Choosing to Parent Solo: A Powerful Journey to Motherhood
It started with a simple Google search. At 36, Liv Thorne longed to be a parent, but the traditional route wasn’t in the cards. So, she began researching, scrolling through endless websites, white-knuckled, heart pounding. The process felt like selecting an item for an online shopping cart.
She’d scroll through profiles, pondering details: height, weight, eye color. Should she choose blue or brown eyes for her future child? What was this man’s favorite color?
Making choices felt too monumental, and ultimately, too lacking control. Could this selection system really be how she’d bring a child into the world?
She landed on another approach: intrauterine insemination, a less invasive and less costly alternative than IVF. It was a selection process, nonetheless. But ultimately, it was simply difficult not to feel like But after three unsuccessful attempts, followed by months of waiting, she almost relinquished her dream, the weight of it all growing burdensome.
Sharing her story with couple friends never felt quite right. While they were overjoyed for her, Mel Johnson, from Southport, knew this dream directly tied to ultimately decide to go it alone. Like Liv, her journey to motherhood wasn’t easy. the conversation turned into more “and what about you, Liv? When will you find “the one” to start a family?
It was a question that haunted Mel for years. “I wanted to do it with a partner,” Mel says. She admits she began her journey 10 years ago with “the one” point in her thirties realizing untold hardship would come even for those choosing the traditional route to parenthood.
Liv expected pregnancy to be an experience shared: cheers, murmured conversations about fatherhood. But being alone meant navigating appointments solo, no celebratory brunch with friends the way society normalized.
What she hadn’t anticipated was the joy of a rhythm that worked just for them both. She wouldn’
and the moment she did become pregnant, it was like the world changed. She was twenty weeks pregnant and felt like a woman walking
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Knowing she’d finally reached her goal was hard-earned, but
What are the emotional challenges of choosing a sperm donor for single mothers by choice?
## Choosing To Parent Solo: A Conversation with Single Mothers by Choice
**Host:** Welcome back to the show. Today we’re diving into a deeply personal and increasingly common journey: becoming a single mother by choice. We’re joined by Liv Thorne and Mel Johnson, both of whom took the courageous step of parenthood without a partner. Welcome to both of you.
**Liv:** Thank you for having me.
**Mel:** It’s a pleasure to be here.
**Host:** Liv, your story resonated with many who are considering this path. You mentioned feeling overwhelmed by the process of choosing a sperm donor. Can you elaborate on that?
**Liv:** Absolutely.
It felt incredibly impersonal. Scrolling through profiles, looking at physical traits like height and eye color, it felt like online shopping. I wanted to connect with someone on a deeper level, but the system made it feel transactional. [[1](https://www.cryosinternational.com/en-gb/dk-shop/private/about-sperm/why-use-a-sperm-donor/single-mother-by-choice/)]
**Host:** That detachment can be really difficult. Mel, did you have a similar experience?
**Mel:** I did. While I understood the medical necessity, it was hard not to feel like I was reducing a human being to a set of characteristics.
You want to make the best possible choice for your future child, but the system makes it seem like you’re picking from a catalogue rather than connecting with a potential biological father.
**Host:** Both of you ultimately chose intrauterine insemination (IUI). Why was that the right path for you?
**Liv:** For me, it felt like a less invasive and more affordable option compared to IVF. While IUI still involved making choices, it felt slightly less clinical than other options.
**Mel:** IUI also appealed to me because it seemed to offer a good balance between effectiveness and affordability.
**Host:** Becoming a single mother by choice comes with unique challenges. Liv, you mentioned that after three unsuccessful IUI attempts, you almost gave up. Can you tell us about that experience?
**Liv:** It was incredibly discouraging. The emotional and physical toll of the process was heavy, and the waiting was agonizing. I started to doubt whether I was strong enough to do this on my own.
**Host:** But you did persevere. What finally gave you the strength to keep going?
**Liv:** It was the unwavering belief that motherhood was something I was meant for. I couldn’t imagine my life without a child. I knew deep down that I had to keep trying.
**Host:** Mel, what advice would you give to other women considering single motherhood by choice?
**Mel:** Trust your instincts. This is an incredibly personal journey, and there’s no right or wrong way to approach it.
Surround yourself with a supportive community and don’t be afraid to ask for help. And most importantly, remember that you are strong enough to make this dream a reality.
