Over the next nine episodes, join our host Marie McCoy-Thompson as she explores what it’s like to pursue parenthood, and what to do when things don’t go as planned. Season 1 of Baby Steps launches on February 13, with new episodes every Thursday after that.

Why do you want to have kids? What kind of life do you want? What are your values? These questions may not have easy answers, but they’re an important part of trimester zero. This is the period before the start of any fertility journey (pregnancy, adoption, gestational carriers, IVF, or egg freezing). Trimester zero covers how to prepare for starting a family—financially, physically, and emotionally. Leslie Schrock, author of Bumpin, shares her experience. CW: miscarriage, pregnancy loss. 

Show notes

Leslie Schrock is an author and entrepreneur with a health and tech background.  

Bumpin is the book Leslie wrote about her pregnancy experience, and the first chapter covers trimester zero in depth. 

Shame Proof Parenting is a parenting coach Leslie referenced.

Oocyte cryopreservation, or egg freezing, is a viable option for people with ovaries who want to extend their fertility or begin IVF. While it’s becoming more commonplace, the experience is not as simple as it’s sometimes made out to be: hormonal self-injections, frequent appointments, and going under anesthesia are all part of the process. So what’s really involved, and what can you do to make the procedure as smooth as possible? Sophie shares her tips on today’s episode.

For two partners who both have ovaries, there are a number of different options for having a child. One is RIVF, or reciprocal IVF, a method that allows both partners to participate biologically in a pregnancy. It means that an egg from one partner is fertilized in a lab and then transferred to the other partner who carries the pregnancy to term. Madison and her wife Krystal went through RIVF to have their daughter, and on today’s episode, Madison walks through each step of the experience.

For a long time, Trystan had been led to believe that he could never have biological children. He is transgender, and doctors had told him that when he transitioned, he would not be able to get pregnant. But fast forward a few years, and Trystan and his partner, Biff, have three children—two they adopted, and one biological son. Today, Trystan shares the story of how he built his family and talks about what his pregnancy was like. 

Show notes

Trystan Reese is the Director of Family Formation at Family Equality, the nation's leading nonprofit dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ families and those who wish to form them.  

Trystan’s blog chronicles his family-forming journey and other aspects of his and Biff’s life together.

This podcast is about the pursuit of parenthood, but pursuing something does not mean a promise of any particular result. When it comes to fertility, there are no guarantees. That’s something Lauren knows all too well. She has PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), one of the symptoms of which is that ovaries fail to regularly release eggs. Her struggle with infertility has changed her perspective on the world and the way she thinks about motherhood. Today, she’s sharing her story. 

Show notes

Lauren chronicles her infertility journey on her Instagram @mamas.waiting.season.

Omair and his wife had known that they’d want to adopt a child from the time they were in high school. The adoption of their son, therefore, was essentially 17 years in the making. But how long did the adoption process actually take from start to finish? What was it like when a social worker visited their home to see if they’d be “fit to parent”? And how much did everything cost? Omair answers all of these questions and more as he talks through the story of how he and his wife adopted their son.

Having a child via gestational carrier, a process commonly referred to as surrogacy, can be complex for one pregnancy. But George and his husband were hoping to have two babies at the same time—“twiblings.” Between finding an egg donor, a reputable clinic, two gestational carriers, and managing everything there is to do when preparing for two new additions to a family, George and his husband had a lot on their hands. Here’s how they did it.