub podcast’. Sharing perspectives as parents to donor-conceived children, and in Hayley’s case being a donor-conceived person herself, they focus on conversations about some of the more complex, nuanced aspects of donor conception. With the hope of providing different perspectives, information, reflection, and validation as they openly discuss different topics, share stories and ask listeners for their input.

    Will I bond with my child if we don’t share DNA?

    Will I bond with my child if we don’t share DNA?

    In this episode, Becky and Hayley dive into the topic of ‘Attachment and Bonding’, a complex subject that many parents of donor-conceived children are understandably concerned about. Questions such as ‘Will I bond with my child born through egg donation?’ or ‘How will I feel about my baby if we don’t share genetics?’ are all addressed in a compassionate and validating way, whilst also offering some practical advice around how to overcome these feelings. Becky and Hayley draw on their own lived experience as parents through donor conception to offer comfort to the listener, whilst simultaneously looking to the research on this fascinating topic to find some answers regarding this commonly held fear.
    Have a listen to the Top Questions To Ask About Donors Episode here

    Links of note that are mentioned during the episode:
    Paths to Parenthub Membership details
    Paths to Parenthub LGBTQ+ Membership details
    Hayley’s Instagram page
    Becky’s Instagram pages:
    @definingmum
    @paths_to_parenthub
    Research mentioned in the episode:
    Golombok, S (2011) Children conceived by gamete donation: Psychological adjustment and mother-child relationships at age 7.

    • 29 min
    Choosing a donor: What to consider

    Choosing a donor: What to consider

    Choosing a donor can feel like a huge and momentous decision, with lots of emotions involved, information to consider, and steps to take as you move towards becoming a parent through donor conception. Hayley and Becky talk about their own personal experiences of selecting their donors, the smaller decisions that led them to go ahead with their decisions, and how they feel as they reflect on their choices now. They chat about what they wished they'd have known, and consider the different types of donor options and matching processes, as well as the transparency and support they'd like to see more widely as an industry.
    Links mentioned in the episode are:

    Paths to Parenthub LIVE Summit 2024 - Tickets available here: https://pathstoparenthub.com/virtual-summit/

    Paths to Parenthub Membership details: https://pathstoparenthub.com

    Paths to Parenthub LGBTQ+ Membership details: https://pathstoparenthub.com/lgbtq-paths-to-parenthub/

    Paths to Parenthub Instagram page: www.instagram.com/paths_to_parenthub
    Hayley’s Instagram page: www.instagram.com/dcp_journey_2_rp
    Becky’s Instagram pages: www.instagram.com/definingmum 

    • 33 min
    Early and Often (ish!) - Talking to our children about their conception story

    Early and Often (ish!) - Talking to our children about their conception story

    Early disclosure within donor-conceived families is thankfully now considered best practice, however, that doesn’t mean that the process of ‘telling’ is as easy as child’s play. In this episode, Becky and Hayley take a closer look into the practicalities of discussing conception stories with our donor-conceived children, whilst also exploring some of the complex emotions that may arise for parents when attempting this process. Becky and Hayley provide some helpful examples of how they have tackled these discussions and share some of their favourites children’s story books, tips, and resources that have helped their families along the way.
     
    Links of note that are mentioned during the episode:
     
    Paths to Parenthub LIVE Summit 2024  - Tickets available here: https://pathstoparenthub.com/virtual-summit/
    Paths to Parenthub Membership details: https://members.definingmum.com 
    Paths to Parenthub LGBTQ+ Membership details: https://members.definingmum.com/lgbtq-paths-to-parenthub/ 
    Hayley’s Instagram page: www.instagram.com/dcp_journey_2_rp 
    Becky’s Instagram pages: www.instagram.com/definingmum www.instagram.com/paths_to_parenthub 
     
    Book Titles mentioned within the episode:
     
    What Makes A Baby https://wwwcorysilverberg.com/
     
    Happy Together  https://www.happytogetherchildrensbook.com/
     
    We Are Family https://www.wearefamilybooks.co.uk/
     
    My Donor Story https://www.mydonorstory.com/
     
    Our Story https://www.dcnetwork.org/our-bookshop/
     
    Robo Babies https://www.owletpress.com/product-page/robo-babies
     
    Secret Code Inside of Me https://www.rajanilarocca.com/picture-books/the-secret-code-inside-you/
     
    Research article mentioned in episode Telling donor-conceived children about their conception: Evaluation of the use of the Donor Conception Network children’s books. Harper, J et al (2022) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405661821000150

