Three Makes Baby: How to Parent Your Donor Conceived Child

Jana M. Rupnow

Apr 2021 · Rupnow and Associates · Narrated by Jana M. Rupnow

About this audiobook

DO YOU KNOW—Most Common Concerns Intended Parents Have about Donor Conception

Millions of people dream of having a baby but struggle for years with infertility or seek other unconventional ways to build a family. In an era of new options in reproductive medicine, many couples are using a third person’s egg, sperm, or embryo to conceive. Having a child with another person’s genetics is complex. Couples have concerns about how donor conception will affect their future family life, especially their child.

Confusion and fear can leave parents feeling unequipped on this path to parenthood. Shame and unresolved grief about infertility create silence around a controversial topic that needs a voice. Secrets can hurt a family.

A fertility counselor addresses your urgent questions:

· Why should we tell our child we’re not genetically related?

· How do we tell our child about donor conception? And when is the best time?

· What if my child is upset?

· What if I don’t feel like the real parent?

· Will others treat our family differently?

· Should we keep the donor a secret?

You can learn to overcome fears that make you want to keep a secret—yet maintain your family’s privacy. This book offers education and awareness so parents can guide their donor-conceived children through various stages of development with age-appropriate conversations.

About the author

Jana M. Rupnow, MA, LPC, is a licensed professional counselor and consultant specializing in fertility and family building. Her best-selling book, Three Makes Baby-How to Parent Your Donor-Conceived Child, introduced the world to the "five common fears" that parents face as they prepare for donor conception. Thousands of readers around the world have trusted the wisdom and guidance because the author knows firsthand what it's like to be in a non-biological family, as an adoptee and adoptive mom. Rupnow also faced infertility and has helped thousands of people face the challenges of infertility as well as those preparing to grow their family in non-traditional ways. Working as an independent, Rupnow has fostered relationships with endocrinologists across the United States. Her thorough and conscientious work has received the attention of notable organizations, including the Donor Conception Network and Embryo Awareness Group. Rupnow's work, including the Three Makes Baby podcast, encourages communication between donor conceived parents and donor conceived adults, to raise awareness of the inherent challenges donor conceived families may face across the lifespan.