When I was going through the process of adopting my second child, after having my first by a more conventional route, I looked for diverse representations of mothering to help me make sense of my journey. These recommended books helped me to understand the lived experience from all sides of the adoption triangle: adoptee, birth mother, and adopter. I was curious about the experience of other mothers whose children have an additional mother and found a lack of life writing on surrogacy and egg donation. As a published novelist and poet, I decided to move into experimental life writing and undertook a PhD in Creative Writing to discover and write their stories.
Sally Donovan’s book is a memoir by an adoptive mother of two children who were removed from their birth family due to abuse and neglect. It’s an eye-opening, and at times eye-watering, read, educating the reader about the complexities of mothering children who have experienced trauma. It is also a deeply moving book about ‘hope, love and healing.’
Anyone considering adopting would benefit from reading this book.
An uplifting true story of an ordinary couple who build an extraordinary family, No Matter What describes how Sally and Rob Donovan embark upon a journey to adopt following a diagnosis of infertility.
Sally Donovan brings to life with characteristic wit and honesty the difficulties of living with infertility, their decision to adopt and the bewildering process involved. Finally matched with young siblings Jaymey and Harlee, Sally and Rob's joy turns to shock as they discover disturbing details of their children's past and realise that they must do everything it takes to heal their…
I have spent my medical career focused on infertility and helping couples achieve their dream of pregnancy. Over the span of my career, I have had the opportunity to teach and provide research in the field of infertility, offer medical treatment to address the dream of pregnancy and parenthood, and, most importantly, be there for each and every one of my patients in good and bad times through the stages of their fertility journeys. The joy of achieving pregnancy after navigating infertility makes our entire team celebrate this sometimes monumental goal. This is why I am most passionate and enthusiastic to provide a book designed for those going through the challenging, daunting infertility process.
The author provides “nourishing and easy recipes to improve egg quality.” Overall, the focus is on achieving pregnancy and empowering couples with knowledge and practical approaches to fertility.
Nutrition is placed in high and proper esteem complemented by balanced hormones that enhance maternal wellness. Creating “a good environment” in a woman’s body sets the stage for achieving conception. Basic information regarding the female reproductive tract and associated menstrual cycle is conveyed, and male infertility is addressed.
The vast majority of the book provides recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as snacks, that might benefit individuals struggling with infertility.
I have spent my medical career focused on infertility and helping couples achieve their dream of pregnancy. Over the span of my career, I have had the opportunity to teach and provide research in the field of infertility, offer medical treatment to address the dream of pregnancy and parenthood, and, most importantly, be there for each and every one of my patients in good and bad times through the stages of their fertility journeys. The joy of achieving pregnancy after navigating infertility makes our entire team celebrate this sometimes monumental goal. This is why I am most passionate and enthusiastic to provide a book designed for those going through the challenging, daunting infertility process.
I like the illustrations. Though it has a focus on “young couples” with infertility, it deals with fundamental issues such as the role of in-vitro fertilization and its indications, and a number of medical problems, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, are
introduced, as well as other medical problems that may adversely affect
fertility.
The book considers one’s faith and potential effects on fertility. It also deals with sexuality and its “intricate and rhythmic pattern(s).” A questionnaire is included, making the material engaging for the reader. The book is designed to provide a basic level of information and has a good glossary of terms.
This book transparently describes the principles of diagnosis and treatment of patients with infertility and solutions to be explored in those with recurrent miscarriage in an environment charged with assisted reproductive technology. This volume provides the fundamental knowledge to assist in the possibility of having a more simple therapy which may help them have a viable pregnancy without the need for assisted reproductive technologies.
I have spent my medical career focused on infertility and helping couples achieve their dream of pregnancy. Over the span of my career, I have had the opportunity to teach and provide research in the field of infertility, offer medical treatment to address the dream of pregnancy and parenthood, and, most importantly, be there for each and every one of my patients in good and bad times through the stages of their fertility journeys. The joy of achieving pregnancy after navigating infertility makes our entire team celebrate this sometimes monumental goal. This is why I am most passionate and enthusiastic to provide a book designed for those going through the challenging, daunting infertility process.
The authors are to be commended in focusing on males and their role with regard to fertility. Preparing for pregnancy, from the male perspective, is revealed in an interesting manner.
