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In this Stork’d Munchkin, Gail Sexton Anderson discusses the role Donor Concierge plays in finding their clients' surrogates and the process around that.   If you loved this Stork’d Munchkin, check out the full episode wherever you listen to podcasts!   Resources: Stork'd Website Stork'd - Facebook Stork'd - Instagram Stork'd - YouTube  Stork’d - Spotify  Donor Concierge - Website  

In this Stork’d Munchkin, Gail Sexton Anderson discusses the role of characteristics and DNA in finding a donor and potential complexities and tips when choosing a donor.   If you loved this Stork’d Munchkin, check out the full episode wherever you listen to podcasts!   Resources: Stork'd Website Stork'd - Facebook Stork'd - Instagram Stork'd - YouTube  Stork’d - Spotify  Donor Concierge - Website

Curious about how to find an egg donor, sperm donor or surrogate? Gail Sexton Anderson, the visionary behind Donor Concierge, addresses all of these questions and provides insights about how  the process operates and who covers expenses.     Donor Concierge assists clients requiring third party fertility (aka donor or surrogacy support) in their family building journey. Choosing someone outside your family to enable your family to grow can be really complicated and emotional and together we explore all these nuances.  Gail and her team are dedicated to supporting clients through every step. If using a donor or a surrogate is on your mind, this episode is not to be missed—it's brimming with vital information.   IN THIS EPISODE: [2:51] Gail explains what services the Donor Concierge provides and defines language used in the field [6:36] Gail shares the details of how Donor Concierges operates, how they assist clients navigating through the donor field and what clients are looking for in their search [18:06] There are three types of searches: egg donor, sperm donor and surrogacy search. What kinds of information are shared, and what are good reasons for openness in the process rather than anonymity  [26:59] Where are surrogates found, and what are the trends [35:44] What is the future of the way fertility and third-party fertility are supported, and are there legal issues  [42:37] When should an intended parent seek the Donor Concierge [46:15] Gail shares what family means to her   KEY TAKEAWAYS: Finding the correct egg or sperm donor cannot be overstated. It does make a difference because an egg is not just an egg, and sperm is not just sperm. Every egg carries genetic information that forms who your child will be one day.  Multiple things can and do go wrong in the process of building a family through egg and sperm donation and surrogacy. Having a firm like Donor Concierge on your side is beneficial because they walk through those difficulties with you.  The process of egg and sperm donation or having a surrogate is not just a means to an end. It is your child’s story; it is your family's story. Open communication is essential, and anonymity should be a thing of the past. There is too much information lost when anonymity is a factor.    RESOURCE LINKS: Stork'd - Facebook Stork'd - Instagram Stork'd - YouTube  Donor Concierge - Website   BIOGRAPHY:  Gail Sexton Anderson has dedicated her career to helping intended parents from all walks of life build families. She founded Donor Concierge as a compassionate approach to helping intended parents sort through the gauntlet of egg donor, sperm donor and surrogacy options. Gail is a Harvard-trained counselor with 25 years of experience helping intended parents have the baby they always dreamed of.   After graduate school, Gail joined a research group in the Psychology Department at Yale University. Later, she joined a group of researchers in pediatric neurology at Yale New Haven Hospital doing developmental testing with children born prematurely of very low birth weight. Gail is also a graduate of Alice Domar’s Mind Body Fertility Program through Boston IVF and has served on a Radcliffe panel with other fertility experts. In her career in the fertility industry, Gail has been the Executive Director of one of the leading surrogacy agencies and helped start two different egg donor agencies. Gail is an empathic listener who brings a calming influence to what can often be an emotionally stressful process.

In this Stork’d Munchkin, Emily Silver discusses the mission of Nurture by NAPS to provide clients with individualized care backed by medical research and her own experiences as a mother.     If you loved this Stork’d Munchkin, check out the full episode wherever you listen to podcasts!   Resources: Stork'd Website Stork'd - Facebook Stork'd - Instagram Stork'd - YouTube  Stork’d - Spotify  Nurture by Naps - Instagram Nurture by Naps - Website  

In this Stork’d Munchkin, Emily Silver discusses her experiences as a first time mom trying to “do it all” and how those experiences have translated to her work in Nurture by NAPS.     If you loved this Stork’d Munchkin, check out the full episode wherever you listen to podcasts!   Resources: Stork'd Website Stork'd - Facebook Stork'd - Instagram Stork'd - YouTube  Stork’d - Spotify  Nurture by Naps - Instagram Nurture by Naps - Website  