    • 34 min
    Let's talk about genetic loss

    Let's talk about genetic loss

    Managing feelings and emotions around ‘Genetic Loss’ can be a challenge for many parents who have used a donor to build their family. In this episode, Becky and Hayley take a deep dive into the complexities of the emotions surrounding genetic loss, how they can present themselves, and why it’s so important for us to validate and speak up about this often unspoken topic. 
    During this episode Becky and Hayley discuss how Genetic Loss has personally impacted them, both as parents who do not share DNA with their children, and in Hayley’s case as a donor conceived person too. Both hosts offer reassurance, validation and practical advice about how to best tackle this nuanced topic - and also explore how an initial ‘loss’ has also brought about a significant ‘gain’ within their families. 

    As always, we love to hear from you so do feel free to reach out to Hayley or Becky through Instagram, your comments and questions can help us shape future episodes, all designed to open up conversations that previously haven't been openly discussed.

    Links of note that are mentioned during the episode:

    Paths to Parenthub Membership details:
    https://members.definingmum.com

    Paths to Parenthub LGBTQ+ Membership details:
    https://members.definingmum.com/lgbtq-paths-to-parenthub/

    Hayley’s Instagram page:
    www.instagram.com/dcp_journey_2_rp

    Becky’s Instagram pages:
    www.instagram.com/definingmum
    www.instagram.com/paths_to_parenthub

    Family by Co Article 
    Handling Resemblance Talk 
     https://www.cofertility.com/family-learn/navigating-comments-about-your-donor-conceived-childs-resemblance-a-guide-to-responding

    • 31 min
    Talking Terminology: Exploring the Nuance

    Talking Terminology: Exploring the Nuance

    In a recent social media post Becky talked about 'acceptance' being key as a recipient parent through donor conception, specifically around accepting that there is another person who holds a 'parent' title in the scientific, genetic sense, as opposed to the day-to-day parenting role. This sparked a discussion within the comments thread, which is why Hayley and Becky decided to record a spontaneous podcast to discuss this further, with more content and nuance that this topic needs.
    In this episode you'll hear our own thoughts and opinions, how we approach terminology with our kids, the thoughts of the community who generously shared their insights with us, and research into terminology from a survey of donor conceived individuals.
    As always we love to hear from you so do feel free to reach out to Hayley or Becky through instagram, your comments and questions can help us shape future episodes, all designed to open up conversations that previously haven't been openly discussed.
    Links of note that are mentioned during the episode:
    Paths to Parenthub Membership details:
    https://members.definingmum.com
    Paths to Parenthub LGBTQ+ Membership details:
    https://members.definingmum.com/lgbtq-paths-to-parenthub/
    Hayley’s Instagram page:
    www.instagram.com/dcp_journey_2_rp
    Becky’s Instagram pages:
    www.instagram.com/definingmum
    www.instagram.com/paths_to_parenthub

    Research Study by Donor Sibling Registry:
    https://dsr-static-files.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/485cc3a945adcfb7

    • 41 min
    Why context is key when talking to our children

    Why context is key when talking to our children

    In this episode Hayley and Becky discuss some of the phrases that can be used by recipient parents in speaking to their children, specifically 'You are a gift' and 'You were so wanted'. We discuss how these phrases can sometimes be contentious in social media forums, the different perspectives that people may have, why we as parents might use these phrases, and how important context is when these are shared.
    With Hayley's experience as a donor-conceived person and both Becky and Hayley's experiences as recipient parents, they explore the nuances, intentions, and potential impacts of using these terms in different scenarios.
    Links of note that are mentioned during the episode:
    Paths to Parenthub Membership details:
    https://members.definingmum.com
    Paths to Parenthub LGBTQ+ Membership details:
    https://members.definingmum.com/lgbtq-paths-to-parenthub/
    Hayley’s Instagram page:
    www.instagram.com/dcp_journey_2_rp
    Becky’s Instagram pages:
    www.instagram.com/definingmum
    www.instagram.com/paths_to_parenthub

    • 29 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
7 Ratings

7 Ratings

Reba442 ,

What I need to hear

Many of us don’t know someone personally who has conceived through donor eggs, so it makes it difficult to validate your feelings and feel less alone. This podcast helps normalize different paths to family building and bring community and comfort to those who used donor eggs. I want to share it with friends and family so they better understand the complex emotions behind infertility!

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