The emotional and psychological aspects and experiences that are to be anticipated are readily conveyed. “Staying involved” is as important as providing support for one’s spouse or significant other. Addressing fathers serving as adoptive parents was added with the most recent edition. Decisions that have to be made about the birthing location and what to expect month to month of the pregnancy are addressed. The labor and delivery experience, as well as what if a C-section needs to be performed and the male partner’s role, are the concluding sections of the book. Appendices and resources are readily accessible.
The Expectant Father is the best-selling pregnancy guide for men, with more than 1.5 million copies sold. This reassuring month-by-month overview gives you the tools you need to support your partner, prepare for your baby's arrival, and take care of yourself during this exciting time. It concludes with two special sections: one on labour and delivery, guiding you through the big day; and the other on what comes next, covering the first few months after the baby's arrival.
This new edition of The Expectant Father is updated from cover to cover with the latest information on fertility options, delivery options,…
My first books were little Golden Books. I loved reading those stories of the sleepy little puppy and the engine that could. I moved on from there to all kinds of books and I remain a very happy reader. I have channeled my love for reading to a love of writing. My writing career started with a focus on journalism and writing for magazines, newspapers, and radio. About 18 years ago I began writing romance novels. I read all kinds of different genre but I thoroughly enjoy following the expanding relationships that make up the core element of all romances. That’s the thing about romance novels. There’s something for everyone.
While this nonfiction book is strictly speaking not a romance, there is so much love flowing in this story that it shines a light like any romance novel I’ve read.
The author shares her struggles with starting a family. She lays out onto the page the pain and suffering of trying to have a baby, as well as the hope and joy along the way. It’s a very touching, personal account. Things work out differently than expected when she delivers her son, Rory, and learns he has a disability.
Her life turns out differently than expected and she must adjust, but through it all she discovers the joy that is always available to those who choose to embrace it.
I am a caregiver who became an author. Both my parents had dementia. I found few books written from a personal perspective to give me guidance, so the journal I kept ultimately became the book I wished I could have read during our dementia journey. The journey didn’t end for me with the death of my parents. It led me to form a non-profit with two other dementia authors. This passion project has become a global community of authors who have written about Alzheimer’s and dementia from personal experience. Now more than 300 strong, we provide quality resources for caregivers and others concerned about dementia. Learn more at AlzAuthors.com.
Ann Campanella’s memoir details her journey through caregiving for her mother with Alzheimer’s at the same time she was struggling to start her own family. I felt it all: the anxiety, the frustration, as well as the pain, as she watched her mother decline while coping with an inability to conceive. Ann’s book reminded me to appreciate life’s joys, no matter how small, whether riding a beloved horse, marveling at a sunset, smelling a beautiful flower, or offering a simple hug.
Ann Campanella, a freelance writer and horsewoman, returns to North Carolina after a several year absence. In her mid thirties and ready to start a family, she is used to setting goals and accomplishing them. But when Ann experiences a series of miscarriages at the same time her mother shows signs of Alzheimer’s, she plunges into an emotional journey that leads her to a deeper understanding of herself and what it means to love.
"One of the best Alzheimer's books of all time." - Book Authority
I’ve always been a reader. I love nothing more than to leap between the pages of a book and forget the rest of the world. The books I love take the world today and imagine it evolving into something slightly twisted and terrifying. Years of devouring this type of book led to me imagining my own dystopian worlds, and eventually, writing about them. As a woman who believes in equality, I’m naturally drawn to books which feature strong female characters or are written by women. The books on this list are among my favourites from the last four decades. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!
An interesting take on a dystopian world, whilst humanity is threatened in this book, the two main characters have pretty decent lives (aside from the fact that they’re destined to be the last humans ever). Loneliness is one of my biggest fears, and the concept of being one of the only two people left on earth is truly terrifying. This book was an intriguing take on the dystopian genre, focusing on what would happen if humans became unable to reproduce. It had some twists I honestly didn’t see coming and a really positive attitude towards diversity. Lowrie (the female narrator) is a compelling, realistic character who records the world around her with compassion. Definitely one for readers who prefer a more ‘positive’ dystopian outlook.
"Lauren James is a genius at building tension." SFX Magazine
"James is one to watch." Kirkus Reviews
How far would you go to save those you love? Lowrie and Shen are the youngest people on the planet after a virus caused global infertility. Closeted in a pocket of London and doted upon by a small, ageing community, the pair spend their days mudlarking and looking for treasure - until a secret is uncovered that threatens not only their family but humanity's entire existence. Now Lowrie and Shen face an impossible choice: in the quiet at the end of the world,…
I am a book publicist of roughly twenty years, a writer, and a reader. My award-winning short story collection, To Lay to Rest Our Ghosts (Fomite Press, 2017), deals with family, reconciliation, loss, and hope. My first novel, Geographies of the Heart (Fomite Press) was released in January 2022. It’s about the importance of forgiveness, the power of legacies, and the fertile but fragile terrain that is family, the first geography to shape our hearts. I am surrounded by books, live and breathe books, work with books. Lucky me!