Emily Silver, co-founder of Nurture by NAPS, offers resources, support, and education to parents throughout pregnancy, postpartum, and toddlerhood. Whether expecting your first, second, or third child, Emily provides evidence-based professional insights to help you navigate a journey filled with cherished memories, even during the often stressful and sleepless period of welcoming a newborn into your home. NAPS is committed to providing genuine support and evidence-based education. Emily addresses the challenges of dealing with social media critics who may guilt-trip you for not adhering to their perceived parenting norms. If you've recently given birth or know someone who could benefit from Emily's expertise, don't miss this episode of Stork’d.   IN THIS EPISODE: [2:10] Emily shares her backstory of not having children, founding Nurture by NAPS, having three children and offering support and education to parents [6:11] Discussion regarding other countries offering institutionalized support services for new parents, which are not provided in the US and mental health needs for parents [10:25] Emily reveals her situation during pregnancy and how a program like NAPS would have made all the difference, and she discusses what NAPS offers [15:24] Emily believes parents should be able to get advice without judgment, using breastfeeding as an example [20:19] Discussion regarding sleep training, the need for support and education for new parents and what Emily would like to see in the future [30:10] Emily discusses what family means to her   KEY TAKEAWAYS: Do not let anyone, including social media, guilt you into making decisions regarding your child that do not come from your heart and how you desire to nurture and parent your baby. Our nation is woefully behind in offering services to new moms because the services are privatized.  Other countries do a much better job because it is a part of their healthcare system. Asking for support is critical when you have your new baby. So, don’t be afraid to ask and narrow down the list of who you would trust to help or to give you advice.    RESOURCE LINKS: Stork'd - Facebook Stork'd - Instagram Stork'd - YouTube  Nurture by Naps - Instagram Nurture by Naps - Website   BIOGRAPHY:   Emily’s passion for educating and supporting families stems from her personal experience dealing with loss. She lost a sister to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), has had multiple miscarriages, and has dealt with the anxiety and the stigma that comes with taking medication while pregnant and breastfeeding. You can be assured that taboo topics are just not taboo for Emily! Emily began her career in General Medicine before working as a Labor & Delivery nurse, where she met NAPS co-founder Jamie O’Day. While working in Labor & Delivery, Emily went back to school to get her master’s degree in nursing and become a Family Nurse Practitioner. She practiced as a Nurse Practitioner in an OBGYN office for several years before running NAPS full time with Jamie. Emily best supports families through NAPS by pulling from her vast medical background, and her own experiences with pregnancy and parenting as a mother of three girls. After graduating from Boston College, Emily received her graduate degree from UMass Boston. Emily is a Family Nurse Practitioner and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). She lives in Charlestown, MA with her husband, AJ, three daughters Grace (age 7), Madelyn (age 5), Eloise (age 1), and dog Maisey (age 9).

In this Stork’d Munchkin, Gina Ballard discusses why she fosters teens instead of young children and the difference that that makes in the lives of those teens and for society as a whole.   If you loved this Stork’d Munchkin, check out the full episode wherever you listen to podcasts!   Resources: Stork'd Website Stork'd - Facebook Stork'd - Instagram Stork'd - YouTube  Stork’d - Spotify  Gina Nicole - Website Gine Nicole - Instagram  

In this Stork’d Munchkin, Gina Ballard discusses a time she spoke up about a suspected foster neglect situation and how that situation was a catalyst to shift from mentoring teens to fostering teens.   If you loved this Stork’d Munchkin, check out the full episode wherever you listen to podcasts!   Resources: Stork'd Website Stork'd - Facebook Stork'd - Instagram Stork'd - YouTube  Stork’d - Spotify  Gina Nicole - Website Gine Nicole - Instagram  

Gina Ballard approaches everything in life with an open heart, a willingness to stand in truth, deep compassion and a lot of humor and her family journey embodies all of those traits.  Gina is a passionate advocate for fostering. She and her husband focus on providing a safe, welcoming home for teenagers in the foster care system and have most recently adopted a teenage son.  Prior to becoming a foster parent, she and her first husband experienced setbacks to their family building due to a PCOS diagnosis.  Gina ultimately meets the love of her life and navigates complicated and imperfect family dynamics with her step children.  Eventually, Gina finds mentoring and fostering and builds a support community for other foster parents.  In this episode of Stork’d, Gina candidly shares her expert insights on these aspects of family-building, holding nothing back. With authenticity and openness, she delves into various complex topics and situations. When Gina defines her family, she beautifully refers to them as  the "Godspot" and "Opulent Threads." Gina’s life and stories will inspire you, especially for those considering foster parenting. Don't miss out on this empowering episode.   IN THIS EPISODE:   [2:21] Gina introduces herself, shares all of her roles in life and compares the dark days that she and Julia went through to when Saturn comes back to the point of your birth [4:46] Gina walks through the changes that occurred after her divorce and how a disastrous text message led to a positive outcome  [15:52] Gina discusses foster parenting and how it differs from the parenting or step-parenting roles and how becoming a step-parent evolved to mentoring and then to becoming a foster parent [25:45] How do you prepare your home for a foster child, providing respite for foster families and the foster-parenting community [36:12] Gina explains why she wanted to become a foster parent and how they decided to adopt their son [46:46] Gina discusses the myths of fostering and adopting [52:19] Gina expresses what family means to her   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   Step-parenting may be one of the most challenging ways to build and define a family. The best approach when step-parenting is to express yourself on what is right and wrong. Don’t become a doormat because you may explode after holding your emotions. In some cases, you may not be able to mend the relationship.  There is an enormous need for foster parents for teens. Babies and younger children are easier to place, and teens are left to age out if not taken into a foster family. Foster parents need to be sensitive to the child's environment in their new home. Specifically, their bedrooms should reflect who they are and their interests. RESOURCE LINKS: Stork'd - Facebook Stork'd - Instagram Stork'd - YouTube  www.ginanicole.net Gina Nicole - Website Gine Nicole - Instagram BIOGRAPHY:  Gina Nicole Ballard is an Intuitive Copywriter, Subtle Energy Medicine, and Feng Shui Practitioner by day and a Foster Mom by night. She is passionate about connecting with empaths, heart-centered entrepreneurs, and those struggling to embody who they came to be. She works with people to move out of their past and into their future and is devoted to empowering youth to come home to their gifts and live in full alignment.  

