Sep 6 2012
By Emily Wolper at 9:38 am
Tonight my dad mentioned that when he was reading about the hurricane in Florida and saw the words “storm surge,” he thought of “hormone surge” and wondered how I was feeling that afternoon. When he told me about this word association I laughed and jumped over to my laptop, just as he was asking me to keep him “anonymous” in my blog posts. I have read that family support is vital in the process of becoming a single mother by choice, and I believe I am living proof of that. Read the rest of this entry →
Aug 28 2012
By Emily Wolper at 1:10 pm
Last week, Emily shared her story about deciding to become a single mother by choice. Today she tells us about another important decision: choosing the donor.
If you get option anxiety from wading through the pages of Jdate or Match.com, I suggest you call in reinforcements if you ever decide to get pregnant using donor sperm.
There are many cyrobanks, as they are called, with huge databases of men who have donated their sperm (“donated” for money, to be clear) for the cause of people who want to have babies but, for one reason or another, lack sperm. In my case, I lack sperm because I lack a man–for the moment! Choosing donor sperm is apparently a major sticking point for many women who consider becoming single mothers by choice. I’ve heard tales of women who spend a year or more trying to choose a donor. Read the rest of this entry →
Aug 23 2012
By Emily Wolper at 6:10 am
As I sang my way down the Garden State Parkway, beach bound and gleeful, I tried not to think about what I was hoping was happening inside my body.
“No day but today!” I sang at the top of my voice, feeling the truth of Larson’s poignant lyrics. Like a true musical theater kid, I was channeling my intense feelings through song. It had only been an hour since I had had my first IUI (intra uterine insemination) and I was feeling the power of the moment. Everyone told me not to expect anything to happen on the first try. My doctor explained at my very first visit that there would be a 20% chance of a pregnancy with each attempt, just like nature. Read the rest of this entry →