This is a novel about loss, family, and reconciliation, and it moved me deeply. It’s set in Minnesota, where I spent about half my childhood, and it deals with personal and family histories, which I find quite compelling. In the novel, Noah’s father, Olaf Torr, lives under the weight of survivor’s guilt. Years earlier, thirty men went out on the ore boat, the Ragnorak, and only three returned. One was Olaf. As the novel begins, Olaf is dying, and he contacts Noah, from whom he’s estranged. But Noah still hasn’t forgiven Olaf for his alcoholism. Also, Noah and his wife, Natalie, are struggling with infertility issues. But Noah and Natalie come to see Olaf, who starts telling Noah what happened on that boat.
Set against the powerful lakeshore landscape of northern Minnesota, Safe from the Sea is a heartfelt novel in which a son returns home to reconnect with his estranged and dying father thirty-five years after the tragic wreck of a Great Lakes ore boat that the father only partially survived and that has divided them emotionally ever since. When his father for the first time finally tells the story of the horrific disaster he has carried with him so long, it leads the two men to reconsider each other. Meanwhile, Noah's own struggle to make a life with an absent father…
I have spent my medical career focused on infertility and helping couples achieve their dream of pregnancy. Over the span of my career, I have had the opportunity to teach and provide research in the field of infertility, offer medical treatment to address the dream of pregnancy and parenthood, and, most importantly, be there for each and every one of my patients in good and bad times through the stages of their fertility journeys. The joy of achieving pregnancy after navigating infertility makes our entire team celebrate this sometimes monumental goal. This is why I am most passionate and enthusiastic to provide a book designed for those going through the challenging, daunting infertility process.
The book is over 500 pages long and quite comprehensive. It was written by Toni Weschler, who has a master’s degree in public health and focused on “fertility education” as an undergraduate. It is touted as a “definitive guide to natural birth control, pregnancy achievement, and reproductive health.”
She shares personal experience, which makes the content relatable. A large component of the book is geared toward understanding the anatomy and physiology of reproduction. Lifestyle and being proactive with regard to one’s health are highlighted and informative. It contains a significant segment focused on birth control. Advice on achieving pregnancy and overall gynecologic health through menopause comprise the last section of the book.
The US best-selling guide to natural birth control, pregnancy achievement and women's ongoing reproductive health. From fertility expert Toni Weschler, this is a must-read for any woman thinking of becoming pregnant.
'Straightforward and unbiased information on achieving pregnancy and tips for an effective, chemical-free method of contraception.' -- Pride 'This book allowed me to take a little control of a situation I was finding myself feeling increasingly helpless with' -- ***** Reader review 'A life-changer' -- ***** Reader review 'A brilliant book - all women should read this' -- ***** Reader review 'Empowering' -- ***** Reader review 'Great for any…
I’ve always had a passion for story-telling, particularly when it involves a moral tale, or a strong moral theme. After a successful career in science and engineering, spanning more than three decades, I left the corporate world to make stringed instruments and to write fiction and non-fiction. I wrote my first novel, An Accident of Birth,after reading a scientific study showing a generation-on-generation decline in male fertility. My second novel is the space opera, Galactic Alliance: Betrayal,and I’ve written a non-fiction reference book Brass and Glass: Optical Instruments and Their Makers. I live in Kent, England with my wife, Margo, and our cat.
Published in the 1960s, this is the earliest book on my list, and the storytelling will keep you hooked. A biological attack on Britain renders most people infertile. Fertile women are kept in camps where they are forced to breed. When the minister of health discovers that his wife is fertile, he is faced with a dilemma. The story is about how his approach to this dilemma shows shows the character of the man, and how his wife hardens to her situation and finds her strength. The end comes with some unexpected twists.
When a foreign power puts a sterility drug in Britain's reservoirs, the result is all too predictable.
The birth-rate plummets and the country's future looks bleak. There is only one way to save the nation; all women with a natural immunity to the drug must be placed in special camps where they can be bred from like prize cattle.
They must be given special hormone treatment and artificial insemination so that they can produce triplets, quads, quins time after time until they die of exhaustion.