In this Stork’d Munchkin, Carey Cook discusses the hard decisions she made in her fertility journey and learning how to trust your body’s signals. Learning what a “yes” and “no” feel like in your body.   If you loved this Stork’d Munchkin, check out the full episode wherever you listen to podcasts!   Resources: Stork'd Website Stork'd - Facebook Stork'd - Instagram Stork'd - YouTube  Stork’d - Spotify  Embodied Pride - Website Embodied Pride - Instagram  

In this Stork’d Munchkin, Carey Cook discusses her personal experience when somebody chose her to be the recipient of their embryos. She explains her thoughts and feelings around the process and trusting her intuition.   If you loved this Stork’d Munchkin, check out the full episode wherever you listen to podcasts!   Resources: Stork'd Website Stork'd - Facebook Stork'd - Instagram Stork'd - YouTube  Stork’d - Spotify  Embodied Pride - Website Embodied Pride - Instagram  

Carey Cook, a Fertility Coach and Self-Care Strategist is dedicated to supporting the LGBTQ+ community as they navigate the intricacies of building a family. Carey shares her journey with IUI, Reciprocal IVF and ultimately embryo donation.  She shares how she and her wife found their embryo donor, how they each experienced emotional reactions to the experience of sharing or not sharing a genetic relationship with your child, and how the embryo donation experience has shaped their child’s half sibling group.     In this episode, Carey shares how to pivot your expectations as your fertility path changes, and how to use your own body and intuition to make decisions that are right for you.  This episode of Stork’d is more than just a conversation—it's a valuable opportunity for a free therapeutic experience. You don't want to miss out.   IN THIS EPISODE: [3:00] Carey shares her family planning journey [6:45] Carey talks what the genetic composition of their child would look like based on the provided options  [10:12] Carey talks about the feelings surrounding being genetically connected.  [12:08] Carey walks through the decision to do a private embryo donation and the multiple ways of finding a donor [21:22] Carey discusses the type of therapy she practices, how your body gives you clues to support your decisions and how she teaches her clients to know the difference between what a yes or a no feels like [25:00] The process after the embryo donor decision is made and deciding  how much communication you want [31:37] Carey discusses the information she can share with her child when the time comes, and she talks about the differences between the  LGBTQ+ and straight communities going through this journey [34:21] Discussion surrounding society’s opinions of what is right and wrong for gays and solo parents and the questions that Carey’s clients have for her [39:00] Carey talks about her soul family; she defines what family means to her and reminds the listener there are many free sources on the internet and social media   KEY TAKEAWAYS: When a couple cannot have a child, they sometimes say, “If we don’t, it’s okay.” That statement is more than likely said to protect their emotions.” There is a lot of grief associated with failed treatments for having children. Being genetically connected to your child is an emotion that some people need to have. It troubles them when they think about it. Other people are happy to have a child and don’t emotionally deal with genetics. There are multiple ways of finding donated embryos. Each has different caveats that the recipient needs to research before deciding.   RESOURCE LINKS: Stork'd - Facebook Stork'd - Instagram Stork'd - YouTube  Embodied Pride - Website Embodied Pride - Instagram   BIOGRAPHY:  Carey Cook, Fertility Coach and Self-Care Strategist, is passionate about helping people who are spiraling into the anxious abyss of expanding their families. I have a MA in Counseling Psychology and 13+ years helping people move through trauma and transform their lives. I help people get out of their heads and into their bodies so they feel more connected to their fertility process in a trusting, confident way. During my own fertility process, I witnessed how wildly hetero the whole process is. That’s why I started Embodied Pride. This is a dedicated space for LGBTQ+ to explore our unique needs around growing their families.  I believe that the entire fertility journey goes beyond the person who wants to grow a baby in their uterus. The fertility journey is happening for all persons who are creating and welcoming a new baby. You are on a whole fertility journey if you are a partner or using a surrogate. You are on this journey whether you are using your own sperm, egg or womb or using donors. Embodied Pride is for all persons who are a part of the whole fertility journey.