In this episode, we sit down with Jana Rupnow, licensed professional counselor, author of Three Makes Baby: How to Parent Your Donor-Conceived Child, and therapist specializing in infertility, donor conception, adoption, and non-biological family building.
We talk about some of the questions we’ve had as we prepare to raise a donor-conceived child, from the grief that can resurface for the non-biological parent to how and when to talk to your child about their conception story.
Jana shares why openness from an early age matters, how parents can make donor conception an ongoing conversation without making it their child’s entire identity, and why parents sometimes need to bring up the topic even when their child isn’t asking questions. We also talk about navigating donor information, family members who may not understand your decision, known donors, and how parents can work through their own emotions so their child has room to process theirs.
We also get into the grief that can come with donor conception and the reality that moving forward doesn’t necessarily mean those feelings are gone. Jana explains why this can be a complex grieving process and why working through it matters for both the parents and the child.
If you’re considering donor conception, currently pregnant with a donor-conceived child, or already raising donor-conceived children, this episode offers a practical look at how to approach the conversations that come with building a family this way.
Resources from Jana:
Three Makes Baby: How to Parent Your Donor-Conceived Child
https://amzn.to/4rIFUvI
Three Makes Baby Workbook
https://amzn.to/4rCL0cJ
Courses, resources and more from Jana Rupnow:
https://www.janarupnowtherapy.com/default.php
