Having a baby via donor-conception? Bookmark these 5 resources

Support, resources & things to consider, when prepping for donor conception

From their fantastic YouTube webinar – focusing on donor-conceived children, and their unique perspectives – to a blog packed with resources, Cryos International are paving the way for parents having a baby via donor-conception. 

With 30+ years of experience, Cryos are perfectly placed to kick off our ultimate resources bank for (intended) parents expecting, preparing for and raising donor-conceived families. Work your way through, let us know what else you’d like to see and check back regularly for updates and brand new resources.

1 Online/in-person support networks

You may be the only donor-conceived family in your immediate circle. But you absolutely aren’t alone – you’ll be amazed at the number of new parents, parents-to-be and families out there, eager for connection just like you. This can be online – thanks to social media and new tech powering some really great websites right now – or in person, using a smartly-built and moderated directory which matches you to more local networks.

We’ve created a Facebook support group – it’s called Family Dreams – designed for anyone preparing to have a child with a donor’s help. We also love the Donor Conception Network (DCN), which is UK and Ireland-focused and packed with specialist resources for families based all over the world. Look into their DCN chats – facilitated, small online group discussions – and discreet forum for anonymous questions, support and signposting. There are loads of in-person events, too. 

We also recommend connecting with the DCC (Donor Conceived Community), and checking out their online peer support groups – their Ask Us Anything: A Discussion for Parents groups tend to sell out quickly, so keep an eye.

2 Your bank or clinic’s support team/library

Your egg or sperm bank, and your clinic, are often really important places to start, when building out your donor-conceived parenting resources. They know you and your journey, and depending on their set-up may have a fantastic library of information to share, support groups to connect you with, counselling services – the list goes on. 

At Cryos International, for example, we focus our support for intended parents and parents-to-be through our customer care team. This department features deep expertise in country-specific legislation, and with 30+ years of experience, personalised guidance for every step of your journey. 

Plus, there’s our blog, packed with guides, real-life shared stories and all sorts of resources for donor-conceived families and parents-to-be across the globe. 

3 Children’s books (about their amazing origins)

If you’re getting ready for a new baby, chances are you have a shopping list going. Make sure you include a few lovely children’s books about donor conception – we’ve rounded up a few favourites in a recent blog post, here they are again, plus a few more: 

• Happy Together and other books by Julie Marie
• Our Story, How We Became a Family by the Donor Conception Network 
• My Family and Me: A Baby Memory Book for Donor Kids and other books by Kim Kluger-Bell
• What Makes a Baby by Cory Silverberg
• The Magic of You by Sensitive Matters
• You Are My Wish Come True by Marianne Richmond

These are all beautifully-presented and illustrated children’s books – have a read yourself before curling up with your children, and get inspired for the amazing journey ahead.

4 Podcasts 

Alongside FHH’s podcasts, which are fantastic and often feature expert guests in the donor parenting world – we loved Raising Donor-Conceived Children as a Donor-Conceived Person – a few of our favourites are: 

You Look Like Me

Hosted by donor-conceived journalist Louise McLoughlin, this podcast gives great insight into the perspective of donor children, as adults, and gets five-star reviews time and again. 

Three Makes a Baby

Loads of episodes and packed-full with content on family and genetics, this series by therapist and author Jana Rupnow is a fantastic resource for parents building a donor-conceived family. 

The Stork and I 

Created for single women considering solo motherhood, this brilliant series explores topics relevant for all sorts of parents and parents-to-be. Mel Johnson covers donor conception, single parenting, perinatal psychology, therapy signposting and lots more. 

5 Bonding – worries, and the tools to help  

Bonding is one of the biggest concerns for the intended parents we connect with. The truth is, however your baby is conceived, there are no guarantees around bonding. A biological parent who’s had no problem bonding with their first two children may have real difficulty bonding with their third baby. Parents of donor-conceived twins may have zero bonding issues from the get-go. And that’s ok! 

The key is articulating your worries as early as you can (although it’s never too late to get support), and building a bank of support. We recommend reading up with these resources, which focus on bonding with your donor-conceived baby: 

• Donor conception dilemmas with My IVF Answers
• Egg donor parents with What to Expect
• Family life after donor conception with The University of Manchester
• Egg donation with The Donor Conception Network, plus their fantastic Destination Parenthood Workshops, focused on preparing you for parenthood, after donor conception

Hop over to Insta for a whole library of resources picked and created by Fertility Help Hub and Cryos International. DM us there for any resources you’d like to see in our donor-conceived parenting library.