Gail’s 2023 Reading (and Listening!) List
Donor Concierge is here to get you started on your fertility journey, by matching with the best donors and surrogates through the best surrogacy and donor agencies. We’re also here to provide resources and are excited to share Gail’s Reading List for 2023.
We have to admit, we’ve been waiting for this one all year! Kudos to our amazing professional colleagues Lisa Schuman and Dr. Leondires who have collaborated on this wonderful book that takes a deep dive into both the medical and emotional aspects of becoming a parent through donor conception. The authors weave together the medical emotional and genetic aspects of donor conception and address common ethical dilemmas such as disclosure, talking with children about donor conception and strategies to cope with the challenges of fertility treatment. Schuman, a licensed clinical social worker and therapist, Leondires, a board certified Reproductive Endocrinologist, have decades of experience working closely with patients who have chosen to use donated eggs and sperm, as well as their own personal stories of fertility treatment and non-genetic parenthood.
Love Comes First:Creating LGBTQ Families by Bradford Kolb, MD and Melanie Maerker
Is it a book? A movement or a non profit? It’s all of those things and more. Dr. Bradford Kolb, of HRC Pasadena has been at the forefront of reproductive medicine since the 1990s and a passionate advocate for family building for the LGBTQ community. Love Comes First brings together a site that tells the real stories of LGBTQ families, practical resources for those exploring family building, and gives a tour of reproductive biology and the latest in reproductive medicine from an LGBTQ perspective.
Dr. Kolb has been a Preferred Provider to Donor Concierge intended parents for almost two decades. You can visit the website Love Comes First to see videos, resources and hear uplifting stories of families created through love, and science.
The Search for the Magical Egg by Becky Morrison
This one is for the kids. This sweet story written by Becky Morrison tells the story of Sheldon, a turtle who lives in the deep blue sea who wonders where baby turtles come from. Sheldon’s parents tell them of their underwater search for the perfect egg. Morrison, who is an RN, created this book to read to her son about the magic and medicine of IVF. While it’s aimed at kids age 5-7, the story can help all children (and parents!) who are struggling with explaining where babies come from.
IVF Daddies by Richard Westoby and Julio Gaggia
We cheated a little bit on this one as IVF Daddies is a podcast but it’s also a chance to hear Richard Westoby, author of Our Journey: One Couple’s Guide to US Surrogacy, retell his story of becoming a dad (to twins!) through surrogacy. This new podcast will discuss all things IVF and surrogacy, aimed at hopeful dads and their supporters to ‘provide optimism during their road to parenthood.’ We’re hooked and can’t wait for the next episode!
Our Families: Real Stories from Donor Concierge
We may be biased but this is one we’re really proud of! We’ve been collecting stories from our clients since 2006 and we’re finally publishing them in our ebook. We take a look at our clients’ journeys from start to finish, and offer practical advice to those just starting on the journey to become parents. These are all stories from real people and we are so grateful for them for sharing these with us.
Do you have books or podcasts we should add to the list? Let us know! Book some time to chat with us today!
