Becoming a Single Parent by Choice
Support for Single Parents by Choice
The road to becoming a parent can be smooth or it can involve some hurdles. Most of the people that I meet in my clinic are negotiating a hurdle or two on their journey toward parenthood whether in a partnership or on their own.
Becoming a single parent by choice, of course, comes with unique challenges.
If you want to carry a pregnancy yourself, you need access to sperm either through a known donor or a sperm bank. If you have sperm to work with, you will need someone to carry the pregnancy. If neither of those options fits your situation or needs, you may look for a gestational carrier or consider adoption.
Either way, becoming a single parent is a big decision. Most people that I’ve met who become single parents intentionally, do so because they have yet to meet a partner to create a family with or they prefer to try on their own. They may see their fertile window closing, and they want to fulfill their goal and dream of becoming a parent and having a child.
These clients may not have any known fertility issues but seek out acupuncture for fertility support to optimize their chances knowing that they are unable to try in a conventional way. I love helping these clients grow their families.
As you embark on this path to becoming a single parent, whether you identify as a hopeful single mom by choice, single dad by choice, or a single parent by choice, know that it’s a road that works well with a good support system in place.
A lot of resources are marketed and identified as supporting mothers. There is a gap in offerings for queer parents, non-binary folk, and even men who choose to be solo parents. I realize that most of these are woman-centered, and I hope there continues to be a push toward more inclusive language around parenthood.
Until then, here are some organizations and resources to check out:
Single Fathers by Choice Facebook group
Queer Single Parents by Choice group
Single Mothers by Choice group
Fertility acupuncture is a great addition to your support team to reduce stress, improve egg and sperm quality, and improve overall health. So if you are going through IVF or IUI or other interventions, we are here to the process and increase your chances of success. And especially important, postpartum acupuncture is available as you build your village.